20 



FISHING IN AMERICAN WATERS. 



An Egyptian genlleniaut tishirig. 



was short, and apparently of one piece ; the line usually sin- 

 gle, though instances occur of a double line, each with its 

 own hook, which was of bronze. In all cases they adopted a 

 ground bait, as is still the custom in Egypt, without any 

 float ; and though several winged insects are represented in 

 the paintings hovering over the water, it does not appear 

 that they ever put them to the hook, and still less that they 

 had devised any method similar to our artificial-fly fishing, 

 which is still as unknown to the unsophisticated modern 

 Egyptians as to their fish." 



Prime kinds of fishes are, and have for some years been, in 

 the cities of this country, expensive articles of diet. It was 

 so in Athens ; and the following poem, quoted by Athena3us 

 from " The Purple" of Xenarchus (Yonge's translation), is pre- 

 sented for the benefit of those who retail stale fish from stands 

 along the streets : 



"Poets are nonsense ; for they never say 

 A single thing that's new. But all they do 

 Is to clothe old ideas in language new ; 

 Turning the same things o'er and o'er again, 

 And upside down. But as to fishmongers, 

 They're an inventive race, and yield to none 



