176 MINNOW AND PARR-TAIL FISHING. 



mesh sufficiently small, would cost several pounds ; 

 but a piece of light canvas, which will do equally 

 well, and of which we make all our nets, may be 

 got from any seedsman for a mere trifle. 



A very ingenious method of capturing minnows 

 is practised by anglers in Aberdeenshire, but whe- 

 ther or not our northern friends can claim the 

 merit of the invention we cannot say. It consists 

 of a clear glass bottle of the structure indicated in 

 the accompanying illustration. ' 



It is used in this way : A piece of open canvas, or 

 what is preferable, small-meshed net, is tied over the 

 mouth, and a few crumbs of bread put into the 

 interior. The bottle is then placed in some stream 

 which the minnows frequent, with the mouth to 

 the stream. The water rushing in agitates the 

 crumbs and so attracts the minnows, which collect 

 about the bottom of the bottle, and being naturally 

 of an inquiring turn of mind, gradually find their 

 way up to the opening at a, where they enter, and, 

 fascinated by the all-powerful attractions of the 

 bottle, remain, and in a few minutes there will be 

 two or three dozen in the interior. The objections 

 to the use of the bottle are of course that it is very 

 inconvenient to carry, and very liable to be broken ; 

 but anglers cannot have everything just to their 



