168 MINNOW AND PARR-TAIL FISHING. 



well, and of which we make all our nets, may be 

 got from any seedsman for a mere trifle. 



A very ingenious method of capturing minnows 

 is practised by anglers in Aberdeenshire, but whether 

 or not our northern friends can claim the merit of 

 the invention we cannot say. It consists of a clear 

 glass bottle of the structure indicated in the accom- 

 panying illustration. 



It is used in this way : A piece of open canvas, or, 

 what is preferable, small-meshed net, is tied over the 

 mouth, and a few crumbs of bread put into the 

 interior. The bottle is then placed in some stream 

 which the minnows frequent, with the mouth to 

 the stream. The water rushing in agitates the 

 crumbs and so attracts the minnows, which collect 

 about the bottom of the bottle, and being naturally 

 of an inquiring turn of mind, gradually find their 

 way up to the opening at a, where they enter, and, 

 fascinated by the all-powerful attractions of the bottle, 

 remain, and in a few minutes there will be two or 

 three dozen in the interior. The objections to the 

 use of the bottle are of course that it is very incon- 

 venient to carry, and* very liable to be broken; but 

 anglers cannot have everything just to their mind, 

 and anything is better than running short of min- 

 nows ; and when any difficulty occurs in this respect 



