In the making of bag or scoop nets the bottom of the net is usually smaller than the diameter of the opening. In the East Coast area this is done by adding meshes to various rows as the work proceeds. This means that the thirty-two meshes set up on the supporting-strand will ultimately be at the bottom of the net, whilst the addition of, say, sixteen new meshes will give the lowest row forty-eight meshes to form the opening of the net. These extra meshes are called mata torea—mata being the term used for mesh. The mata torea are added in two ways:—

(1.) Complete Mesh.

In this method, when it is desired to add a new mesh, instead of the netting-strip going on to the next loop it simply adds a small mesh to the knot just made. Thus in fig. 31, after making the netting-knot at X instead of going on immediately to the loop Y, the strip is carried over the same loop upon which the knot has just been tied at X. This loop is gauged with the left ring-finger to bring the lower end to the same level as the previous loop, A. The new loop itself is small, but this is immaterial so long as the lower level is the same. The strip now makes a bight to the right, passes

Figs. 31, 32.—Additional meshes.

over both limbs of the loop, and comes up from behind through the bight to complete the ordinary netting-knot as shown in the figure. The netting-strip now passes on to the next loop (fig. 32).

The result is that an extra loop, C, has been inserted between the usual loops, A and B. When the next row is being made, instead of one mesh being made between A and B, two will be formed. One will be made between A and C, and the other between C and B. The row is thus increased by one mesh.

(2.) Two Half-meshes.

This method presents a much neater appearance than the former one. In fig. 33, instead of carrying the netting-strip from the loop A to the loop B to make one complete mesh, as in the ordinary routine, this mesh-space is divided up into two. The strip, after making the netting-knot at A, is carried up over the netting-knot of the row above at X. The loop formed is gauged to the same level as the previous loop. The strip is carried down to the level of the lower ends of the loops of the last row at A, B. At this point, Y, the ascending and descending limbs of the netting-strip are held with the left finger and thumb whilst an overhand