98 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



the head-end of the worm, but at the tail-end of him, that the 

 point of your hook may come out toward the head-end ; and, 

 having drawn him above the arming of your hook, then put the 

 point of your hook again into the very head of the worm, till it 

 come near to the place where the point of the hook first came 

 out, and then draw back that part of the worm that was above 

 the shank, or arming of your hook, and so fish with it. And if 

 you mean to fish with two worms, then put the second on before 

 you turn back the hook's head of the first worm. You cannot 

 lose above two or three worms before you attain to what I 

 direct you ; and having attained it, you will find it very useful, 

 and thank me for it ; for you will run en the ground without 

 tangling. 



MINNOW Cyprinus Phoxinus. 



Now for the Minnow, or Penk : he is not easily found and 

 caught till March, or in April, for then he appears first in the 

 river, Nature having taught him to shelter and hide himself in 

 the winter in ditches that be near to the river, and there both 

 to hide and keep himself warm in the mud, or in the weeds, 

 which rot not so soon as in a running river, in which place if he 

 were in winter, the distempered floods that are usually" in that 

 season would suffer him to take no rest, but carry him headlong 

 to mills and weirs, to his confusion. And of these Minnows, 

 first, you are to know, that the biggest size is not the best ; and 

 next, that the middle size and the whitest are the best ; and 

 then you are to know, that your Minnow must be so put on 

 your hook that it must turn round when it is drawn against the 

 stream ; and, that it may turn nimbly, you must put on a big 

 sized hook, as I shall now direct you, which is thus : Put your 

 hook in at his mouth, and out at his gill ; then, having drawn 

 your hook two or three inches beyond or through his gill, put 

 it again into his mouth, and the point and beard out at his tail ; 

 and then tie the hook and his tail about, very neatly, with a 

 white thread, which will make it the apter to turn quick in the 



