THE BAilBEL. 05 



but neither of tijein are very extraordinary. 

 They swim in great shoals, and are at the worst 

 in JpriL at which time they spawn, but so(ni 

 come into season again ; the places they chiefly 

 resort are such as are weedy, gravelly lising 

 grounds, in which this fish is said to dig, and 

 rout his nose like a swine. In tjie summer he 

 frequents the strongest and swiftest currents of 

 water, as under deep bridges, weirs, &c and is 

 apt to settle himself amongst the piles, hollow 

 places and ;ri moss and weeds. In the autumn he 

 retires into the deeps, Wiiere he remains all the 

 winterand bei>innini>of tiicsprinp;. 'Ihebcst baits 

 for him are salmoN-spawri,lob-zcorms, gentiesy bits 

 of cheese wra[jt up in a wet linen rag to make 

 it tough, or ^teeped in honey for twenty-i'our 

 hours, nnd greaves : observe, tliat the sweeter and 

 cleaner your baits are kept tlie more eager he 

 takes them. You cannot bait the ground too 

 much for him, when you ai)2:ie for him with any 

 kind of garbage: as lob-Kornis, cut in pieces, 

 malt and graiii'i incorj>orated with b/uodund day, 

 &c. The earlier and later vou fish for liim in 

 the months of June, July, and August, the better. 

 Your rod and line must be very strong; the 

 former ringed, and the jattei must have gimp at 

 the bottom, but 1 think twisted gut is t;etler : 

 a running plummet must be placed on your line, 

 ^vhich is a bullet* with a hole through it: [)iace 

 a large shot a foot above the liook, to prevent 

 tlie bullet fallini:; on it. The worm \vill of course 

 be at the bottom, for no Hoat is to be used, and 

 ^vhea the barbel takes the bait, the bullet will lie 

 on the2;round and notchoak him. Bv the bend- 

 ing of your rod you will know when i)e bites, and 



* 1 huie found lately tliat the Hat plunimel is niuch bettei. 



G O 



