THE BRANDLING. 113 



matter. The worms in question, I procured by digging 

 at Smailholm mill, to which spot I had fished up un- 

 successfully with the fly from a short way above 

 Nenthorn, and on my return over the same extent of 

 water, managed, as above detailed, to load my pannier. 



5th. THE BRANDLING A worm held in great esteem 

 by anglers of the old school. It is, however, no favourite 

 of mine, possessing, as it does, all the faults of the 

 March-worm and none of the virtues. Equally soft 

 and frangible, it wants entirely the fresh sweetness of 

 the other, and is filled instead with a yellowish matter 

 which, oozing on the slightest touch from various parts 

 of the body, is, as regards odour and appearance, par- 

 ticularly offensive. The brandling is found only in 

 certain localities, by the sides of ditches, and in rank 

 ground artificially kept moist. Transferred, however, 

 to old, rich dung or leaf compost, it will thrive admir- 

 ably, and in warm weather breed with astonishing 

 rapidity. The brandling to look at, before handling, 

 is on the whole a beautiful worm, being ringed over 

 with alternate circles of crimson and white. Its shape, 

 however, is somewhat flat, and contributes along with 

 the defects already mentioned, to lower it considerably 

 in my opinion as an angling bait. 



6th. THE RED-HEAD. The finest variety of this 

 worm is found associated with the one above mentioned, 

 or in soils of the same nature and degree of richness. 

 It inhabits also some farm-yards, and an inferior sort 

 is found plentifully enough in many fields and gardens. 

 When cleansed, it is of one hue throughout, namely, a 

 lively pink or red colour, not possessing the dark head 

 of the button-worm, next to which species, as an angling 

 bait, it deserves without question to be ranked. The 

 principal faults I find with it are, the clearness or 



