The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-04-21
FISHING coRMoRANrs
Prince Of Wales to Witness Stranue
Industry in Japan.

TTlnCe OF wales 10 Witness Stranue
Industry in Japan.
On a moonless night, Illuminated
only by blazing torches, Edward.
Prince OF Wales, will be taken for
trip along the River Niagara to wit.
ness the strange cormorant fishing
Industry while on his visit 70 Japan
as gnest II the Imperial government.
I.1is curious method o catching
Ish with birds instead Of hook and
inc has existed In Japan from time
tmmemori9l. Twenty-eight men. four
boats and Ga birds constitute work.
ing unite OF these picturesque fishing
fleets to be seen In many sections OF
Japan along the Niagara river
The cormorants are trained when
quite young and will continue to work
Tor 10 and even 20 years. When we'll
trained and properly handled, each
L.'l vii aver age about $50 fish an
hour.
The master fisherman, distinguish
ed by his peculiar hat, stands in the
bow handling no fewer than IL birds
with remarkable skill. Another fish
erman with four birds, is situated
amidships a third member OF the
crew is stationed between the two.
armed with piece Of bamboo which
he strikes TO keep the birds at thei-
work, at the same time encouraging
them by shouts and cries.
Each cormorant has a ring OF metal
or bone around the base OF It's neck
perm ting 1t to swallow the swallow
the smaller fish as food but effective.
ily stopping those Of marketable size
from passing through.
/ Round the body OF the bird Is a
cord TO which Is attached In the mid
die OF thea back a short trip Of stiff
Sh2-eboEe, with which to lower the
bird into the water OF lift It out again
and a thin rem OF spruce fibre, twelve
feet eng.
The master lowers his IL birds into
the stream and holds the reins in his
left hand, manipulating them with
his right as occasion requires. The
second fisherman does the same with
his four birds while the third man be-
gin his volleys of noise.
The birds start diving and ducking
with wonderful swiftness as the fish
come swimming toward the blaze OF
light The master has a busy time
handling his IL strings to prevent
them tangiing while the birds are
dash ne hither and thither
When one OF the birds becomes en-.
gorged, 1t swims about in foolish
helpless way, with its head and swoll.
en- neck erect and the master hauls
1t IN. He forces its bill open with
his left band, still no ding the other
lines, and sQueezes out the fish with
his right after which he returns the
bird TO its work This is all done with
such admirable dexterity and quick
ness that the other birds have nos
tine to become entangled and immed.
lately the whole team Is again pei.
tecty In hand,
EaTh bird has its own number and
knows II. No or "lohi' is the doyen
of the corps, the senior in years as
well as rank and his companions &C.
cording to their age come after him
in numerical order. lchi Is the last to
ne put into the water and the frst
to be taken out, the first to be fed
and the last to enter the baskets when
the work is over, Ichi has the post OF
honor in the eyes OF the boat He Is
a solemn, grizzled old fellow, with a
pompous air. The others are placed
alternately on either side OF the gun.
vale according TO their rank and
should the lawful order Of precedence
at any time be violated, terrific rum.
pus occurs amongst them.
After the fishing is over, as each
cormorant is taken out Of the water
the master can tell by its weight
whether II has had enough to eat dur
ing the hunt and II not, the bird is
fed with the inferior fish that have
been caught