16 THE MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND FISHES OF ESSEX.
them, to the eastern parts of the North Sea, where
they are occupied with trawling and dredging for
oysters on the so-called "shilling grounds."
A form of trawling pursued on the Essex coast,
and by no means common elsewhere, is the trawling
for eels on the shores near the mouth of the rivers,
and on the mud-banks of the coast just outside the
rivers. Sometimes this is a very paying business ; and,
from the naturalist's or ichthyologist's point of view,
there can be no more edifying sight than to be a
spectator of the turning out of the haul, with leisure to
examine the mass of mud, weeds, and living freight
brought up by the trawl.
Stow-boat fishing for Sprats* is carried on in this
district to a greater extent than anywhere on the East
Coast, and a good Sprat season is of as great import-
ance to the shore population as a good harvest inland
is to the country generally. It means abundance and
comfort to the fishermen, their wives, and families,
instead of poverty and want if the season be bad.
Enormous quantities of Sprats are captured in a good
season, and sent away to the populous districts for
food. Much larger quantities are disposed of to the
neighbouring farmers for manure.
* The term " Stow-boating," or " Stow-netting," simply means that the "Stow-
net " is being used. See Yarrell's British Fishes (vol. ii., p. 123) and Day's Fishes
of Great Britain and Ireland (vol. i , p. xcix.), where an illustration of a stow-net
is given.