THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 209 



for they be much of a kind, in matter of feeding, cunning, good- 

 ness, and usually in size. And therefore take this general direc- 

 tion for some other baits which may concern you to take notice 

 of. They will bite almost at any fly, but especially at ant-flies ; 

 concerning which, take this direction, for it is very good : 



Take the blackish ant-fly out of the mole-hill or ant-hill,* in 

 which place you shall find them in the month of June, or if that 

 be too early in the year, then doubtless you may find them in 

 July, August, and most of September ; gather them alive with 

 both their wings, and then put them into a glass that will hold a 

 quart or a pottle ; but first put into the glass a handful or more 

 of the moist earth out of which you gather them, and as much 

 of the roots of the grass of the said hillock, and then put in the 

 flies gently, that they lose not their wings : lay a clod of earth 

 over it, and then so many as are put into the glass without bruis- 

 ing, will live there a month or more, and be always in a readi- 

 ness for you to fish with ; but if you would have them keep 

 longer, then get any great earthen pot, or barrel of three or four 

 gallons, which is better, then wash your barrel with water and 

 honey, and having put into it a quantity of earth and grass-roots, 

 then put in your flies, and cover it, and they will live a quarter 

 of a year : these in any stream and clear water, are a deadly 

 bait for roach or dace, or for a chub; and your rule is, to fish 

 not less than a handful from the bottom. 



I shall next tell you a winter bait for a roach, a dace, or chub, 

 and it is choicely good. About All-hallowtide, and so till frost 

 comes, when you see men ploughing up heath ground, or sandy 

 ground, or green swards, then follow the plough, and you shall 

 find a white worm as big as two maggotsf, and it hath a red 

 head ; you may observe in what ground most are, for there the 

 crows will be very watchful and follow the plough very close ; 

 it is all soft, and full of whitish guts : a worm that is in Norfolk, 



* The blackish ant-fly, the males of an ant {formica), which are always 

 winged, but short lived, and aTe plenty here in ant-hills (not mole-hills) 

 during the spring and beginning of summer. — Am. Ed. 



t These are the larvcB of several species of caleopterous insects, known 

 among u? as ^rubs, and are found under the loose bark of decaying trees, as 

 well as in newly ploughed ground. — Am. Ed. 



