THE COMPLETE ANGLER 95 



moss, which is to be fresh every three or four days in 

 summer, and every week or eight days in winter ; or, at 

 least, the moss taken from them, and clean washed, and 

 wrung betwixt your hands till it be dry, and then put 

 it to them again. And when your worms, especially 

 the brandling, begins to be sick and lose of his bigness, 

 then you may recover him by putting a little milk or 

 cream, about a spoonful in a day, into them, by drops on 

 the moss ; and if there be added to the cream an egg 

 beaten and boiled in it, then it will both fatten and pre- 

 serve them long.* And note, that when the knot, which 

 is near to the middle of the brandling, begins to swell, 

 then he is sick ; and, if he be not well looked to, is near 

 dying. And for moss, you are to note, that there be 

 divers kinds of it, which I could name to you, but I will 

 only tell you that that which is likest a buck's-horn is 

 the best, except it be soft white moss, which grows on some 

 heaths, and is hard to be found. And note, that in a very 

 dry time, when you are put to an extremity for worms, 

 walnut-tree leaves squeezed into water, or salt in water, 

 to make it bitter or salt, and then that water poured on 

 the ground, where you shall see worms are used to rise 

 in the night, will make them to appear above ground 

 presently. And you may take notice, some say that 

 camphor, put into your bag with your moss and worms, 

 gives them a strong and so tempting a smell, that the fish 

 fare the worse and you the better for it. 



* The following is also an excellent way, viz : Take a piece of 

 hop-sack, or other very coarse cloth, and wash it clean, and let it 

 dry ; then wet it in the liquor wherein beef has been boiled ; but 

 be careful that the beef is fresh, for salt will kill the worms, and 

 wring it, but not quite dry ; put the worms into this cloth, and lay 

 them in an earthen pot, and let them stand from morning till night ; 

 then take the worms from the cloth, and wash it, and wet it again 

 in some of the liquor : do thus once a day, and you may keep worms 

 in perfect health, and fit for use, for near a month. 



Observe that the lob-worm, marsh-worm, and red-worm, will 

 bear more scouring than any others, and are better for long keep- 

 ing. H. 



