16 A BOOK ON ANGLING 



and a case of fragrant Cabanas, is not to be despised by any 

 means. But abler pens than mine have sung the praises of 

 gudgeon-fishing ; and who that is an enthusiastic Thames fisher 

 does not remember the greatest of our modern humorist's 

 lyric, with its score of rhymes to " Ditton " ? But revenons d 

 nos goujons. When the fish begin to slacken in their biting, 

 the rake must be used again, and they will renew their atten- 

 tions ; sometimes even a third raking will answer if the fish 

 round the spot are very plentiful, but more often two applica- 

 tions of the rake will be found sufficient. 



Gudgeon, however, not only multiply in running streams, 

 they thrive well in ponds. I once threw the contents of my 

 bait-can into a dirty horse-pond, and the gudgeons bred in 

 it and did well there, and lived in it for years, furnishing me 

 with bait upon emergencies. Indeed, the water must be very 

 foul indeed which a gudgeon will not be able to exist in. 



The gudgeon is a most agreeable acquaintance at the 

 breakfast table. There is a crispness and piquancy about his 

 discussion, when duly fried and neatly served, which is highly 

 gratifying. 



While fishing for him, the young angler is apt to pull up a 

 fish somewhat similar in appearance at the first glance, and 

 this is 



THE POPE OR RUFFE (Acerina cernua) 



The pope is of the perch family, having the distinctive 

 sharp spinous dorsal fin of the perch. It spawns in April, 

 depositing its spawn among the roots and fibres of water 

 plants. It takes freely the same baits as the gudgeon, and 

 should there be a deepish slack eddy by the side of your 

 gudgeon swim, and near weeds or boughs, there you will 

 most probably take pope. It is hardly worth notice for the 

 table, but what little flesh there is on it is fully as sweet and 

 palatable as that of the gudgeon. It bites quite as boldly as 

 the gudgeon, and forms a desirable prey for the young angler. 

 It is said to have been quite unknown to the ancients, and was 

 first discovered in England by the learned Dr. Caius, the 

 founder of Caius College, Cambridge, who flourished about 

 the middle of the sixteenth century, being physician to 

 Edward VI and the Queens Mary and Elizabeth.* 



* The pope is an Arctic survival in British waters. In Siberia it attains 

 a length of 1 8 inches, and a weight of T | Ib. ED. 



