THE CHUB AT HOME. 45 



It is quite evident that the French anglers have much 

 trouble to catch M. Clievin. We read that the '' de- 

 fiance and experience of the chub are very great. They 

 have very little api^etite, being j)laced, like .Esop's 

 animal, in the middle of the cheese. Living in clear 

 water, they see the fishing-line, and turn up then- nose 

 at it in a disdainful manner." Another remark: "the 

 angler wants to catch him with an invisible line ; alas ! 

 one cannot find such an article." 



" The chevin common is the grand Seneur, for he 

 lives at his ease. In the winter in the sun, in the 

 summer in the shade of big trees ; in hot weather on 

 the surface of the water, in cold weather at the bottom, 

 in deep and tranquil water ; hence the wise angler will 

 recollect when it is possible to fish for him near the top, 

 and when it is cold, near the bottom." 



The chub has the same fault as the Yorkshh-eman's 

 horse — he is very bad to catch, and is no good when he 

 is caught. His body contains an enormous quantity of 

 hair-like bones. These bones are not placed without 

 symmetry, and a chub, therefore, when made into a skele- 

 ton, either by gentles or the Dermestes beetle, forms a 

 very beautiful object. Why a chub has such a remark- 

 able skeleton I know not ; and I should be much obliged 

 if any of my readers could find out why the chub re- 

 quires such a comphcated system of bones. Mr. Chub 

 is a great insect eater, and one of his objects in waiting 

 under trees is to catch the caterpillars and other insects 

 which fall off the leaves. He is especially fond of grass- 

 hoppers, cockchafers, the large black slug, the large 

 hairy caterpillar (but the angler should be careful not 

 to get any of this caterpillar's hairs into his eye) ; he also 

 likes a bluebottle- fly. He will probably take a black- 

 beetle, and any one who could find any economic use 



