THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 223 



its being- warmer and of lighter weight to their small frames. It is dur- 

 ing the first movement from the egg that fish of prey, especially eels, are 

 so destructive to the spawn-casts; and I have seen a male trout trailing over 

 and around the layer, open-mouthed, hunting away every other fish that 

 should make its appearance, solely to gratify his voracious appetite. To 

 a casual observer it would appear as if he protected the fry, but this is not 

 the case, as he does not even permit the spawner to approach; and were 

 protection the object, every trout stream would be swarming with millions 

 of fry, whereas it is difficult to keep a trout stream in a tolerably well- 

 stocked state."] 



CHAPTER XXI. 



DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING OF A LINE, AND FOIl THE COLOURING 

 OF BOTH ROD AND LINE. 



(last) Bap.] 



Pise. Well, scholar, I have held you too long about these 

 cadis, and smaller fish, and rivers, and fish-ponds ; and my N. 

 spirits are almost spent, and so I doubt is your patience : but \ 

 being, we are now almost at Tottenham, where I first met 

 you, and where we are to part, I will lose no time, but give 

 you a little direction how to make and order your lines, and 

 to colour the hair of which you make your lines, for that is 

 very needful to be known of an angler ; and also how to paint 

 your rod, especially your top ; for a right grown top is a 

 choice commodity, and should be preserved from the water 

 soaking into it, which makes it in wet weather to be heavy 

 and fish ill-fa vouredly, and not true ; and also it rots quickly 

 for want of painting : and I think a good top is worth pre- 

 serving, or I had not taken care to keep a top above twenty 

 years. 



But first for your line. First, note, that you are to take care 

 that your hair be round and clear, and free from galls or scabs 

 or frets, for a well-chosen, even, clear, round hair, of a kind 

 of glass-colour, will prove as strong as three uneven scabby 

 hairs, that are ill-chosen, and full of galls or unevenness. 

 You shall seldom find a black hair but it is round, but many 

 white, are flat and uneven ; therefore, if you get a lock of 

 right, round, clear, glass-colour hair, make much of it. 



And for making your line observe this rule j first let your 



