THE DEW OR LOB-WORM. 229 



fall of rain. I will classify them for the purposes 

 of angling. 



The dew or lob-worm is the largest used by 

 anglers, and the best bottom bait for large river 

 fish. Salmon, trout, barbel, chub, tench, perch, 

 and eels take it freely. It is sometimes found 

 weighing about an ounce, and extending itself 

 nearly twelve inches. The middle-sized are, how- 

 ever, the best, and two of the smaller-sized placed 

 on the hook at the same time form a most attrac- 

 tive bait. Mr. Elaine says, " The hinder ex- 

 tremity tapers more than the fore, except in that 

 variety called the squirrel-tail, when it expands 

 into a flattened surface, and is marked by a red 

 stripe. The colour is a dusky red, the head more 

 intensely red. The enlarged rings or knobs, 

 observed in some, are not symptoms of age, as has 

 been supposed, but are sometimes occasioned by 

 wounds, or by accidental stoppages of the circu- 

 lating juices, and may be always brought on by 

 suffering them to become unhealthy. In some 

 places the squirrel-tailed variety is preferred for 

 angling, and the vicinity of the Thames is an 

 instance, where they are eagerly sought after as 

 baits for barbel." Dew-worms come out in pairs 

 by thousands, in fields and meadows after sunset, 

 when there is a fall of rain or heavy dew, and 

 disappear into their holes about sunrise, when 

 the dew is dried up by the coming heat of day. 



Q 3 



