COMMON ANGLING. . 43 



" well," says the heartless angler, " but give me 

 " a live worm, that wriggles about the hook when 

 " pierced, and thus tempts the finny tribe." Hear 

 me in reply: Provide yourself with a little bottle 

 of anise-seed oil. Dip your hook, when baited 

 after my plan, in the oil, and commence fishing. 

 Should it happen to be a biting day, and should 

 there be a good store of perch, the probabilities 

 will be, you will certainly surpass, or at least 

 equal, the merciless angler. The odds would be 

 as six to four in favour of the angler who uses 

 anise-seed oil, in a party of anglers. " But as to 

 "the fish you may have hooked, and have swallowed 

 "your bait, whab becomes of your mercy to 

 "your greedy customers?" I hear the caviller 

 rejoin. I reply, it is true they must suffer, but 

 there is no need that their sufferings should be 

 beyond momentary. Immediately on your float 

 sinking from a bite, you pull out your victim. 

 Should he be a perch under half a pound weight, 

 you ought not to lose a moment in thrusting your 

 thumb down his throat, and bending his head 

 backwards, and thus break his neck. Should he 

 be a larger fish, have your staff ready, and, accord- 

 ing to former directions, give him a smart blow on 

 the back of his neck; then take out the hook, but 

 not before. Should the fish you may have hooked 



