SOME BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 185 



instead of a roach, up came this wretched thing, 

 she fled, as from a snake. Why she did not drop 

 the rod, is one of those things yet to be ac- 

 counted for ! 



I went seriously in for roach-fishing, and made 

 heavy baskets. At a fishing tournament, which 



ROACH. 



lasted from twelve to six o'clock, with an interval 

 for luncheon, I came in an easy winner, my catch 

 numbering over a hundred, some being of good 

 size, for I had taken the precaution to put down 

 over-night at my " swim " plenty of ground-bait 

 composed of pounded boiled bran and bread 



