FISHES AND FISHING. 257 



maiden lob worm, well scoured, in a piece of damp, 

 old greasy net, taking care there is no salt in the 

 greasy water in which the net has been moistened, 

 or wash it in some fat mutton broth, which has 

 neither spice, salt, or pepper in it. 



Another ground bait for barbel is hollow balls of clay 

 with a little pounded greaves mixed up in them ; the 

 balls to be filled with boiled greaves, and liver gentles. 



Another for roach and dace : a smaller hollow ball 

 filled with liver gentles, sticking a few outside. 



The rationale of this is, that the fish being attracted 

 to the balls by that which is outside, and probably 

 smelling something in the interior, which they desire 

 to appropriate to themselves, will knock and rub 

 themselves against it, till with that, and the action 

 of the water, the ball breaks, and the contents attract 

 numbers of fish to the place ; if now you give them 

 a superior bait on your hook, you will be certain to 

 have the largest fish ; if you ground bait with worms, 

 use a fine scoured worm, as before observed, on your 

 hook ; if the ball contain greaves and liver gentles, 

 use on your hook a picked piece of scalded greaves, 

 and on the point a fine gentle ; and so with roach 

 and dace, bait with fine gentles. 



That the above rationale is the true one, may be 

 proved by watching the motions of the fish in clear 

 water. 



