40 THE BRITISH ANGLER'S LEXICON. 



ways to a long, strong, well-twisted hemp line wound on a 

 reel fastened to the top of a stout pointed peg or stake, 

 which is driven firmly into the bank. The line is suspended 

 over the water by a. forked stick; a float is used, and the 

 bait swims about. Careful watch must be kept on the 

 apparatus, so as to prevent all the line being drawn off the 

 reel and a break occurring. The tackle may be either single 

 or double hooks or snap hooks. These should be attached 

 to the reel line by gimp traces with a couple of swivels, as 

 the sharp leeth of a pike are apt to sever the plain cord. 



Barbel, The (Cyprinus barbus).A fish of the carp 

 order, and found in many of the large rivers of Britain. It 

 is a gregarious fish, and frequents streams with muddy 

 bottoms, which it ploughs up with its barbed snout, and 

 feeds on the insects and worms that it meets with. The 

 head of the barbel is smooth, the nostrils close to the eyes : 

 it is leather mouthed, from each corner of which depends a 



THE BARBEL. 



soft barbule (whence the name), two near the point of the 

 snout, and one depending from each angle of the mouth. 

 The shape is long and handsome ; the dorsal fin is strong 

 and spiny ; the scales are golden, edged with black ; the 

 tail forked and of a purplish colour. It attains a very 



