Fishing In China.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 4, Issue 64, 5 June 1851, Page 4

Fishing In China.

The Chinese not only use nets and lines, but they have several other ingenious methods of catching fish. One of these consists in the employment of the fishing cormorant. " In ih-Mr wihl s=MtP llie.se aipntic birds assemble i:t considerable numbers to lisli. They form a large circle which gradually conIrart l)y lira a ing closer together. Sonic flap their wings on the sulfate of the water, while others (live beneath it and thus they drive the aflrightcd full into the shallows near the he ich where the. latter having less facility for cseipe, (all u prey <o their voracious locs. " Cormorant'* were formerly sometimes trained in as they still are in China, lor the pnrpns • ol catching fish lor the table. VVi'li tl.is view they were ke/it with great care in the l.ons", and when taken out (or lisliiii:-, h 'I a lea'hern thong tied ruind the neck, to prevent them from swallowing their prey. "The Chinese fishermen carry with tlieni in a morning 'en or i'»<*lv« of these birds, lasting, ci'her in li.jht boils, or on bamboo rafts. Nnmherj of hoati may he seen o>.i the rivers ahont Min-ris', i:\i the lishmg hirds perch, d on their prows. Theio liiidiitrc t.night f» puisne tish. in the s>nne manner as the I ileon dni-a g-nne. Tiic lis'i-ermi-n heil ihewa'er strongly with one of their cars; t : is serves is a s'gn d to the birds, which instanllv plunge into the water an I swallow ai many small lish ai they can. The.y then v pair imuicdiitely to ihf; hoy, each" c.myiug a large fish by the middle in its bill. To prevent the smaller fi-h fro n passing iniD t!ie stomach of the i.ird a ring is commonly pnt round i's neck to confine tlio gullett, which i- loot? and c.ipab'e of great expansion. To miki it nisgorg-* the lish wkieh it has sw.illo A-e I, the fisherman holds the bird with in l.ea l downwiidi, mid strokes its neck with his hand. 6 me are so well train. (1 us to have no occision lor lhe rinj. iln y bring their prey honestly, to their mast r, nud when they litve caii'-'ht is ni'icli as lie wauls, he iiilusrs thrill to lish lor themselves. '< When a fi<h happen* to be too large for n .single bird, the oth.-rs have salacity enough to assist their comp mions ; ore taking it by llie lu'i.d, another by the tail, and in this manner cairying it to "iheir master." —China in Miniature.