in the case of the menhaden fishery, which more and more is being prosecuted in slow-going steamers, with machines for hauling seines, and trawl nets.  But the typical fishing boat engaged in the food fisheries is a trim, swift schooner, built almost on the lines of a yacht, and modeled after a type designed by Edward Burgess, one of New England’s most famous yacht designers.  Seaworthy and speedy both are these fishing boats of to-day, fit almost to sail for the “America’s” cup, modeled, as they are, from a craft built by the designer of a successful cup defender.  That the fishermen ply their calling in vessels so perfectly fitted to their needs is due to a notable exhibition of common sense and enterprise on the part of the United States Fish Commission.  Some years ago almost anything that would float was thought good enough for the bank fishermen.  In the earliest days of the industry, small sloops were used.  These gave way to the “Chebacco boat,” a boat taking its name from the town of Chebacco, Massachusetts, where its rig was first tested.  This was a fifteen to twenty ton boat almost as sharp at the stern as in the bow, carrying two masts, both cat-rigged.  A perfect marvel of crankiness a boat so rigged would seem; but the New England seamen became so expert in handling them that they took them to all of the fishing banks, and even made cruises to the West Indies with cargoes of fish, bringing back molasses and rum.  A development of the Chebacco boat was the pink, differing only in its rig, which was of the schooner model.  But in time the regular schooner crowded out all other types of fishing vessels.  In 1882, the members of the Fish Commission, studying the frightful record of wrecks and drownings among the Gloucester and Marblehead fishermen, reached the conclusion that an improved model fishing boat might be the means of saving scores of lives.  The old model was seen to be too heavily rigged, with too square a counter, and insufficient draught.  Accordingly, a model boat, the “Grampus,” was designed, the style of which has been pretty generally followed in the fishing fleet.

[Illustration:  ON THE BANKS.]

Such a typical craft is a schooner of about eighty tons, clean-cut about the bows, and with a long overhang at the stern that would give her a rakish, yacht-like air, except for the evidences of her trade, with which her deck is piled.  Her hull is of the cutter model, sharp and deep, affording ample storage room.  She has a cabin aft, and a roomy forecastle, though such are the democratic conditions of the fishing trade that part of the crew bunks aft with the skipper.  The galley, a little box of a place, is directly abaft the foremast, and back of it to the cabin, are the fishbins for storing fish, after they are cleaned and salted or iced.  Nowadays, when the great cities, within a few hours’ sail of the banks, offer a quick market for fresh fish, many of the fishing boats bring in their catch alive—­a deep