142 ON MINNOW AND PARR-TAIL FISHING. 



Minnows, immediately on being captured, should be 

 transferred to a jug or pitcher half-filled with water. This, 

 should the angler happen to be detained for any length of 

 time at the river side, ought to be every now and then 

 emptied of its contents, and again replenished, other- 

 wise the fish, if numerous, are apt to sicken and die. 

 A few changes of water, however, invariably reconcile 

 them to their new situation. When not for immediate use, 

 let him, on reaching home, commit them to some cool 

 and roomy recipient, such as a stone-trough, or large tub 

 or pail. He will require to supply them with fresh water, 

 at least once a week in the spring season, and oftener, 

 during summer. I find it is not necessary to use exclu- 

 sively what is drawn from a stream or lake, but well and 

 even rain water answer the purpose quite as satisfacto- 

 rily, provided they are administered, at the first, in 

 limited proportions. To such as have the command of 

 a pond or small rivulet, the keeping of minnows during 

 the whole season presents no difficulty. They have 

 only to enclose them in a deal box, perforated through- 

 out with gimlet holes. This, by means of a few heavy 

 stones or weights placed inside, is conveyed to the bot- 

 tom of the piece of water in question or bye-pool 

 formed from it, and there, kept sunk, until its finny 

 contents are in demand. When minnows are to be 

 used, I know of no better mode of conveying them to 

 the place of action, than by means of a common soda- 

 water bottle. This, when about two-thirds filled with 

 water, will contain conveniently upwards of a score of 

 these fish, and if at intervals, on affixing for instance 

 a fresh bait, the element natural to them be changed by 

 the angler, they may be kept alive during the whole 

 day. The cork accommodated to this vessel ought to 

 be provided with an air-hole, either driven through its 



