258 FISHES AND FISHING. 



These balls do not answer so well to throw off a 

 bank ; but if the clay be well tempered, and the balls 

 made small, they may be placed in the swim by the 

 contrivance of a piece of board, or a small imitation 

 of a baker's peel. In still water they answer very 

 well. Do not be afraid of alarming the fish ; such is 

 their Eve-like propensity, that if a stone be thrown 

 in, a congregation of fish will soon assemble around 

 it, an irrefragable proof of the acuteness of their sense 

 of hearing ; and I do not advise placing the balls of 

 ground bait gently in the water from fear of frighten 

 ing the fish, but to prevent the balls from breaking 

 by throwing them into the water. 



Balls made with clay and finely ground malt, or 

 clay and fresh grains, or clay and boiled rice, or clay 

 and liver gentles, or in a still place chewed bread, or 

 a spoonful of common gentles, or for chub, bran, 

 scalded bread, and very strong-smelling cheese ; bait 

 with honey paste mixed with cheese. In a quiet 

 eddy, small pellets of paste made with bread, and a 

 little moist sugar ; bait with honey paste. 



Most of the ground baits will not keep over twenty- 

 four hours. 



An old work on angling advises paste made by 

 dipping the bread in liquor in which greaves have 

 been boiled, as an excellent bait for barbel. Is this 

 taste or smell that prompts barbel, chub, and carp to 

 prefer greaves, cheese, and honey ? 



