THE SEA FISHER IN FOREIGN PARTS 463 



serials, it is evident that the visitor to the seaside resorts of 

 the Continent need not leave his tackle at home. It may be 

 assumed that wherever there are rocks there will be a variety 

 of sporting fish, amongst which must be included mullet, 

 gurnard, wrasses, small conger, and sea breams. The usual 

 fish baits, worms, shell fish, and even paste (the mullet occa- 

 sionally taking this), are never out of season, and the arti- 

 ficial spinner, here as elsewhere, should be an essential of the 

 equipment. 



Though the beautiful line of shore which margins the 

 fashionable Riviera is not a happy hunting ground, the patient 

 sea fisherman with some knowledge of the movements of fish 

 has often opportunities worthy of his attention. The varieties 

 of fish are not as plentiful as they are further east, but even 

 along open shores like that of Nice, fishermen of a humble type 

 may be seen pn the beach, opposite the most fashionable part of 

 the Promenade des Anglais, patiently angling for grey mullet. 

 Where better kinds are scarce, this highly respectable food fish 

 is worth catching, since it always commands a good price in 

 the market. Indeed, a mullet fresh from the sea, dressed with 

 sauce a la Proven$ak, is a coveted dainty in the French, Italian, 

 and even London restaurants when the fish are in season. 

 The native anglers at Nice are a rough and ragged lot, who go 

 to their work bare-legged. They use a stiff two-jointed rod from 

 fifteen to seventeen feet long, a serviceable home-made imple- 

 ment which does not involve them in expenditure at the tackle 

 shop : they have simply to cut the cane almost at their own 

 doors. The bamboo in any part of the world makes an excel- 

 lent rod, and it is all the better when it can be used in a single 

 piece. The Nice men like a butt about an inch and a half in 

 diameter in the thickest part, lessening to three-quarters of 

 an inch, the second joint being fitted from a younger shoot 

 tapering to a point. The bamboo before use ought to be well 



