186 FISHING AS PRACTISED IN 



mackerel fishing, the bait is the same fish, cut to 

 the size of the herring fry : mackerels are very ten- 

 der-mouthed. Wild Sports of the West. 



Sand-eel fishing in Ireland. The sand-eel are 

 generally from four to nine inches in length, and 

 lie beneath the surface, seldom deeper than a foot. 

 The method of taking them is very simple ; it is 

 effected by passing a case-knife or sickle with a 

 blunted edge quickly through the sand, which 

 brings the fish to the surface, and, being luminous, 

 they are instantly taken. Besides being considered 

 a great delicacy, they are an admirable bait for 

 flat-fish. Wild Sports of the West. 



Peculiarity in angling at Galway. The ang- 

 lers are obliged to flog the water, the few feet of 

 which they are fishing on, in the hope that some 

 fresh-run fish might be induced to look at the 

 well-dressed deceits playing on the streams. 



Angler in Ireland. 



Iceland Fishery. There is a great quantity of 

 fish taken on the coast of Iceland, of such fish as 

 are generally known, but of a most extraordinary 

 size. A flat fish was caught which weighed three 

 hundred-weight. The most singular fish here is 

 the sea- wolf, or, as the Icelanders name it, steen- 

 bit, that is to say, stone-eater, because, on open- 

 ing the fish, a number of small stones or gravel are 



