THE BLUE-HEAD AND BRANDLING. 189 



and fit for use for many months. We would 

 observe, however, that if the angler have different 

 species of worms, let him keep them in separate 

 vessels, so that at any time he may select the sort 

 and quantity necessary, to be placed in moss 

 preparatory to his using them.' 



The blue-head is a worm that I have found 

 scarce in England. It is common in Ireland, and, 

 in my opinion, is the best of all worms for the 

 salmon tribe, and would be taken freely by the 

 larger species of the carp tribe. It is sometimes 

 four inches long, but frequently found much 

 shorter. The head is of a shining blue ; the rest 

 of the body, but particularly the under part, is 

 of a light cream colour, transparent almost to the 

 tail. It is without knobs, and the skin on the 

 belly side feels sharply rough to the fingers. It 

 readily scours in moss, becomes tough, lively, and 

 long-lived. It is one of the most lasting worms 

 in the water I know of. When the water is dis- 

 coloured by a flood, it is the best of all trout 

 baits, and should be used on a tripping line with- 

 out a float. Spun in clear water by means of a 

 swivel or two on the foot-line, few fish will pass 

 it by. It is to be found in rich garden mould, 

 about the roots of esculent plants. 



Brandlings are capital worms, perhaps the 

 best of all for fish under a pound weight. They 

 require very little scouring, and are, even without 



