FISHES AND FISHING. 263 



their brothers and sisters of the Thames : the former 

 must be angled for with a very fine hook of thin wire, 

 tied on single hair ; the bait must be blood worms ; 

 the angling is from the bank, and the occasional angler 

 must either hire or borrow a rake to take into the 

 marshes with him, a load for a donkey ; and he must 

 rake, bait, and unhook his fish. The gudgeons in the 

 Lea are not so numerous as those in the Thames, but 

 they are mostly of a good size. 



This species of fish do not generally weigh more 

 than four ounces, or exceed nine inches in length ; 

 but one was, it is said, taken at TJxbridge, which 

 weighed half a pound. 



A village on the Loire, between Orleans and Blois, 

 in France, is celebrated for the quality, size, and 

 cooking of its gudgeons. 



Eoach fishing is also practised from punts, in the 

 Thames, at all the stations from Richmond upwards ; 

 and an immense quantity of roach are taken, very 

 much under the size allowed by Act of Parliament ; 

 if many of those who angle would but adhere to the 

 law on the subject, and set at liberty again all roach 

 under eight inches from the eye to the end of the 

 flesh at the middle of the tail, this species of fish , 

 of a size good for something when caught, would 

 be plentiful. At Richmond, a gentleman with whom 

 I am acquainted, about four years ago, caught a 



