CURIOSITIES OF ANGLING LITERA TURE. 273 



of her feet, the sight of a fish will induce her to take 

 to the water, and that when once she has, otter-like, 

 pursued fish in this way with success, she becomes 

 one of the most desperate of poachers. But man is 

 not always fond of fish, and the fat of a fellow who is 

 no ossophagist might tend to drive the fish away 

 rather than to induce their presence, and if such be 

 the case, we fear there will become a great demand 

 for the adipose of an angler, and he who in dying 

 carries so tempting a bait may be followed to his last 

 resting-place by the brethren of the rod in a humour 

 rather of joy than of sorrow ! This is certainly a 

 grave view to take of the question, and naturally 

 brings us to an end : 



" All arts, all shapes, the wily angler tries, 

 To cloak his fraud, and tempt his finny prize : 

 Their sight, their smell, he carefully explores, 

 And blends the druggist's and the chymist's stores : 

 Devising still, with fancy ever new, 

 Pastes, oils, and unguents, of each scent and hue." 



And in Jones' Oppian : 



" A paste in luscious wine the captor steeps, 

 Mixed with the balmy tears that Myrrha weeps, 

 Around the trap diffusive fragrance rolls, 

 And calls with certain charms the finny shoals ; 

 They crowd the arch, and soon each joyful swain 

 Finds nor his labour nor his care in vain." 



G. F. 



