162 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



And note. That when the knot, which is near to 

 the middle of the brandling, begins to swell, then 

 lie is sick ; and, if he be not well looked to, is near 

 dying. And for moss, you are to note, That there 

 be divers kinds of it*, which I could name to you; 

 bat will only tell you, that that which is likest a 

 buck's-horn is the best, except it be soft white moss, 

 which grows on some heaths, and is hard to be 

 found. And note. That, in a very dry time, when 

 you are put to an extremity for worms, walnut- 

 tree leaves squeezed into water, or salt in water ; to 

 make it bitter, or salt; and, then, that water poured 

 on the ground where, you shall see, worms are used 

 to rise in the night, will make them to appear above 

 ground presently t. And you may take notice. Some 

 say that camphire put into your bag with your moss 

 and worms, gives them a strong and so tempting a 



wet it in the liquor wherein beef has been boiled, but be careful that 

 the beef is fresh, for salt will kill the worms; and wring it, but not quite 

 dry; put the worms into this cloth, and lay them in an earthen pot, and 

 let them stand from morning till night, then take the worms from 

 the cloth and wash it, and wet it again in some of the liquor : do thus 

 once a day, and you may keep worms in perfect health, and fit for use, 

 for near a month. 



Observe that the lob-worm, marsh-worm, and red-worm, will bear 

 more scouring than any others, and are better for long keeping. 



* Naturalists reckon above two hundred. 



f This practice was one of the common sports of school-boys, at 

 the time Erasmus wrote his Colloquies. In that entitled Venatio> or 

 Hunting, a company of them go abroad into the fields, and one named 

 Laurence proposes fishing ; but having no worms, Bartholus objects the 

 want of them, till Laurence tells him how he may get some. The dialogue 

 is very natural and descriptive, and being but short, is here given 

 *< Lau. I should like to go a fishing ; I have a neat hook, Barth. But 

 " where will you get baits ? Lau. There are earth-worms everywhere 

 " to be had. Barth. So there are, if they would but creep out of 

 " the ground to you. Lau. I will make a great many thousands 

 " jump out presently. Barth. How ? by witchcraft ? Lau. You shall 

 *' see the art. Fill this bucket with water : break these green shells 

 " of walnuts to pieces, and put them into it ; wet the ground with the 

 " water: Now mind a little ; Do you see them coming out? Barth* 

 " I see a miracle ; I believe the armed men started out of the earth 

 *' after this manner, from the serpent's teeth that were sown." 



The above exclamation is clearly an allusion to the fable in the 

 second book of Ovid's Metamorphoses ; where Cadmus, by scattering 

 the serpent's teeth on the ground, causes armed men to spring out 

 of it. 



