382 MANUAL FOR YOUNG SPORTSMEN. 



The red-worm is about the same size as the brand- 

 ling, which it resembles in all respects but color, that 

 being in the red-worm exactly what its name implies. It 

 is found in the banks of ditches and sewers. The gilt-tail 

 is a variety of this worm, but larger, and of a paler color 

 towards the tail. 



All these worms should be scoured, a process which 

 consists in starving them, by placing them in damp moss, 

 neither too wet nor too dry. The worms here are not 

 only deprived of their usual food, but in their efforts to 

 escape they mechanically compress their bodies between 

 the fibres of the moss, and in that way completely empty 

 themselves of their faecal contents. Before putting them 

 in the moss, Mr. Stoddart recommends that worms should 

 be placed in water for a few minutes, after which they should 

 be suffered to crawl over a dry board, in order still further 

 to cleanse their skins. They may then be transferred to 

 the moss, as described above. The worms should be 

 examined from day to day, and those which are unhealthy 

 or injured should be removed. When the worms are quite 

 sufficiently scoured, they should be stored for use. Three 

 or four days is the average time required for scouring. 



Worms are preserved in the following manner: 

 Procure some fresh mutton suet, cut it fine, and boil it in 

 a quart of water till dissolved ; then dip in this two or 

 three pieces of coarse new wrapper large enough to supply 

 each variety of worm, which should not be mixed together. 

 When these are cold, put them into separate earthen jars, 

 with some damp earth and the worms which are to be 

 kept, and tie over all a piece of open and coarse muslin. 



