CHAPT. xiv. . I .. /', 179 



t from the common small brown frogs, one of medium 

 sue; insert the point of the hook near the centre of the b 

 and get the whole bend, and as much as possible of the shank, 

 under the skin towards the hind legs, the point remaining under 

 the skin ; tie a thread round the frog to keep the hook lying 

 down; put a couple of big -hot en, about •"> or 4 inches from 

 the frog, and a Boat about \\ feet from the frog, and throw in. 

 My informant says the Bhot prevents the frog from coining up 

 and sitting mi the float, hut does not prevent his coming up 

 for air. Set the rod on the bank with a man watching. 



I should have thought it would have heen better to simply 

 hook through a little skin in the back or thigh, and cast in 

 without shot or tieiug. However, 1 tell the tale as it was told 

 to me. To use such fine tackle, of course, the pond must not be 

 one of those that are completely covered with lillies. Such 

 ponds are best suited to the previous method. 



But there is yet another way of fishing lor Murral which is the 

 most killing of all. It is the native method of setting a trimmer, 

 and is very simple and very perfect. In your large still pool look 

 for a bush with a bough overhanging the water. You will find 

 plenty of them, and can set an Asiatic trimmer at each. Be 

 prepared with some live frogs in a covered earthen pot. Bait one 

 by passing a hook in and out through a little bit of skin nearer the 

 head than the centre of the back. The way in which a frog sits 

 naturally in the water is not on the flat of its stomach, like a duck, 

 but with just its eyes out, and its hind legs well under water. By 

 ting the hook a little forward of the centre of the back, you 

 not only give the frog this natural attitude, but you also relieve it 

 of inconvenience by letting it- weight be borne by the water, not 

 by the hook. Be careful you do not touch anything but the 

 veriest skin, and bear in mind old Izaak Walton's famous injunc- 

 tion to "treat him tenderly as if you loved him." The skin is 

 easily taken up like the loose skin of a dog. Then reach out, 

 and |ia« the line over a fork in the overhanging bough, the 

 object of the fork being to keep the line oil' the shore, and then 

 lower away your frog till he just sit- comfortably and naturally 

 on the surface of the water, unsuspended by the hook, his 

 weight really being on the water, and yet without an inch of 

 -lack line. Then make fast to any convenient object on the 



THt BOD IN INDIA. N 2 



