Bait Angling for Common Fishes 



seemingly caring for them as a hen does her 

 chicks. The very young fish look like little 

 black tadpoles, and the spines are strongly 

 developed at an early age. The old fish 

 accompanies the brood for a certain time, 

 always swimming around the swarm of 

 young in order to keep them together. 

 When alarmed, the parent dashes off, the 

 whole swarm following on. When the 

 mature fish grow to a large size they feed 

 on the young of their own species if their 

 food is scarce. Many instances are re- 

 corded where a small fish having been 

 hooked, a larger fish has taken and swal- 

 lowed it, and so got caught. Although con- 

 sidered the poor man's food, the catfish, if 

 properly prepared and cooked, makes an 

 excellent pan fish, enjoyed by all classes of 

 people. Its flesh is white and juicy, the 

 main objection to it being mostly on ac- 

 count of its repulsive appearance, and for 

 this reason when they are sent to market 

 the head is cut off and the body skinned. 

 The catfish retains its freshness much 

 10 



