Lauson, who ‘augmented with many approved experiments,’ the second edition of the Secrets of Angling, 1652, duod. observes, ‘This excellent receipt divers Anglers can tell you where you may buy them.’ On the subject of ‘gum of life,’ he continues, ‘I have heard much of an oyntment that will presently cause any fish to bite; but I could never attain the knowledge thereof, the nearest in mine opinion, except this Probatum, is the oyle of an ospray, which is called Aquila Marina, the Sea-Eagle. She is of body neare the bignesse of a goose; one of her feete is web’d to swim withall, the other hath talons to catch fish. It seems the fish come up to her, for she cannot dive. Some likelihood there is also in a paste made of Coculus Indie, Assa-Fœtida, Honey and Wheat-flour; but I never tried them, therefore I cannot prescribe.’
‘That which kills the oak,’ is expressly said to signify ‘the Ivy,’ edit. 1652.
In a third, and hitherto unrecorded edition of the Secrets of Angling, it is said, ‘This excellent receipt you may buy ready and truely made, at the signe of the Flying Horse, an Apothecaries in Carter-Lane.’
Editor.
14. When you see ant-flies in greatest plenty, go to the ant-hills where they breed, take a great handful of the earth, with as much of the roots of the grass growing on those hills; put all into a large glass bottle, then gather a pottle full of the blackest, ant-flies unbruised, put them into the bottle, or into a firkin, if you would keep them long, first washed with honey, or water and honey; Roach and Dace will bite at these flies under water near the ground.
15. When you gather bobs after the plough, put them into a firkin, with sufficient of the soil they were bred in, to preserve them; stop the vessel quite close, or all will spoil; set it where neither wind nor frost may offend them, and they will keep all Winter for your use.
16. At the latter end of September, take some dead carrion that hath some maggots bred in it, which are beginning to creep; bury all deep in the ground, that the frost kill them not, and they will serve in March or April following, to use.
17. To find the flag-worm, do thus: go to an old pond, or pit, where there are store of flags, or, as some call them, sedges, pull some up by the roots, then shake those roots in the water, till all the mud and dirt be washed away from them, then amongst the small strings or fibres that grow to the roots, you will find little husks or cases of a reddish, or yellowish, and some of other colours; open these carefully with a pin, and you will find in them a little small worm, white as a gentle, but longer and thinner; this is an excellent bait for the Tench, the Bream, and especially the Carp: if you pull the flags-asunder, and cut open the round stalk, you will also find a worm like the former in the husks; but tougher, and in that respect better.
CHAP. VII.
OF SEVERAL HAUNTS OR RESORTS OF FISH, AND IN WHAT RIVERS OR PLACES OF THEM THEY ARE MOST USUALLY FOUND.