30 NOTES TO THE 



the lower end of the tail of a calf, skin it open, and insert a 

 cork perforated with a bit of gimp ; on the end of the gimp 

 must be attached the ordinary double hooks, which should be 

 properly concealed by the hair on the skin ; put a thick boot-lace 

 for a tail, and a cork with two boot buttons for the head. The 

 big pike sees this, thinks it a water-rat, and most likely will 

 come and take it. 



CARP, p. 22. Mr. Charles, fishmonger, of Arabella Eow, 

 in 1866, sent me two very fine carp. The largest weighed 21| Ibs., 

 was 33 inches long, and 2Q\ inches in girth. The smaller fish 

 weighed 16|lbs., being 25 inches in length, and 23 inches in 

 girth. They came from Haarlem Meer, in Holland, and were 

 both females. 



I had the opportunity of casting the larger fish, and I also 

 carefully counted her roe which weighed S^lbs. This was done 

 by taking the average of two or three grains, a calculation was 

 then made of the aggregate number of eggs. These amounted 

 to no less than one million three hundred and ten thousand 

 seven hundred and fifty (1,310,750) in this one fish, nearly 

 equal to half the population of London. I also weighed the 

 eggs of the smaller carp, they weighed 5|lbs., giving their to- 

 tal number, two millions and fifty-nine thousand seven hundred 

 and fifty-nine (2,059,759). I can guarantee the accuracy of 

 the weighing, and also the calculations, which were made for 

 me by Mr. Thomas, a professional accountant. 



AMERICAN WATER WEED. Since White's time the American 

 Water Weed has appeared. It has done an immense amount of 

 mischief by filling up our rivers, canals, lakes, &c. Babing- 

 tonia damnabilis or, as it is usually called, B. diabolica 

 is a Cambridge name, invented by Mr. Charles Kingsey, for 

 this American water-weed, the proper scientific name of which 

 is Anacharis Alsinastrum, or Elodea Canadensis. The first 

 name was given at the expense of the Professor of Botany 

 at Cambridge, probably under the impression that he had to do 

 with the introduction of the weed into this country, inasmuch as 

 it has been said to have seeded from a piece originally brought 

 to Cambridge by Mr. Babington ; but it is generally supposed to 

 owe its introduction to the American timber which is floated 

 down the American rivers and then brought up our own, bringing 

 with it pieces of the weeds. It was first seen here about 1842, 

 and no doubt came from North America ; how, is not known. 



It never perfects seeds in England ; the sexes are on different 

 plants, and only the female grows in England in enforced celibacy. 



