BEST'S ART OF ANGLING 



fine gravel, in case or husk, and when fit for 

 use they are yellowish, are bigger than a gen- 

 tle, with a blackish head. Another sort is 

 found in pits, ponds, ditches, in rushes, water- 

 weeds, straw, &c. called ruff-coats, or straw- 

 worms. The next is a green sort, found in pits, 

 ponds, or ditches, in March, coming in before 

 the yellow ones, which are not to be fished with 

 till April, and in July they go out of season ; the 

 last sort is to be used in the month of August, 

 When you take them to fish with, carry them in 

 wollen bags, for the air kills them. 



These are excellent baits for all kinds of fish, 

 particularly a large Chub. 



GENTLES, OR MAGGOTS, TO BREED AND 

 PRESERVE. 



Take a piece of beast's liver, scotch it with a 

 knife, and hang it up in the shade ; when you 

 see it flyblown sufficiently, take it down, and 

 put it into a large pipkin or small barrel ; then 

 \vhen you see the gentles have attained their 

 proper size, put some oatmeal and bran to them, 

 and in two days they will be scoured, and fit 

 for use. Thus gentles may be created till after 

 Michaelmas. But if you desire to keep gentles 

 all the year then get a dead cat, or kite, and let 

 it be fly-blown, and when the gentles b-gin to 

 be alive and stir, then bury it and them in moist, 

 soft earth, but as free from frost as you can, and 

 these you may dig up at any time when j on 

 want to use them : these will Jast till March, and 

 about that time turn into flies *. 



* If you want them to be scoured quickly, put dry white 

 sand to them. 



