226 



him up into a clear part, a&d there depend on your line to 

 prevent his tricks from taking effect. 



The river carp are chiefly found in the deep, weedy, 

 foul parts of the water, and are not a whit less discreet 

 than those in ponds : it really at times is highly provoking 

 to see how they will keep playing at the bait, so as scarcely 

 to agitate the float. 



I have remarked, that when hi this humour, they 

 bubble occasionally ; and that when they do so, they 

 rarely give a fair bite r generally they draw down very, 

 very slowly ; and when they take the bait really into their 

 jnouths, rise a little, and lay the float down, seemingly 

 with the intent to feel whether any thing be attached 

 thereto. In die latter instance, the angler is generally to 

 blame if the fish escapes, provided the water is clear of 

 weeds, &c. 



We commonly call it a good carp when reaching two 

 pounds weight 5 but in some waters, especially if not 

 overstocked (as is not often the case), they frequently 

 weigh four or five ! I have heard of their being much 

 larger, but not so well authenticated as to authorize my 

 stating it as a fact. I never saw one that weighed six 

 pounds in this part of the world > though I have seen the 

 rooec, which is the ivhite carp, taken out of the Ganges, 

 often equal to 5O or 6O pounds, and once nearly 80. 



In hot climates they thrive immensely \ but being only 

 exotics, do not in our latitude bear any comparison, in 

 regard to their ultimate bulk abroad. Nor, indeed, does 

 the perch, though I believe a native of our waters, corn- 

 petite with the Hack perch, or cutlah, of Hindostau, 

 \yhich often attains to 60 pounds weight. 



I shall conclude this article with observing, that he 



who 



