48 ANGLING. 



year for both ; while the whole of June, when they, as well 

 as the barbel, have hardly ever quite done spawning, and 

 are never in condition, should be made a fence month in 

 the Thames for these fish. In quiet eddies or ponds, the 

 bream will sometimes raise the float when they bite, 

 instead of pulling it down. I think this is owing 

 very much to the shape of the fish when it picks the 

 bait off the ground and resumes its natural position. 



Bream make a smart run at the first start, and fight 

 boldly for a time ; but the shape of the fish is not cut out 

 for a very prolonged resistance, and as soon as he gets the 

 worst of it he turns on his side, making but a clumsy 

 wobble of it, and gives in. Much depends, however, on 

 the strength of the tackle ; strong tackle soon beats him, 

 but he will play very gamely for some time on light. I 

 fancy that bream are rather a wandering fish, and that 

 they are apt to move about a good deal from spot to spot. 

 I have known them do so in my river, and also on the 

 Thames. 



THE CARP (Cyprinus ccvrpio). 



There are all sorts of suggestions as to how the carp 

 came to England ; but, like the birth of Topsy, there is an 

 obscurity about it, and I " 'specs they grow'd," and didn't 

 come at all ; at any rate it does not much matter what 

 does, nowadays, when, as the modern sage says, " There's 

 nothing new and nothing true, and it don't matter ? " 

 However, there the carp is very often occupying water 

 that is fitter and would be more worthily and remunera- 

 tively occupied by his betters. Though how good a carp 

 could be made, we moderns, I fancy, do not know, because 

 we do not attempt to treat them as our forefathers did; 

 and if we catch one out of a muddy pond, we proceed, 



