chap, xiv.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



199 



exact and curious manner, and, as I told you, 

 may be rather said not to be ill, than to be good, 

 meat. The Chub and he have, I think, both lost 

 part of their credit by ill cookery, they being re- 

 puted the worst or coarsest of fresh -water fish. 

 But the Barbel 



affords an Angler choice sport, being a lusty and 

 a cunning fish ; so lusty and cunning as to endan- 

 ger the breaking of the Angler's line, by running 

 his head forcibly towards any covert, or hole, or 

 bank ; and then striking at the line, to break it off 

 with his tail, as is observed by Plutarch, in his book 

 De Industria Animalium ; and also so cunning to 

 nibble and suck off your worm close to the hook, 

 and yet avoid the letting the hook come into his 

 mouth. 



The Barbel is also curious for his baits, that is 

 to say, that they be clean and sweet ; that is to say, 

 to have your worms well scoured, and not kept in 

 sour and musty moss, for he is a curious feeder : 

 but at a well- scoured Lob- worm, he will bite as 



