RETICULATION,. Of all the devices which man has invented wherewithal to secure to himself the “dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle,” few can plead greater antiquity than reticulation; none has retained its place as an essential item in the catalogue of useful engines so permanently, through all ages and changes, as the net. Other weapons and instruments have either fallen into total disuse before the gigantic strides of improvement, or now only minister to our recreation; but the net, to this hour, forms an indispensable part of the apparatus used by many of the industrious classes of society. As a means of supplying us with a variety of wholesome food, and of enabling us to carry on an extensive commerce with other nations, net-making becomes an art of some importance; and, as an agreeable occupation to the amateur, it may be reckoned among the chief in point of domestic utility; and therefore is not in either case to be placed “next to mere idleness in the scale of insignificance.” Fishing-net making is decidedly now the most extensive branch of reticulation, how serviceable soever it may be for other purposes. To say nothing of the shapes of the various engines of this kind used in our fisheries, their texture is the best that human ingenuity has been able to conceive; for, when wet, they are easily dried, when torn, easily mended; they offer little resistance when drawn out of the water, whereby the labour of hauling them is greatly diminished; the risk of their being overthrown or carried away by tides, currents, or storms, is lessened; and the more shy fish are not so easily scared away as they otherwise would be by toils more densely wrought; the sand, the mud, the young fry and spawn, the small insects and other animals inhabiting the waters, find a free passage through the meshes, and thus much wanton destruction of animal life is prevented, whilst a larger abundance and a more regular supply of fish is obtained than by any other mode. Such are some of the advantages which principally [7:19:189]result from the delicacy of texture and rarity which, comparatively speaking, all nets exhibit, when fairly used, and no contrivances adopted for abusively increasing the take. The forms of nets vary according to the manner in which they are intended to act, and this is either by entangling the fish in their complicated folds, as in the trammel, receiving them into pockets, as in the trawl, suspending them by the body in the meshes, as in the mackerel-net, imprisoning them within their labyrinth-like chambers, as in the stake-net, or drawing them to shore, as in the seine. It is somewhat extraordinary that it was not until the year 1685 that nets were introduced into Norway, by one Claus Niels Sti-ningen. The fishermen set up a general outcry against so pernicious an innovation, and, after much disputing, the question was decided by an appeal to the law, and experience has confirmed the verdict, that nets are not only not prejudicial, but highly conducive to the prosperity of the fishing trade. Of the antiquity of the art of net-making it will not be necessary to enter into any detail; that nets were invented at a very early period, and have been universally adopted all over the world, and were, and have been ever since, put to an infinite variety of uses, requires no farther proof than can be afforded by a reference to the works of the most ancient authors, both sacred and profane, by whom constant allusion is made to network; and modern travellers have found it to be in vogue amongst the most rude as well as the most polished nations. For much curious information on this head we must refer the reader to Beckmann. ^[1. Beckmann’s History of Inventions, art. Netting. See also Adams’s Roman Antiquities, “Retiarius.” ] One use of the net, however, though known to the ancients, and long since adopted in Italy and other hot climates, has only quite recently, and hitherto but partially, been recognised in this country. It deserves notice, not solely on account of its exhibiting a curious phenomenon in the habits of certain insects highly interesting to the naturalist, but, for the sake of humanity, it is worthy also of the attention of the philanthropist. It has been found by careful experiments that a net made of the finest thread, of any colour, and with meshes of one inch and a quarter square, effectually keeps out the house-fly from the apartments across the open windows of which it is spread. ^[2. See the Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, vol. ii. ] We must leave it to others to speculate upon the causes which operate on the imagination of the gnat and house-fly, so as to prevent them venturing through the “capacious breadth of these divisions.” It has been suggested with much probability, that an optical delusion in the eyes of these insects produces this wonderful effect. The fact having been so well ascertained, what is there, except prejudice, to prevent our taking advantage of it, as affording, at a very trifling expense, and with very little trouble, a material comfort, not only to “the whole,” but to “the sick ?” How refreshing will it prove to many a poor helpless sufferer to feel that he can enjoy in hot weather the luxury of fresh air, free from the irksome attacks of these persevering, buzzing, biting disturbers of his peace, at a time when he most needs repose, and every palliative that art can suggest! But our limits warn us to commence our practical directions relating to our subject. 1. Tools and terms used by net-makers ;— Accrues, false meshes, or quarterings, are loops inserted in any given row, by which the number of meshes is increased. To bread or breathe a net, is to make a net. Dead netting is a piece without either accrues, or stole (stolen) meshes, which last means that a mesh is taken away by netting into two meshes of the preceding row at once, thereby diminishing the net at any part. The head of a net is the upper margin, along which the corks are strung upon a rope called the head-rope. The foot of a net is the opposite or lower margin, which carries the foot-rope, on which, in many cases, leaden plummets are made fast. Over means wide, as a day-net is three fathoms long, and one over or wide. The lever is the first row of a net. Meslws are the squares composing the net. A needle is the instrument used for holding and netting the material to be netted; it is made with an eye E, a tongue T, and a. fork F, fig. 1, Plate CCCCXXXV. The twine is wound on it by being passed alternately between the fork and round the tongue, so that the turns of the string lie parallel to the length of the needle, and are kept on by the tongue and fork. A short needle, about four inches long, should be set apart for mending. A spool or rnesh-pin is a round (fig. 2) or a flat (fig. 3) piece of wood, on which the loops are formed; the circumference of the spool determining the size of the loops. Each loop contains two sides of the square mesh; therefore, supposing that it be required to make a mesh one inch square, that is, measuring one inch from knot to knot, a spool two inches circumference must he used. Large meshes may be formed by giving the twine two or more turns round the spool, as occasion may require, or the spool may be made flat, and of a sufficient width, having a portion cut away to admit the finger and thumb to grasp it conveniently (fig. 3). A pair of round-pointed scissors, so as to be carried conveniently in the pocket, and a knife, are likewise indispensable. To return on your work is, when, in breading a cylindrical net, you stop at any given point, turn your work and net back again, instead of going on round and round, as in forming the regard of the hoop net; which is a slit made in that engine, through which the fisherman introduces his hand to extract the fish caught therein, when he goes to look (regarder, French) what success he has had. Taught, tight; the twine is pulled taught when a knot is made. 2. How to make the loop or stitch in netting. Being so generally understood that any neighbour can in a few minutes teach the uninitiated, we shall not describe the process; a little careful observation will show more than any written description can, however minute. 3. The same may be said of making accrues. It will be easily understood how a very simple manoeuvre, when put in practice, becomes apparently complicated when described in words. It would be idle were we, under the plea of rendering this article complete, to encumber it with laboured explanations, if they can be called such, which leave the reader more in the dark than he was before. 4. The bend-knot is constantly required for uniting two ends of twine together, &c., and is thus performed. See fig. 4, in which A and B are to be joined. 5. The art of mending is of great importance; for, if the fisherman cannot mend an occasional rent, he will soon be obliged to have a new net. Two or three damaged meshes will, if neglected, speedily become a yawning hole; whereas the engine will last a long time by taking care to replace injured parts properly, and without delay. By amateur netters and gamekeepers this part of the art of reticulation is generally unheeded, and a bungling confusion of threads, drawn together any how, serving rather to increase the mischief, is substituted for a neat and efficient repair. In order to explain, as clearly as may be, the method to be pursued, we must request the reader to suppose that a net (fig. 5) has an injury in the middle of the space indicated by the dotted lines. We must begin by cutting the net, that is, the hole must be enlarged, not only by removing that portion which is actually torn, but by cutting into the sound parts. This operation is represented in fig. 5. The parts to be cut away are marked by the transverse lines baa a, cba a ad, below the knots of the original net. It will be observed that, whereas at a a a c, α a a d, two sides of the meshes are cut,
[7:19:190]

one only is removed at b b. In performing this manoeuvre the workman must be careful to have his net hung before him in its proper position, viz. in the order in which the rows were netted, as in fig. 5. This requires attention, because, if either of the sides c or d were uppermost, the mischief would be increased when he came to cut away according to the above instructions. The next thing to be done is to unpick the knots of the old meshes, α, a, a, a, a, a; but the lateral knots c, d, must not be unpicked, for that would destroy the adjoining sound meshes; for the same reason, only one side of the meshes ό, b is cut. We must Suppose, then, that the meshes represented by the dotted fines are entirely removed; the next thing to be done is to replace them. It is evident that this cannot be properly accomplished unless the inserted meshes resemble as accurately as possible those that have been removed. A practised hand will effect this without a spool, but some skilful workmen think that it is infinitely less troublesome, and that the required regularity of the meshes is better insured, if a spool be used suitable to the meshes of the old net. Having filled a small needle with twine, make fast the end above the knot at K (fig. S), hold the spool and needle in the usual way, and take up the loops L, M, N, as in common netting; when at N, lay aside the spool, and make the side NO. This is done by means of the bend-knob the angle P being the bend or loop of the knot. The second row is now to be netted in the same way as the first, and so on with the rest, the single side at the end of each row being managed as at NO, and leading down to the row beneath. We have supposed the workman to have begun and ended this first row, netting from left to right; to work back the second row, he has simply to get on the other side of his net, or to turn the latter over, as may be most convenient, and thus to net on as usual from left to right, changing at the end of each row either the position of his net or of his own person. We shall next suppose that the required number of rows, save one, is completed; we must insert a junction row between the row QRST, and that of the old net VWXY. This is done without a spool, by making the side TV fast at V with a bend-knot round the loop of the old net at V; then the side VS with a bend-knot at S, round the loop of the new piece at S; then the sides SW, WR, RX, XQ, QY, in the same manner. Care must be taken that these sides be of the same length as the sides of the other meshes. At the beginning K and the end Y of your work, leave ends e e, to prevent the knot slipping. In fig. 5 three rows have been removed, and it will be seen that those loops which have only one side removed, are diagonally opposite to each other, and thus it is when an uneven number of rows is to be cut away; but when an even number is removed, those loops of which only one side is cut are at opposite angles of the orifice, but on the same side of the square. 6. Oblong and square netting. If it be required to have the net with meshes setting in squares with their sides, accurately at right angles with each other, like the squares in a sash-window-frame, the following method is to be pursued. Net one loop for the first row, draw the spool out and net two loops for the second row, the additional loop being obtained by taking up that one loop which formed your first row twice, or, as it is technically termed, by setting in a false mesh. Your second row will thus consist of two loops. Remove the spool, begin the third row, which is to consist of three loops, the additional one being gained as before. Continue thus adding a loop at the end of each row until you have made your half square as large as you require; the two selvages on each side of your netting forming two sides of your square; then, before you begin to form the other two sides of your square, net one row of dead netting, i. e. do not increase or diminish anywhere; but at the end of the following rows set in a stole mesh, i. e. take up the two last loops of the row together. Your net will at last be reduced to one loop again, and will, when stretched out, form a complete square, and all the meshes will stand square with each other. But, supposing you want your net to be longer than it is wide, and yet the meshes composing it to be square, as in the other, you are to proceed as follows: Form half a square as before, the length of one side of which will determine the width of the oblong to be made. When this is done, you must set in a false mesh at the end of one row, and a stole mesh at the end of the other row. Continue thus adding and diminishing alternately, until your oblong is of the required length, aad this is ascertained by measuring the long side of the netting from α to b (fig. 6), from the corner at a to the last knot at b. Finish off so as to net the part expressed by dotted lines in fig. 6, as you did in the case of the square net, viz. by taking two loops up at once at the end of each row. In the oblong you need not net a row of plain loops before you begin to finish off, as was done in the square net. Oblong and square nets, when worked as now directed, will, when finished, appear in the shape of a lozenge, and so will all the meshes of which they are composed; but when stretched out with the sides at right angles, each to the other, the whole net will assume its proper shape. It adds to the finished appearance of the net, if, in making the last single loop of the net, the spool be withdrawn before the knot is taught, and then draw the twine up; the last loop is thus, as it were, absorbed, instead of remaining there to spoil the neatness of the work. The single loop, too, with which the net was begun, may have its knot sufficiently loosened to enable the workman to tighten up the loop and make it vanish, as he did at the other end. A little practice will demonstrate this clearly.

Many net-makers consider it a great saving both of time and twine to make their hay-nets, and the like, after this manner; besides which, the selvage thus formed along each side of the net affords sufficient strength without any additional cord to border it. 7. How to net a round or cylindrical net without having to join. Net any given number of loops, and, when you come to the end of the row, instead of turning the net over to net a second, keep the spool in the last loop, and with the needle pick up the first loop of the row just finished, and net into it in the usual manner; thus the row will be united. Continue to take up each loop on your right hand in succession, as in ordinary netting, and thus go on netting round and round until you have obtained the required length. The rows will resemble the turns of a spiral spring descending from the top to the bottom. 8. How to make a bag-net from a square. Net a piece of dead netting containing any given number of loops in the row, observing always an odd number, as 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, according to the proposed size of the bag; net double the number of rows that there are loops in the row save one, as 5, 9, 13, 17, 21. This done, draw the foundation string, viz. the string on which you netted the lever, and fix it in the middle of your square, then net round and round it. The corner loops must be carefully worked for the first few rounds, to make them set even. It is always in the workman’s power to increase the circumference of his bag as he proceeds from the bottom to the mouth, by setting in false meshes. In doing this, however, he must observe regularity, and take care to insert his quarterings at equal distances, else the net will be lop-sided, and distorted. 9. Of joining two nets together. Apply one net on the other, supposing each to contain the same number of meshes in the rows to be united, and that the meshes are of the same size; then, with a spool a full quarter less in size than that on which the nets were breaded, net one row along the margins to be joined, taking up two loops on the needle, i. e. one mesh of each net together; or, if the object be to join the first with the last row of the same net,
[7:19:191]

the two rows must be accurately placed one upon the other, by folding the net over on itself; then proceed as before. Sea-nets, such as those for herrings and mackerel, which are made in rands or breadths, are joined rand to rand lengthways, or along the selvages. The former are composed of three breadths, each thirty-two yards long by fifty loops deep, on a spool three inches in circumference. At the close of each year the lowest rand, which goes deepest into the sea, is removed, and a new one joined on at the top of the net; so that the rand which was uppermost now becomes second, and that which was second is now the lowest. This latter is removed at the end of the next season, when the same rule is observed in replacing it, and so on every year; thus the whole of the original net is renewed every three years. This operation is called by net-makers, giving the net a new jacket. Another mode of joining, and when performed carefully it is the neatest, is by uniting the two nets, or the two margins of one net, in the same way as the last row of the new piece is joined to the meshes of the old net in mending. The first-made side of the inserted or joining work must be twice as long as the rest, as also the last side of the suture; for they, in fact, are equivalent to two sides of a mesh. The following description of specific nets will serve to furnish examples of the foregoing rules, and of the mode of mounting nets, which yet remains to be noticed.

The casting-net (fig. 7) is netted round and round (see No. 7 in this article); the number of the loops for the lever vary, as well as their size, according as it is intended for gudgeons, &c. or minnows; in either case, it would be a great loss of labour if the whole net were made on one spool so small as it is necessary the lower part of this engine should be. Spools therefore of different circumferences are used, diminishing gradually from the largest for the top, to the smallest for the tuck. The following will form a good-sized net for gudgeons and larger fish. Fill the needle with double twine, net four rounds with a spool two inches and a half circumference, on a lever of thirty-six loops; then use single twine, and in the fifth row set in twelve false meshes; net two rounds dead netting, and then set i n false meshes in the same line with the others, having taken care to set in the quarterings of the fifth row so as to divide the circle into equal parts. Net two feet down on the first spool, then one foot down on each of seven other spools, each spool being an eighth of an inch less than the preceding one. Continue to set in quarterings in their proper places, and at the commencement of the eighth foot set m four additional false meshes equidistantly between the original quarterings, and continue putting in the accrues until you have netted a foot and a half more, having taken to your eighth spool at the beginning of the ninth foot; then net four rows dead netting in double twine; take your ninth spool, and net two feet six inches of dead netting for the tuck, the last two rounds in double twine. Have a stout line with leaden bullets threaded on it, and sew this line, with running stitches, through each mesh, along the lowest row of the net, the interval between each lead being two inches. This weighted margin is then turned upwards and inwards, and made fast to the double twine-work above the tuck, at about every foot of the circumference, by means of ratlines three inches long. The lead-line should be about a foot less in length than the row of the tuck to which it is sewn. The leads are made fast to the line by being tied at each end to prevent slipping, and the holes should be bored as near the size of the line as possible. In fig. 7, the lines a, a, a, show the seams formed by the accrues running down tile net; d, d, d, d, are the ratlines by which the tuck is suspended from the rows of double meshes, marked by dots; be, be, indicate the tuck which forms a series of pockets, or rather one continuous pocket, inside the net, into which the fish fall. Fig. 7* shows a portion of the lead-line l, l, sewn on to the last row of the tuck; L is the bullet; s, s, s, s, s, s, s, the course of the twine, simply run through the meshes and round the lead-line; t, t, the tie which holds the mesh on each side the bullet L first; v, v , , V, the twine which sews the line to the meshes, passing over the bullet, being threaded through the loops which extend along the length of the bullet. The trammel consists of three separate layers of nettings, and derives its name from its conformation ( trois mailles, French), because it ensnares by threefold meshes. The three parts consist of two out-wallings and the lint; this latter is suspended loosely between the two former, it being made twice their length and twice their depth. The two out-wallings are to be of the same size.

The length and depth of this engine varies according to the service it is intended to perform, either in fishing or fowling; the same may be said of the size of the meshes; those of the out-wallings, however, are generally five times larger from knot to knot than those of the lint. All the parts should be netted four square (as oblong and square netting is sometimes called, see No. 6 in this article), the lint in twine as fine as may be consistent with the required strength, and the out-wallings with much stouter material in proportion. These, when finished, are to be mounted. Fix each of the four corners of one out-walling to four pegs driven into the ground, which should be cleared of rubbish, &c. The out-walling is to be stretched tight. Pass all round the lint, through each mesh, a stout line of twine, as thick as that of which the out-wallings are made. This line, and likewise the lint at its four corners, is made fast to the four pegs; the former is drawn tight from peg to peg, but the latter, being longer and wider, hangs loosely. The meshes of the lint should be as equally distributed along the line as is possible. Over the lint is applied the other out-walling, the four corners of which are to be fastened to the four pegs. If the engine is intended for fishing, a stout cord must be threaded with round flat corks two inches diameter, and half an inch thick, more or less. This cord is to be fixed along the head of the net by means of pieces of twine whipped two or three times round, and embracing the line of the lint , the margins of each out - walling, and the cord itself. The twine is tied into a firm knot at those points where the cord meets the angles of the out-walling's meshes. The floats are placed about six inches apart, and are pierced, so as to embrace the heud-rope firmly. This last is made fast down each side of the net, at the angles of the meshes of the out-wallings; but it has here no floats; it is extended along the bottom of the net, where it is called the foot-rope, and is weighted with small plates of lead rolled and beaten round it with a hammer, as a tag is fixed round a boot-lace, at about every three inches.

The cord that thus surrounds the net must be bent into a loop at each end of the top of the net, for to these is to be made fast a draw-rope when the net is shot. Some net-makers also tie the three layers of net together at each angle of the meshes of the out-wallings throughout the area of the net, to give additional strength, and to prevent the lint getting huddled together at the bottom when suspended in the water or drawn along the ground. This engine acts thus: The fish or fowl passes through the large mesh of the out-walling, strikes against the lint, which, hanging loosely, yields, and protrudes through the corresponding mesh of the other out-walling, and thus forms a coecum, into which the animal falls, and is entangled. The hoop-net consists of two parts; the body, and the valve, funnel, or gullet, which are united in the manner hereafter to be described. Begin with the body at its lower or pointed end (see fig. 8), and work up to its entrance, thus: Net thirty-seven loops round on a spool four inches circumference, one row. Take a spool two inches circumference and net twenty rows of dead netting. In the next row set in five
[7:19:192]

false meshes equidistantly, then twenty rows of dead netting, then a row with five false meshes; repeat this manoeuvre; then net thirty-six rows of dead netting, and the next row in double twine; thus you have an upper and a lower row, as shown in fig. 5, the dotted lines representing the lower row. Cut off the thread which has worked the upper row, leaving an end; empty your needle, and wind on it the thread that proceeds from the lower row, and work on with the single twine as follows, taking care, however, to pick up only the loops of the lower row as you go round. Net on the same spool fourteen rows of dead netting, then at equal distances in the circumference of the fifteenth row set in eight stole meshes, then net two rows of dead netting, in the next row eight stole meshes in a line with the others; repeat this action three times more. After you have for the fifth time set in your stole meshes, net a row of plain netting; lay aside the two-inch spool, and take a twelve-inch and net one row. The valve is now finished, and must be reflected inwards to gain its right position. You now take your needle, charged with single twine, and join on to that end which was left at the upper row where the valve issued from the body of the engine; with the two-inch spool net eleven rows of dead netting. In the next row set in five false meshes at equal distances each from the other, and continue to set in these at every third row eleven times in the same line. This done, make seven rows of dead netting, then one row on a four-inch spool in double twine. Through this last row a pliant stick is passed, about six feet long, and bent into a bow (BBB, fig. S); a piece of cord keeps the extremities in place, answering to the string of the archer’s bow; the lower meshes of the net’s mouth are strung on this cord, see fig. 8. A weight is generally attached to the bow at its extremities, somewhere towards BB. Four hoops are lashed round the net at HHHH, to prevent its collapsing; these are larger as they proceed from the point to the mouth, and are made of slighter wood than the bow, the smallest being about one foot three inches diameter, and the largest two feet.

Some hoop-nets have more tnan one valve. In that case the hoops must always be placed at the entrance of the valves, and many netters make a row of double twine at those parts, to give additional strength where there is most strain on the netting. The large loops at the bottom of the funnel are tied together, in fasces of equal number of loops, to four lines, and these are made fast to another line which is threaded through the last row of meshes belonging to the point of the body, and which, being drawn tight, closes up the entrance at that part. All the lines are then tied to a support at P, and thus the net is kept extended. The principle of this engine is analogous to that of the common mouse-trap. When there is only one valve (as in fig. 8, V), the fisherman withdraws the fish by loosing the line that closes the body of the engine at P; but when there are more than one valve, he makes a regard in the body between each hoop. A regard is thus made: Net round and round, and when arrived at the part wherein you wish to put a regard, return on your worh; and when you again come to the place where you altered your mode of netting, return again; and thus continue until you have made the regard of sufficient length, then work round and round as before.

A tunnel for partridges is made like the hoop-net, but without valves.

The trawl is a very large and rapacious net, and much discussion has been held as to whether it should be permitted. It would seem, however, upon a careful examination of evidence, that, under proper restrictions, it is not detrimental to the fisheries. This engine is composed of two separate pieces, called the upper and the lower leaf; the meshes are about two inches square. For the under leaf or blade, net 160 loops in double twine, two rows, then with single twine net a plain row; in the next, set in a stole mesh at about the sixth mesh from the beginning, and another at about the sixth mesh from the end of the row; net three rows of dead netting, then set in stole meshes as before; repeat this once again, afterwards go on setting in stole meshes less frequently, t. e. leave five rows of dead netting between, until the width of the blade is reduced to thirty-six meshes, then net about five feet for the hose or tail H, fig. 9. The wings are now to be set on to this leaf. For this purpose you must begin working at the other extremity, or top of the leaf, as at T or t; net fifty-six loops and stop; return on your work; net again to the end of your row (the third), and here, quite at the extremity, set in a false mesh; but when, in the course of netting row after row, you come to the false meshes, do not take them up, but let them hang, as is shown in fig. 9 at B and B of the wings W and W. At the commencement of every row which alternates with those to which you add a false mesh, at about three loops from the beginning, set in a stole mesh; thus the false meshes will always be on one side, and the stole meshes on the other side of the wing, which will thus be diminished at last to eighteen meshes. When this is effected, net two rows in double twine, not adding or diminishing. Thus one wing is done; net the other in the same way, and take care that the one is exactly the same as the other. The under leaf being now finished, we pass on to the structure of the upper blade, fig. 10. Net 180 loops in double twine, two rows; then with single twine forty rows of dead netting; diminish evenly and gradually from 180 to 160 meshes, taking notice that this reduction must be made before you come to a level with the double rows whence the wings rose in the other blade. Diminish from 160 to thirty-six, as you did when working down the lower leaf, making the hose as before. The blades being now finished, must be joined together down their sides, as the sides of a sack are; and a rope, acting as a binding along the seams, is sewn on, in the same way as the head-rope of the trammel. Round the top of the upper blade a rope is strung through the meshes, and carried round the bosom BBB, fig. 9, being sewn to, and not threaded through, the hanging false loops of the wings W, W. The two blades are then sewn together at certain parts to form pockets, in the direction of A, A, A, A, A, A; oooooo, being the orifice of the pockets. At L, L, loops of rope are bent, to which lines are hitched for hauling the net out of the sea into the boat. The two blades or leaves must be exactly of the same length; for, when joined, the top row of the wings must be even with the top row of the back of the net or upper blade, and the hose should meet no less accurately at the bottom. When the trawl is in the sea, a long beam of about thirty feet in length and seven inches in circumference is lashed to the top of the net, keeping the wings and back extended from point to point. This beam is let into irons, called trawl-heads, at each extremity, which serve to sink it. A heavy rope, usually made of old netting, tightly twisted and bound round with strong twine, is lashed along the bosom of the net. Thus mounted, the engine is lowered into the sea, being trailed or trawled along the bottom by means of a rope attached to the boat’s mast, and communicating with each end of the beam by a bridle. The bosom touches the ground, and the upper blade and beam floats over it; the bosom’s rope disturbs the fish at the bottom; they are, however, stopped from escaping, by striking against the upper blade, which extends over the bosom, so they swim down the trawl to the hose; but this is tied up, so they next attempt to return towards the mouth of the net; but in their way they fall into the pockets, which only open inwards towards the hose, and thus are secured. A day-net is used for catching larks from 14th September to 14th November; after that, until 25th February, the trammel. The reason of this is, that during the latter division of [7:19:193]the season the weather usually is cloudy, and the doring-glass of the day-net cannot act. The structure of this net is very simple, and is represented in fig. 11. The thread should be very fine, as also that used for the trammels; the meshes three quarters of an inch from knot to knot; two pieces of oblong netting, measuring three fathoms by one, are extended to their full width, by being lashed to light staves of the required length, one at each end (see fig. 11, A, A). These two leaves are to be laid on the ground exactly opposite each other, so accurately, that when they are drawn over, the two margins m, m shall touch each other. Each leaf is to be staked down with pegs at the lower corners, at G, G, G, G. A line By and By is to be stretched from the top of the stakes B, B, and fastened firmly to the ground by the pegs g, g. Another line is to be stretched from the head of the stakes b and b, in the direction of bC, bC, and fixed to the ground by a peg C and C. Another line F and F is to proceed from the head of each stake b, b, and is to be joined at H to the main line, which draws the leaves over; F, F should each be at least a fathom long. In the centre D is to be placed the doring-glass, whence proceeds a line E. The fowler retires to his ambuscade, and with his left hand he plays the doring-glass with the line E, and holds the main line H in his right; when the birds are seen playing around the glass, and within reach of the net, he pulls the leaves over with a quick jerk, and thus secures them. The doring-glass is thus made: Take a piece of wood (AC, fig. 12) nine inches long and one and a half thick, cut out in the shape of an arch, and the edges at the top bevelled off so as to make it a six-sided figure. This bow is to be painted red, and covered with pieces of looking-glass along the sides and at each end; a wooden peg B, six inches long and three fourths of an inch in circumference, a little pointed at the end, with a hole at I, through which the line E (fig. 11) is threaded, must be fixed to the under surface of the arch, at the centre. Take another piece of wood six inches thick and one foot long (fig. 13), sharpened at the end in order to fix it in the ground; cut out a mortise in it two inches high, and one inch and three fourths deep; bore a hole at N and O, large enough to receive the peg B (fig. 12). This device is made to act by winding up the string round the peg several turns, and then pulling it; then letting it wind itself up again, and then jerking it again; thus making the glass revolve briskly, as children do their toy windmills.

The object we have had in view is that of embodying, in plain and simple language, a few practical hints on the subject of net-making, so that they may be conveniently consulted by all classes requiring that kind of information. The various engines described may be modified, altered, and combined, as occasion requires. It would be endless to enter into these minutiae, or to give a catalogue of the different nets used, with the technical name for each in different parts of the kingdom. We shall therefore conclude with a few general observations. 1. In all cases use twine as fine as circumstances will permit, and make your meshes as large as is consistent with the object in view; for the nets will be thereby more easily dried, lighter, and more efficient. 2. In filling your needle double, draw the twine from separate balls. 3. Take greatcare to dry your nets thoroughly, and hang them up away from walls, where rats and mice cannot get at them. 4. Mend them immediately. 5. Keep them well tanned, or immersed in Kyan’s Patent as often as may be necessary; but never use tar and oil. This mixture has been proved to be inefficient as a preservative, and to be so offensive to the fish as to drive many away from the nets thus prepared, and to impart an unpleasant flavour to those that are caught in them. 6. If you wish to dye your nets green, russet, yellow, &c. for fowling or other purposes, send them to the nearest dyer or tanner, as the cheapest and best mode of treatment. (b. k.)