CARP-FISHING 107 
of the total weight of the fish), and to contain 2,059,750 eggs, 
in a larger fish, weighing 214 Ib., he found only 1,310,750 eggs. 
It has been observed that the spawning season is sometimes 
very much prolonged, ova being deposited at irregular intervals 
during several months. Further, for some reason unknown, 
the spawn of successive seasons may be retained undischarged 
within the ovary, a result attributed by some writers to the 
action of large internal parasites, to the attacks of which the 
carp is peculiarly liable. 
The carp is credited with sagacity far beyond the average 
ot fishes, and it is certainly shy and capricious in taking a 
Angling for bait; but this may be owing chiefly to its staple 
Carp. diet being vegetarian, and the difficulty of hitting 
upon anything of superior attraction to the abundant summer 
pasture afforded by the waters. Being wholly without 
experience in angling for carp, I can only repeat some of the 
instructions given by those who have achieved success in that 
branch of field sports. Frank Buckland gives the following 
French receipt for ground-baiting : “ Take a tuft of turf the 
size of a dinner-plate, the grass of which is green and short ; 
then with a needle and green thread, sew on red worms so as 
almost to cover the turf; fasten the turf to a board and sink 
it to the bottom.” But when the carp are collected round this 
ground-bait, the angler is by no means at the end of his 
difficulties, for the carp is very wary, and easily to be scared by 
any incautious movement. The tackle must be very fine, but 
faultless, for, as Dame Juliana Berners observed of the carp, “he 
is an evyll fysshe to take, for he is so strong enarmyed in the 
mouthe, that there maye noo weke harnys hold hym.” If a 
worm be used for a bait, it is indispensable that it should have 
been well scoured from all earthy particles, within and without. 
Having placed it on the hook, it must by no means be flung 
under the nose of the fish in the rude manner which might serve 
one’s turn with a perch. The delicacy of manceuvring 
required has been well described by Mr. Keene. That 
