NOTES. 233 



bait. When winding in, the novice should occasionally 

 watch his line on the winch itself, and see that he does 

 not wind in all on one side, or the line will " capsize " 

 over itself, and a fearful tangle on the winch will be the 

 result, which may cause the destruction of much line. 

 When winding in, the running line should be passed 

 between the first and second fingers of the hand that 

 holds the rod, working the line backwards and forwards 

 with the fingers, so that it is spread evenly on the winch. 

 To wind in very quickly, let go the winch-handles, and 

 spin the winch round by hitting the rim with the under- 

 side of the fingers ; this makes the winch revolve very 

 rapidly. In throwing from right to left, the left foot 

 should be nearest the water, and vice versa. 



A single lesson, practically given, is a wonderful help ; 

 but if the angler will follow these directions, he will soon 

 cast with comfort. 



To bait a hook with a lobworm, threaded on the hook, 

 dip the worm in gritty dust or sand, then insert 

 the hook. The grit or dust gives a hold to the Lob- 

 fingers ; otherwise it is almost impossible to wor s 

 hold the worm. worm- 



One of the best ways of getting lobs, as they baiting 

 are generally called, is to search for them at 

 nights on lawns with the help of a lantern. If the 

 ground be well watered, lobs will appear in hundreds on 

 a warm night, anchoring themselves in the ground by 

 their tails. It is wonderful what a grip this tail has ; a 

 worm is easily broken if you pull too hard. When 

 gathering worms, step quietly, or you will alarm most 

 of them, when they will quickly withdraw themselves 

 into their holes. Some hundreds are picked in a short 

 while, I do not say easily, for I have so many remem- 

 brances of severe back-aches after " worm-hopping." 

 Among plants, in strawberry beds, and in similar places, 

 worms may be procured by driving a long kitchen poker 

 into the earth and shaking it vigorously, the vibration 

 causes the worms to ascend. (I say a" kitchen poker, for 

 a fine, bright steel poker is not improved by the process.) 

 A spade, or fork, driven into the ground, and tapped or 

 shaken, has an even better effect ; after a short while, the 

 worms come wriggling out in numbers. Ground that 

 cannot be dug over will thus produce worms ; however, 



