Angling in All Its Branches; Reduced to a Complete Science Being the Result of More Than Forty Years Real Practice and Strict Observation Throughout the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland. in Three Parts. First, Describing (Among (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1800 edition. Excerpt: ...it feldom exceeds eighteen or twenty inches; its back is of a dufky green inclining to blue; and the fides are gray, (from which it has its name of Grayling, though they feem to glitter with fpangles of gold, and are marked with black fpots irregularly placed; the lateral line, common to all fifh, is nearer the back than the belly the top of the back fin is reddifh, reddilh, but the lower part is of a blueifh purple (as are the fins of.the belly) fpoN ted with black; it has a fraall head, with protuberant eyes, whofe irides are of a filver colour, fpeckled with dufky yellowy the mouth is of a middle fize, with the upper jaw longer than the lower; it cannot be faid to have teeth, but the lips are rough like a fine file; and when in its prime feafon, the head and covers of the gills are blackifh; it is hog-backed; and when it fwims at the bottom of the water, its nofe and belly touch the ground to? gether, which makes me think that Graylings feed moftly at the bottom. The fieft is in great efteem; and, in my opinion, much better than that of the Trout. &'r feafen, fpawning-tim?, and haunts, . Graylings are good and palatable all the year; but their chief feafon is from the beginning of September to January. They fpawn in April and the beginning of -f May, at which time they lie near the fides and at the tails of fharp ftreams, and are very apt to rife at the artificial fly, Their haunts, in general, are nearly the fame as thofe of the Trout. They lurk clofe all the winter, and in April begin to be very active; for they are briflc fprightly fifhes in their element, and fwim very fwiftly. How to angle for them; their baits, anet biting-times. When the water is clear enough, angle for them with Jlies, in the feafon; when otherwife, with the..