WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 355 



suspended mud and sand, discolouring the water, 

 attracts the fish : they are looking for food. But 

 too much mud compels them to shift their quarters. 

 This is well known to those who net the stream. They 

 stretch the net across the brook a few yards below a 

 bridge or short culvert places much haunted by fish. 

 Then the bottom of the stream above the culvert is 

 thoroughly stirred up with a pole till the water is thick 

 with mud, and this, passing through the culvert (where 

 the pole cannot be used and the fish would otherwise 

 be safe), forces them to descend the stream and enter 

 the net. Probably they attempt to swim up stream 

 first, but are deterred by the pole thrust under the 

 water, and then go down. It is said that even eels, 

 who like mud, will move if the volume of mud sent 

 through is thick enough and continued sufficiently 

 long. 



The fact that a little stirring of the bottom attracts 

 fish is made use of along the Thames to attract bait 

 for those night-lines which are the detestation of the 

 true angler. The bait catcher has a long pole, at the 

 end of which are iron teeth like a rake. With this he 

 rakes up the mud, waits a few seconds, and then casts 

 a net, which generally brings some minnows or other 

 small fish to shore. These fish are then placed in a 

 bucket, and finally go on the night-lines. 



The ditches as they open on the brook are the 

 favourite resorts of all aquatic life, and there most of 

 the insects, beetles, etc., that live in the water may 

 be discovered. They form, too, one of the last resorts 



