EEL FISHING. 145 



and they then often suck part of the bait away, but 

 very seldom suffer the hook to come within their 

 mouths. I have seen pieces of sharp thorn tied to 

 Eel lines, same as a needle is to a sniggling line, and 

 baited with worms, laid at night in the Thames, and 

 both Eels and Flounders caught with them, which is 

 done by the thorn getting across the throat or stomach 

 of the Eel or Flounder, when swallowed. 



Note. — The proper time to lay or put single or chain 

 lines in the water for Eels, &c., is just as the sun is 

 setting 3 at which time. Eels (large ones especially) 

 begin to -move from their holes, or other places of 

 shelter, in search of food ; therefore, according to 

 the number of baited hooks you intend laying, begin 

 to bait them in time, because it takes a consider- 

 able time to bait some score of hooks, and it is ne- 

 cessary they should be in the water at sun set, for 

 you must know that the fore part of the night is 

 better than the latter, and, as I have before observed, 

 the sooner after twelve o'clock the lines are taken 

 up the better. 



Lamprey Eel. 

 The Lamprey Eel is of the shape of the Lamprey, 

 or Seven Eyes, but of a much larger size, being- 

 taken sometimes nearly three feet long ; the skin is 

 of a blackish colour, and full of lightish spots 5 it has 

 no bones, but it has a gristle down the back. They 

 come from the sea to spawn in fresh water rivers, 

 in the month of March, and deposit their spawn in, 



