SUCKER FISHING 29 



" Yes, my young friend," I reply ; "and you will 

 find your basket will take on at least an added 

 twenty per cent per annum in number of fish, if 

 you never fish with worms that have not gone 

 through the preparation I am about to describe." 



Dig your worms; in spring, from beneath stones 

 that are near springs that have not frozen ; later 

 you can get them in the garden ; and in summer 

 the smallest you can find by lantern-light from 

 the lawn after a rain at night are good species of 

 earthworm for the angler. The little "gilt cock- 

 spur," as it is called in England, from old rotten 

 manure heaps (it has a yellow tip to its body), and 

 the yellow-banded, bad-smelling "brandling" (it is 

 yellow-banded, — you can't mistake it), are some- 

 times more effectual than the common "gardenia ; " 

 but all of them may be gathered as opportunity 

 offers, and constitute eventually valuable bait." 

 Gather your worms in a clean can or other recej)- 

 tacle, and place some soil under them, so that they 

 can crawl down through it. Those that have been 

 accidentally bruised, or otherwise hurt, will be too 

 feeble to crawl, and will remain on the top ; and 

 these, together with any dead ones, must be thrown 

 away. Now get a deep earthenware pan or box, 



