ON ANGLING, gi 



from stumps and harbour, but to prevent 

 his throwing himself acrofs your line, which 

 he will endeavour, his back fin being very 

 sharp and indented like a saw, which will 

 cut your line or damage it very much. The 

 landing net will be requisite, it ought to be 

 so wide as to admit the barbel without trou- 

 ble, and so deep as to secure him from a 

 sudden spring. You may pursue this di- 

 version morning and evening for a day or 

 two, throwing in worms and cheese; it will 

 then be adviseable to desist for a week, and 

 let the fish have rest, baiting the place as 

 usual only more sparingly. 



I must add one caution in angling for 

 barbel, which is, never to throw in further 

 than you are enabled by a gentle cast of 

 your rod, letting the plumb fall into the 

 water with as little violence as pofsible; it is 

 a vulgar error that large fish are in the mid- 

 dle of the river, experience will convince 

 you of the fallacy of this opinion ; fish na- 

 turally seek food near the banks, agitation of 



