THE BARBEL. 65 



floating about the ground-bait, &c., their fins, body, 

 or tail, often strike against the lower part of the 

 Angler's line or hook, which moves the float like a 

 bite } the Angler, supposing it to be so, strikes, and 

 generally hooks the iish. The chance of this way 

 of taking Barbel is increased by putting two hooks on 

 the line, about eight, ten, or twelve inches apart, 

 especially when the water is thick, and during the 

 night. 



Remarks on the Nature, Colour, Sfc, of Barbel. 



The Barbel spawn in April or May, and are in sea- 

 son about a month after. They delight to lie in deeps, 

 in eddies, and near large beds of weeds, and under 

 light waving weeds on the sharps, in warm weather ; 

 and also at the end of scow ers in mill-pools, or mill- 

 !?: reams, the tails of mills, and under banks, routing 

 up the gravel or sand with their noses, like pigs ; 

 feeding on small worms, and the little Water- snail, 

 fresh-water Shrimp or Periwinkle, which they find 

 there. A fresh Water-snail, when taken out of the 

 shell, is a good bait, when ledger fishing, for Barbel. 



Barbel have an oblong head, sharp, cunning pig 

 yes, and four fleshy wattels about the mouth ; the 

 ])ackisofan olive-brownish colour, the belly white 

 silvery ; the scales all over the body are placed in the 

 mcst exact order, the mouth is under-hung, and the 

 lips consist of a fleshy substance, which they can pro- 

 trude or contract at pleasure 3 the body is long, thick, 

 and full ; the fins, a pale red colour, the tail is forked, 

 the upper point being curiously curved, sharp pointed, 

 G 2 



