192 POUT OR BIB. 



I understand it is a common sight to see a forest of 

 rods at the drawing of tickets, and also when tlie fish- 

 ing commences, the row of rods extending sometimes 

 three miles or more. On these occasions a great many 

 popes are caught, and it is the invariable custom of 

 anglers to carry bits of cork in their pocket, which they 

 fix on to the back S2)ines of the fish, which they let 

 loose again into the water both during and after the 

 match. It is a very funny sight to see the surface of 

 the canal for so many miles covered by these unfor- 

 tunate popes. 



THE POUT. 



This little fish is also called the Bib Whiting Pout, or 

 Bragay, also the Stink alive, as it so soon looses its 

 freshness. The pouts come in shore in June, and go 

 away in September. The whitings come in November 

 and go away in January. "When first caught pouts are 

 of a most lovely iridescent colour ; they soon assume 

 a dull brown-paper colour. By an ingenious process, 

 pouts are frequently made to do duty for whiting. If a 

 pout be taken out of the water and put in again, he 

 " gets blowed " and can't swim, but floats on the sur- 

 face till a ^' sea maw " gull whaffles him down. 



Excellent fishing can be obtained near Portsmouth. 



In my " Curiosities of Natural History Series," 1866, 

 I give my experiences of pout fishing with my old friend 

 Eobinson Crusoe, a retired man-of-war's man. Here is 

 a bit of the fine old sailor's yarn : 



"It's the pouts as likes the wracks (wrecks); they 

 eats the little teeny long-pinchered crabs no bigger than 

 my thumb-nail, and the sea wodlice, and suchlike ; but 

 a pout arn't particular like a conger or a whiting ; and 



