PLATE XXIX. 
“ The Barbel,” says Walton, “ affords an angler choice sport, 
being a lusty and cunning fish ; so Infly and cunning as to endanger 
the breaking of the angler’s line, by running his head forcibly towards 
any covert, or hole, or bank, and then striking at the line, to break it 
off with his tail, as it is observed by Plutarch, in his book De in- 
dustrid Animalium ; and also so cunning to nibble and suck off 
your worm close to the hook, and yet avoid letting die hook come 
into his mouth. 
i 
“ The Barbel is also curious for his baits, that is to say, that they 
he clean and sweet, and have your worms well scoured, and not kept 
in sour and musty moss, for he is a curious feeder ; but at a well- 
scoured lob-worm he will bite as boldly as at any bait, and especially, 
if a night or two before you fish for him, you shall bait the places 
•where you intend to fish for him, wi th big worms cut into pieces * ; and 
note, that none did ever over-bait the place, nor fish too early or too 
late for a Barbel. And the Barbel will bite also at gentles, which 
not being too much scoured, but green, are a choice bait for him, 
and so is cheese, which is not to be too hard, but kept a day or two 
in a wet linen cloth to make it tough : with this you may also bait 
the water, a day or two before you fish for the Barbel, and be much 
the likelier to catch store : and if the cheese were laid in clarified 
honey a short time before, as namely, an hour or two, you are stiff 
the likelier to catch fish : some have directed to cut the cheese into 
thin pieces and toast it, and then tie it on the hook with fine silk : 
and some advise to fish for the Barbel with sheep’s tallow and s off 
cheese, beaten or worked into a paste, and that it is choicely good 
* Instead of these graves, which are the sediment of tallow melted for making can- 
dles, cut into small pieces, is mentioned by sir J. Hawkins as an excellent ground-b» lt 
for Barbel, Gudgeons, and many other fish, if thrown in the night, before you angle- 
