ANGLING. 



the canals and rivers of England, particularly the 

 Thames, the Isis, and the Cam. Though said to 

 be unknown in Spain, Italy, and Greece, it is rather 

 extensively distributed over the colder portions of 

 Europe, preferring slow shaded streams, with a 

 gravelly bottom. It is angled for with a small 

 red worm, and being gregarious, six or eight dozen 

 may sometimes be taken at a single stand. It is 

 a good article for the table, although its dimensions, 

 seldom exceeding six or seven inches, render re- 

 quisite a large supply. It deposits its ova during 

 the month of April, around the roots of flags and 

 rushes. 



THE RIVER BULL-HEAD, OR MILLER 1 S THUMB.* 



This is a small dark-coloured fish, four or five 

 inches in length, familiarly known in Britain, and 

 frequent in most of the streams of Europe and the 

 North of Asia. It usually lies concealed beneath 

 stones, from whence it darts with great rapidity 

 upon its prey, and the angler lures it to destruction 

 by a small red worm, or portion of the same. Those 

 who are regardless of moisture, or destitute of shoes 

 and stockings, catch it with their hands. This 

 fish is said to be extremely prolific, and the female, 

 when with spawn, becomes so greatly distended, 

 that her ovaries protrude like mammae. The flesh, 

 like that of the Salmon, has a reddish hue when 

 boiled, and affords a good wholesome food, much 

 sought after by the mountain tribes of many coun- 



* Coitus gobio, Linn., Cuv. 



