SWITZERLAND 353 



The close time for pike corresponds witli that estiil^lished for 

 the trout, and indeed, on somewhat rout^her and less careful Imes, the 

 methods may be broadly indicated as identical. Amon-- the less 

 sportino- api)liances used in pike fishino- are the trimmer and the 

 torchon, a tloatino- bundle of reeds, expanding- like a fan the moment 

 the fish seizes the hook and pulls the line. Pike are also cauoht 

 on set lines, baited with a live oudgeon or other small fish. 



Char are found in every lake and river, and are ^^^^ 

 caught by the same methods as trout. 



The Rhine itself contains no grayling, though the fish is found not 

 only in many of its tributaries, but also in the lakes of ^ j- 

 the same system. The fish is also absent from the 

 Doubs, the Inn, and the Ticino. It is caught with the same baits 

 as used for trout. 



The eel occurs in almost every river throughout the country, with 

 the exception of the waters of the Rhone (in which it may be found 

 accidentally) and those of the Inn. Among the waters ^^^ 



in which eel fishing is extensively practised, I may 

 mention the Lake of Neuchatel and the Thiele Canal, which joins its 

 waters and those of Bienne ; the Lake of Bienne itself, and the lakes 

 of Zurich and Constance. Cloudy days are considered the best, and 

 the eels are taken on set lines baited with scraps of meat or with 



small fishes. 



The burbot now occurs in every basin, for this destroyer of fish 

 spawn has unfortunately been introduced into the waters ^^^.^^^ 

 of the Inn. It is caught, like the eel, on set lines baited 

 with all manner of offal. 



2 A 



