42 THE ANGLER S GUIDE. 



same eflfect on fowls as Sprats, of which they are also 

 very fond — namely, increasing their fecundity and 

 size. 



CHAP. VII. 



The Gudgeon. 



The Gudgeon is a firm well-flavoured Fish, and much 

 prized at the table, when large and fresh caught, 

 especially before they cast their spawn : the rivers 

 Thames and Lea boast of very fine and immense 

 numbers of them. — They are a bold -biting Fish, and 

 afford much amusement to the young Angler, by their 

 being easily taken. Gudgeons will take a bait from 

 March till October, at any time of the day. In the 

 Thames they are generally fished for in a boat, with 

 red worms for bait, a cane or hazel rod, gut or a twist- 

 ed hair line, light cork or stout quill float, and No. 10 

 hook 5 some put two hooks on their line, one about 

 a foot above the other. Writers on the Natural His- 

 tory of Fish say, that Gudgeons spawn two or three 

 times in the year, but I believe only once, and that 

 happens at different periods, in different waters. As, 



