GUDGEON, BLEAK, <fec. 69 



necessary to enable you to place the worm in the hole ; the 

 end of the wire being pointed so as to hold the worm. 

 Experience will soon enable you to distinguish those holes 

 likely to contain Eels, they may sometimes be discovered by 

 their blowing up bubbles in the water. If an Eel is there, 

 he will draw the bait off the wire, give him loose line and 

 plenty of time; on giving a moderate jerk, the needle is 

 fixed across his throat, hold the line tight, keeping a steady 

 pull on it, and he will soon make his appearance. 



The Lamprey Eel is similar in shape to the Lampern, or 

 seven-eyes, but grows much larger, it is sometimes taken 

 nearly three feet long, in rivers having a communication 

 with the sea. 



The Lampern is found in the Thames, in the months of 

 March and April, when they are in the best state, but even 

 then are not considered wholesome ; they are generally 

 taken between Battersea and Teddington, but I have taken 

 them at Weybridge. They grow about a foot in length, and 

 have seven holes on each side of the head ; the back is a dark 

 colour and the belly white. Cut in pieces about an inch 

 and a half long, they are killing baits for the ordinary Eel. 



CHAPTER XII. 



GUDGEON, BLEAK, &c. 



[HE Gudgeon is a handsome little fish, rarely exceeding 

 eight inches in length ; the back of a dusky colour, 

 the fins and tail of a dirty brown spotted with a darker 



tint ; at the mouth are two wattles like the Carp ; and 



on, what is termed, the lateral line of the body, are six dark 

 spots of rather large size. They are a gregarious fish, and 

 may be seen during the summer, in shoals of upwards of a 



