THE CARP. 51 



streams, particularly in that which runs by Salis- 

 bury. The haunts of the grayling are nearly the 

 same of the trout ; and in fishing for either of 

 them, you may catch both. They spawn in the 

 beginning of April, when they lie mostly in sharp 

 streams : in December he is in his prime, at 

 which time his gills and head are blackish, and 

 his belly dark grey, studded with black spots. 

 He bites very freely, but is often lost when struck, 

 Ins mouth being very tender. Angle for him 

 about mid-water, he being much more apt to rise 

 than descend ; and when you angle for him alone, 

 and not for the trout also, use a quill float, with 

 the bait about six or seven inches from the ground. 

 He takes braitdlings, gilt-tails, meadow-worms, 

 gentles, See. but the most excellent bait for him 

 in March or April is the tag-tail. 

 The hook No. 10. 



THE CARP. 



The carp is allowed to be the queen of fresh- 

 water fishes, as the salmon is the king ; and lives 

 longer than any other fish, except the eel, out of 

 its element. They breed several times in one 

 year; but their first spawning-time is in May. 

 Mr. Pay assures us, that in Holland they have a. 

 speedy way of fattening them, by hanging them 

 up in a net in a cellar, and feeding them with 

 bread and milk. Patience is highly necessary for 

 every one to be endowed with who angles for 

 carps, on account of their sagacity and cunning : 

 their haunts are in the deepest parts of ponds and 

 rivers, and in the latter where the streams run 

 slow. When the weather in April, May, June, 

 July, and August, is hot and fine, you cannot be 



F 



