108 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



especially with sweet paste, for three or four days — to then 

 take his rod, and, supporting it on a bifurcated prop (cut 

 off the branch of a tree) inserted in the bank behind the 

 hurdles, to place on his line a hook broken off at the bend, 

 that is, without barb or sharp point — to bait this harmless 

 hook with sweet paste, and to sink it nearly to the bottom 

 of the already ground-baited water. The Carp wiU soon 

 take this bait ; and finding they can do so with impunity, 

 they will become bolder hourly. Replacing the bait every 

 time it is nibbled off, and continuing to do so for three or 

 fom" days, commence then angling in earnest : with the 

 same rod and line, but with a barbed hook baited exactly 

 as before, come behind the hurdle, and, with very light 

 float, angle cautiously. My correspondent acted on my 

 advice, and succeeded in catching as many of the large 

 Carp as he wanted." 



This is doubtless a very ingenious plan; but, with all 

 due deference to Mr. Fitzgibbon, I think that most fisher- 

 men might feel somewhat disinclined to sit for " three or 

 four days" crouched behind a hurdle, without the possibility 

 of catching anything — unless indeed it were a stroke of 

 rheumatism. 



I was once witness to a very curious occurrence, where 

 a Carp — usually such a timid and dainty feeder — took in 

 succession two hooks baited with worms, on two different 

 lines, and was itself taken simultaneously by both, one 

 hook being fastened on each side of its mouth: the 

 youths to whom this singular accident happened were 



