small Town of CRAIL, in Fifeshire, sends Annually from Twenty, to Twenty-five Thousand. An ENGLISH Company, introduced Lobster TRAPS, a new Invention for taking them, yet so little were the People accustomed to the Mechanical Arts, that they failed in the Attempt to imitate them.

In IRELAND, the County of GALWAY produces Lobsters, peculiarly good and plentiful, such, as in DUBLIN, would bring Seven or Eight Shillings, are often bought in GALWAY for Sixpence, and sometimes for even less. CRAW FISH abound on the South West Coast of IRELAND, and frequently weigh, from Six to Eight Pounds.

Of the Patience and Sagacity of the LOBSTER, Dr. BORLASE gives this Specimen, of which, a Clergyman of Veracity informed him. "That a Fisherman observed a Lobster, try to get at an Oyster, several Times; but so soon as the former approached, the Oyster shut his Shell: at length the Lobster, having waited with great Attention, till the Oyster opened again, contrived to throw a Stone between the gaping Shells, then sprung upon his Prey, and devoured it."

In the Water, LOBSTERS use their Legs or small Claws, with great Nimbleness, and if alarmed, can spring, Tail foremost, to a surprising Extent, as swift as a Bird can fly. The Fishermen can see them pass, about Thirty Feet, and by the Swiftness of their Motion, it is believed, that they may go much farther: they will also spring from a considerable Distance, to their Hold in the Rock, and, what is not less astonishing, than true, will throw themselves into their lurking Place in that Manner, through an Entrance barely sufficient for their Bodies to pass; and which is frequently seen, by the People engaged in the taking them at Kirby Bridge, near SCARBO

ROUGH.

The Loss of the Claws of LOBSTERS at Thunder Claps, or the Sound of Cannon, is well authenticated, and the Fishermen are often jestingly threatened, with a Salute, by the SAILORS. The Restoration of Claws thus lost, may always be observed; for these, never again grow to their former Size.

There are four Ways of SEA Fishing in Use, in some Parts of SCOTLAND, and which are worthy of Notice from their Peculiarity.

FIRST, with Leesters, a kind of four-pronged Fork, with the Prongs turned rather to one Side, having a Shaft Twenty or Twenty-five Feet long. These they run along the Sand on their Edge, or throw them when they see any Fish, and in this Manner destroy great Quantities. Some are very dextrous, and will upon Horseback, throw a Leester, and kill at a long Distance. This is also called Shawling, being usually practised when the Tide is nearly Expended, and the Waters get shallow. The SECOND Mode, termed Heaving or Hauling, is by standing in the Stream, either at the Flowing or Ebbing of the Tide, with a Net fixed to a Frame, consisting of a Beam twelve or fourteen Feet long, having three small Sticks or Rings, fixed into it in the Middle, and one at each End, to these the Net is fixed by a small Line. This Frame is opposed to the Current, so that whenever a Fish strikes against the Net, they by means of the Middle Ring, instantly haul up the Mouth of the Net above the Surface; and the Fish which was caught in the Bag of the Net, is killed with an Instrument kept for that Purpose. A Dozen or Twenty Men, will sometimes stand abreast, in strong running Water for three or four Hours together. Such

a Company is called a Mell. THIRDLY. Pock-net Fishing. This is performed, by fixing Stakes in the Sand, either in the Channel, or elsewhere, which ebbs dry at Low Water. These Stakes are driven Forty Inches separate, across the Tide Way, and about three Feet high, between every Two of these Stakes, is placed a Sack of Network, (called a Pock-net,) and tied by a Rope to its Top, and the Bottom secured by a Hook or Ring of twisted Willow, slipt on to the Stake, where it is movable, the Meshes of these Nets, which are about three feet wide both ways, are large, so that the Fish, moving rapidly with the Stream, run their Heads into these Meshes, and are unable to disengage themselves; when the Tide is spent, the Fish are taken out. Five of these Pocks are termed a Clout, and Ten Clouts are the Extent allowed to each Fisherman, who has only One Share in the Fishery. The Distances are also regulated, so that the Nets of one, must not be set within a certain Limit, allowed to another. FOURTHLY. Raise-net Fishing. This is by far the most Profitable, yielding a considerable Rent. The Name is derived, from the lower part of the Net, rising and floating upon the Water with the flowing Tide, and setting down with the Ebb. This has

likewise the Appellation of Lake Fishing, from the Nets being always placed in Lakes, or hollow Parts of the Tide-way, and never, either in the Channel, or on the plain Sand. The Staves are mostly Twelve Feet long, driven deep into the Sand, and in a Row across a Lake or Hollow, at six feet distance, a strong Rope is passed along, and fastened to the Head of each, to this is joined a Net, about Ten feet deep, tied also at the Bottom with a Rope, but not fastened below to the Staves, the lower Part of course floats, as the Tide rises, but when it begins to turn, the Net is pushed to the bottom by the returning Stream, and which prevents any Fish getting down the Channel, when the Tide is spent. The Fisherman, or Owner comes, every Twelve Hours, to see what are caught. If the Hollow does not Ebb quite dry, they use a Drag Net, to sweep out the Fish, and large Quantities of Salmon, Sea Trout, Herrings, Cod, Flounders, and sometimes Sturgeons, are thus taken.

Among the List of extraordinary Fishes, that are Natives of the SEA near the Western ISLES, may be included the MERMAID, of whose Being and Appearance, the late wellauthenticated Accounts given by Miss MAC