126 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



ful, enduring, and hardy, long lived, and of slow 

 growth. 



It has been calculated that in the wild state a 121b. 

 fish may not be less than thirty years old. Artificially 

 fed, however, Canestrini found that a carp of 151bs. to 

 161bs. was of about seven years of age. These fish live 

 to a great age after attaining their full growth, as has 

 been frequently proved. 



Now, given a fish of large brain and long-lived in 

 habit, small wonder that the intelligence should be cul- 

 tivated ; but when one adds to these a knowledge of the 

 wiles of man, absorbed from generations of domestica- 

 tion, then we get that acme of cunning which renders 

 carp-fishing such an engrossing pursuit. 



Friends often say when they see me carp-fishing: 

 " Well, how you can sit there hour after hour is a puzzle 

 to me." And so it is to everybody who has not tried it ; 

 but to the enthusiast it is not wearisome, but full of 

 excitement. But enough of dissertation : the points to 

 be considered are the habitat and the habits of the fish. 



Carp are to be found in lakes and rivers mainly in 

 quiet deeps and backwaters of the latter, far from noise, 

 bustle, and stream. In summer they swim hither and 

 thither through the water weeds, looking for food. They 

 travel by paths known to themselves, and seem to take 

 always the same route. These paths should be studied 

 by the angler, and, once found out, ought to be care- 

 fully baited, both before and at the time of fishing. 



The fish feed most during evening and early morning, 

 spending the middle of the day, if the weather is hot, in 

 their spawning operations, which are frequently pro- 

 tracted, taking place at intervals from May to August. 

 During the night they ascend to the surface of the water 

 and breathe air. This causes the smacking noises one 

 hears in the dark evenings when fishing. When a carp 

 feeds he noses about the food for some time without 

 taking it into his mouth. If he is satisfied that there is 

 nothing suspicious about it, he then sucks it in and pro- 

 ceeds to swallow it. When it reaches the gullet it 

 passes between two rows of teeth, that break it up and 



