THE WRASSE. 275 



but the common wrasse grows to a much larger size, and I 

 have caught several of four or five pounds each at the same 

 standing. 



They frequent rocky ground, feeding generally in shallow water 

 on such insects as they can collect : the best places for angling for 

 them are sheltered coves amongst the rocks into which they en- 

 ter in search of food. The only time for catching them is on the 

 rise of the tide, as they invariably leave off feeding as soon as it 

 begins to ebb. 



The baits I have taken them with, are soft crabs, lug worms, rag 

 worms, muscles, limpets, and perriwinkles taken out of the shell : 

 in addition to which I have been informed that they will bite at 

 garden snails, slugs, raisins and broad figs ; the latter of which is 

 considered to be a most depending bait. 



By far the most successful that I have employed has been a 

 portion of the peel crab ; that is the raw flesh of the female of 

 the larger kind of crabs just before casting off its outer shell, the 

 flesh being then so tough as to be cut with a knife ; but still it will 

 not adhere firmly to the hook without being tied to it with a piece 

 of waxed thread, which must be attached to the snead above the 

 hook for that purpose. Next to the large crab, one of the softer 

 of the smaller species is the best that can be used ; and after this 

 the lug worm, or a large species of rag worm that is found amongst 

 the loose stones in rocky pools left by the receding tide, which 

 the Cornish fishermen term primain ; they will also bite very freely 

 at common rag worms. The other baits I have only adopted in 

 cases of necessity, and never met with great success with any one 

 of them : though it may be right to state that I have never yet given 

 the figs or raisins a trial. Wrasse sometimes, come up into rivers 

 as far as they run salt, and into harbours, piers, and creeks ; and in 

 these places they may be taken with a rod and line. When fishing 

 for them from a~pier always keep your baits near the stone work, 

 and the better plan is to employ a paternoster line with two or 

 three hooks, which should be stout but not overlarge. When you 

 have a bite, give the fish time to carry your float well down, and 

 then strike pretty smartly, yet at the same time not hard enough 

 to endanger your tackle. When hooked they afford good sport as 

 they struggle very hard, and it sometimes happens that from their 

 swimming in companies, you have when using a paternoster line, 

 a couple or more of them on at the time ; each pulling different 



