220 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part i. 



will bite almost at any fly, but especially at Ant- 

 flies ; concerning which take this direction, for it is 

 very good. 



Take the blackish Ant-fly out of the mole-hill or 

 ant-hill, in which place you shall find them in the 

 month of June ; or if that be too early in the year, 

 then doubtless you may find them in July, August, 

 and most of September. Gather them alive, with both 

 their wings, and then put them into a glass that 

 will hold a quart or a pottle : but first put into the 

 glass a handful, or more, of the moist earth out of 

 which you gather them, and as much of the roots 

 of the grass of the said hillock ; and then put in the 

 flies gently, that they lose not their wings : lay a 

 clod of earth over it, and then so many as are put 

 into the glass without bruising, will live there a 

 month or more, and be always in a readiness for you 

 to fish with : but if you would have them keep 

 longer, then get any great earthen pot, or barrel of 

 three or four gallons, which is better, then wash 

 your barrel with water and honey ; and having put 

 into it a quantity of earth and grass-roots, then put 

 in your flies, and cover it, and they will live a quar- 

 ter of a year. These, in any stream and clear water, 

 are a deadly bait for Roach or Dace, or for a Chub ; 

 and your rule is, to fish not less than a handful 

 from the bottom. 



I shall next tell you a winter-bait for a Roach, a 

 Dace or Chub ; and it is choicely good. About All- 

 hallontide, and so till frost comes, when you see 

 men ploughing up heath-ground, or sandy ground, 



