13 



CHAPTER III. 



OF THE " HOOP OB BOW NET " ITS SIZE HOW TO SET 

 AND HOW TO BAJT IT. 



WE come now to speak of the hoop or bow net, 

 useful to catch tench in the months of May and 

 June. These nets should be about four feet 

 from hoop to hoop, and their opening about two 

 feet diameter ; the meshes about an inch and a 

 half diameter, for general use. But should you 

 wish to catch eels with them (and they generally 

 frequent the same rivers as tench), the meshes of 

 your net must be much smaller. Bow nets should 

 be decorated inside with flowers, or a bunch of 

 them suspended in the middle honeysuckles I 

 should prefer. To suspend the bunch, tie a 

 small stone in it, which if you properly adjust, 

 the string will hang down in the middle of the 

 net. Without this precaution, the flowers will 

 float, and stick against the top and sides of the 

 net, instead of hanging opposite the centre of the 

 hoops, which they ought to do, to invite the com- 



