94 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



I recollect once trying for a perch who had disturbed our gudgeon 

 swim, and whom I afterwards captured (lib. weight), when I suddenly 

 found a slight tug, and on lifting up the bait discovered another 

 gudgeon of somewhat large size caught by the lip by the hook on which 

 my small bait was impaled. Mr. Pennell mentions a similar instance, 

 which reminded me of the one I am relating. He fails, however, to 

 account for such an occurrence, but I think I can help him. I have 

 observed all fish, flesh, and fowl (except the human animal) to be cruel 

 and bloodthirsty towards its puny or suffering young or fellows. There 

 are hundreds of instances of this, and it is therefore sufficient to mention 

 one. A turkey, if ailing and left with the rest of the flock, is soon 

 worried to death. So in a curious degree is this the case with fish. 

 Trout will worry a feeble member of their community till death merci- 

 fully relieves it from further persecution, and gudgeon will do the same. 

 The explanation is therefore as follows : One of the swarm observing the 

 enforced captivity of the bait and its evident suffering, attempted to 

 attack it,*and so got hooked. The same thing has occurred to me with 

 roach, and I doubt not the same morbid feeling actuates the barbel 

 when it takes the spinning bait. 



