90 STICHERIXG. 



to a suitable pole. When the eels are running or migrat- 

 ing, the angler takes his stand with a pail half full of 

 water beside him, and placed almost the length of the 

 pole from him. He drops the clod into the water, and 

 allows it to sink to the bottom ; presently an eel attacks 

 it ; as soon as the angler feels the bite, he raises the clod 

 with a steady lift from the water, and holds it over the 

 pail. The eel's teeth being entangled in the worsted, 

 he cannot easily oC himself let go ; but he is shaken off 

 into the pail, and the clod is once more dipped into the 

 water. 



STICHBBINQ is yet another method of catching eels. It 

 is, I think, peculiar to Hampshire, as I never heard of it 

 elsewhere ; but there is a good deal of fun at times in a 

 stichering party. The apparatus used is an old sickle, 

 worn short and chipped so as to be roughly toothed. 

 This is tied on to a light pole some twelve feet long. 

 Armed with one of these and a bag the sportsman sallies 

 forth to the water meadows, where the wide deep drains 

 for irrigating purposes are situated. Peering about, at 

 the bottom of one of these, he presently espies an eel, or 

 the head of one, projecting from under a leaf or weed ; 

 he then gently and cautiously thrusts the hook under the 

 eel's body, and with a sudden toss pitches him high and 

 dry on the bank, and puts him in the bag. An unskilful 

 sticherer will sometimes chop off his neighbour's ear, or 

 poke out his eye, which doubtless lends excitement to the 

 sport. 



THE PERCH (Percajluviatilis). 



The perch is usually described as a bold biting fish, 

 and so he may be where he is not much fished for, or 

 where perch are over-plentiful and small, or when, like 

 other fish, they have a hungry day ; but if by the above 



