134 ON A GLASS ROOF 



Of our withered neighbor he said: "He got too 

 hole. Wen Ah got hole lak heem. Ah been dead 

 great many year' 'go ! " 



He used the shortest rod I ever saw employed, 

 it being only about a foot in length, with a slender 

 cross-piece more than half as long, to wind up the 

 line upon when not in use. When he had hooked a 

 fish he tossed this aside and pulled it out hand over 

 hand. He said that, besides perch, smelt, and blue- 

 fish, they occasionally caught a pike-perch, a little 

 rock-pike, and "de mudder of de eel," as he called 

 the ling and beheved it to be. If this theory will 

 help settle the vexed question of the generation of 

 the eel, the scientists are welcome to it, if they will 

 only give credit therefor to my friend Joseph 

 Gerard, of Vermont, commonly known as Joe 

 Gero. 



The perch and smelt swim deep for the most 

 part, and are usually fished for a little off the 

 bottom. Worms are the best bait for perch; but 

 after one smelt is caught his eyes are used to lure 

 his fellows. It is said that these Champlain smelt 

 do not visit salt water, though they might if they 

 would; but they have the cucumber smell and 

 taste of those taken in tide-waters. The salmon 

 herring, lake herring, or whatever he is who here 

 bears the name of "bluefish," is a recent comer to 

 these waters; for, from all I can learn, he was un- 

 known here till within ten or twelve years. No one 



