SPINNING AND BAIT-FISHING. 427 
In selecting the baits for the hook choose the specimens 
which are the least wasp-like in appearance, and put the others 
aside to be used as ground-bait in the manner described with 
regard to gentle-fishing. 
Here is a receipt for taking a wasp’s nest: Cover your 
face and head with a veil over a fencing mask. Tie your 
trousers and coat-cuffs at the bottoms, put on a pair of stout 
gloves and preceed with a shovel to quietly dig out the nest. 
This is the way to get stung ; which I can answer for as I have 
tried it. If, however, you have any objection to the process, 
then you will find it the better course to preface the ‘ digging 
out’ by first suffocating the wasps with a sulphur and gunpowder 
squib in the manner which will be found detailed in Vol. IL 
The mention of Wasps reminds me of a much worse plague 
to anglers—I mean the ubiquitous and tormenting Midge— 
whose elimination from the plan of nature would leave ‘a gap 
behind’ most welcome to most of us, whatever poets and 
philosophers may say to the contrary. 
I have myself found a mixture of turpentine and glycerine 
very useful as a ‘midge antidote ;’ but here is another and 
more recent one, the efficacy of which is avouched by Mr. 
R. B. Marston :— 
MIDGE AND FLY ANTIDOTE.— During the first week in this 
month, when fishing the Wye in Herefordshire, the weather was 
intensely hot, and the flies an intolerable nuisance. It struck us 
that it would be an excellent opportunity for still further testing 
Mr. Hind’s Black Fly Cream, an American preparation which is 
advertised in our columns as obtainable from Messrs. Newbery 
and Sons, 1 King Edward Street, Newgate Street, London. We 
found that although they often attempted to do so, no fly would 
stop for a second on any spot to which the cream had heen applied ; 
also that it prevents sun-burnt ear and nose-tips.—f7shing Gazette, 
August 17, 1889. 
