---
title: "Charles Alexander Johns"
chunk: 2/2
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Alexander_Johns"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:06:35.073374+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

The launce or sand-eel is a small cylindrical fish from six to twelve inches long, which by day swims about in  shoals on the sandy coast, and by night burrows in the sand, keeping near the water line. It is used by fishermen as bait for larger fish, and by others is eaten either fresh or salted. The method of catching it is quite peculiar. As it begins to grow dark the fisherman, armed with a crooked iron instrument, which, with its handle, is about a foot in length, buries its point a few inches in the sand which has just been left by a receding wave, and draws it towards him with a quick motion, holding his left hand ready to catch whatever he may scrape up. When he feels any impediment he lifts his hook with a jerk, bringing up a lively fish, which if it be not immediately secured, by a few contortions of its body penetrates the sand and disappears; or if it happen that the sand be covered by ever so shallow a coating of water, instantly turns its head towards the sea and shoots down to meet the coming wave with such rapidity as to resemble a waving line of silver. Sometimes a Newfoundland dog accompanies the party, who with his paws fishes on his own account, never failing to seize his prize and to run off with it for security to a dry part of the beach.

Johns died in 1874. There is an archive of Johns's papers at the Cornwall Record Office in Truro. In addition, the Hypatia Trust in Cornwall has some material relating to Johns and his family.

== Publications ==

Publications:

Flora Sacra, or, The Knowledge of the Works of Nature Conducive to the Knowledge of the God of Nature (1840)
Botanical Rambles (1846)
Forest Trees of Britain (1847)
Rambles in the Country series (1847–52), including:
A Winter Ramble in the Country (1847)
A Ramble in Spring (1849)
A Ramble in Summer (1850)
A Ramble in Autumn (1852)
A Week at the Lizard (1848)
Gardening for Children(1848)
Flowers of the Field (1853)
Birds' Nests (1854)
The Governess (1854)
Rambles About Paris (1859)
Monthly Window Flowers (1860)
British Birds in Their Haunts (1862)
Home Walks and Holiday Rambles (1863)
Sea Weeds (1864?)
The Cottage Flower Garden (1866)
The Child's First Book of Geography (1872)

== References ==