166 BRANDLING AND COW-DUNG BOB. 



best of any. It is smooth, without a knot, of moderate 

 size, and of a bright, clear, pink colour, with a red head. 

 It is commonly found in rotten dung of any kind, and 

 is a particular favourite with all worm-taking fish. 



The Brandling is a favourite with most anglers, but 

 the objection I have to it is, that it is very soft and 

 tender, and speedily dies and becomes broken on the 

 hook, requiring to be very frequently renewed. This 

 worm is annulated from head to tail with alternate 

 rings of red and dusky yellow, which are dark near the 

 head, and gradually become paler towards the tail. It 

 has rather a rank and disagreeable smell, on which pro- 

 perty I have no doubt its value as a bait chiefly de- 

 pends, as the taint it communicates to the water will be 

 more readily felt by the fish than that of less odorous 

 worms. It is found in old heaps of horse or cow dung 

 that have lain for some time undisturbed, in old rotten 

 thatch, or tan, etc. This worm may be used in the fresh 

 state without any scouring, but they are greatly toughened 

 and improved by being well dusted over with Armenian 

 bole, and kept a few days in moss mixed with the same 

 before being used. When kept for any length of time 

 in moss, they should be fed by dropping a spoonful of 

 new milk or cream upon it every day, which will pre- 

 vent their swelling at the knot, which is a certain 

 precursor of their death. 



The Cow-dung Bob is found below dried flakes of 

 cow's dung in grasps meadows, and is a good bait. This 

 worm has a shining dark brown head, and a flat tail. 

 It may be used fresh, but is best scoured. 



