OR WALTONIAN CHRONICLE. 101 



RIVERS. 



THE THAMES. 



The concluding remark in the title-page of Taylor's 

 Work on Angling, says, that " there are insigni- 

 ficant little pamphlets treating on Angling in the 

 Thames, and New River, and streams of like conse- 

 quence about London," the word consequence 

 printed in Italics, by way of sneer. I must say, if 

 he meant to sneer at the Thames, he deserved a good 

 ducking in it, and wrote in perfect ignorance of the 

 fish therein contained, there being within 14 miles of 

 London twenty-four different sorts of fresh-water fish 

 to be taken in this noble river. 



The Thames, being not only the largest river near 

 London, but the largest in the kingdom, must stand 

 first on the list ; it matters little to the London An- 

 gler where it rises or whither it flows, my business being 

 only to describe it where it may be interesting to the 

 fisherman. At the starlings of all the bridges^ fish are 

 sometimes taken, and from the banks and wharfs, but 

 the tide and the increased navigation render this fishing 

 very unpleasant, and it is now nearly confined to Batter- 

 sea and Putney bridges, at which places boats may be 

 procured for the purpose ; above Hammersmith bridge 



