按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The MINNOW hath； when he is in perfect season； and not sick； which is only presently after spawning； a kind of dappled or waved colour； like to a panther； on its sides； inclining to a greenish or sky…colour； his belly being milk white； and his back almost black or blackish。 He is a sharp biter at a small worm； and in hot weather makes excellent sport for young anglers； or boys； or women that love that recreation。 And in the spring they make of them excellent Minnow…tansies； for being washed well in salt； and their heads and tails cut off； and their guts taken out； and not washed after； they prove excellent for that use； that is； being fried with yolk of eggs； the flowers of cowslips and of primroses； and a little tansy； thus used they make a dainty dish of meat。
The LOACH is； as I told you； a most dainty fish： he breeds and feeds in little and clear swift brooks or rills； and lives there upon the gravel； and in the sharpest streams： he grows not to be above a finger long； and no thicker than is suitable to that length The Loach is not unlike the shape of the Eel： he has a beard or wattles like a barbel。 He has two fins at his sides； four at his belly； and one et his tail； he is dappled with many black or brown spots； his mouth is barbel…like under his nose。 This fish is usually full of eggs or spawn； and is by Gesner； and other learned physicians； commended for great nourishment； and to be very grateful both to the palate and stomach of sick persons。 He is to be fished for with a very small worm； at the bottom； for he very seldom； or never； rises above the gravel； on which I told you he usually gets his living。
The MILLER'S…THUMB； or BULL…HEAD； is a fish of no pleasing shape。 He is by Gesner compared to the Sea…toad…fish； for his similitude and shape。 It has a head big and flat； much greater than suitable to his body； a mouth very wide； and usually gaping； he is without teeth； but his lips are very rough； much like to a file。 He hath two fins near to his gills； which be roundish or crested； two fins also under the belly； two on the back； one below the vent； and the fin of his tail is round。 Nature hath painted the body of this fish with whitish； blackish； brownish spots。 They be usually full of eggs or spawn all the summer； I mean the females； and those eggs swell their vents almost into the form of a dug They begin to spawn about April； and； as I told you； spawn several months in the summer。 And in the winter； the Minnow； and Loach； and Bull…head dwell in the mud； as the Eel doth； or we know not where； no more than we know where the cuckoo and swallow； and other half…year birds； which first appear to us in April； spend their six cold； winter； melancholy months。 This BULL…HEAD does usually dwell； and hide himself； in holes； or amongst stones in clear water； and in very hot days will lie a long time very still； and sun himself； and will be easy to be seen upon any flat stone； or any gravel； at which time he will suffer an angler to put a hook； baited with a small worm； very near unto his very mouth： and he never refuses to bite； nor indeed to be caught with the worst of anglers。 Matthiolus commends him much more for his taste and nourishment； than for his shape or beauty。
There is also a little fish called a STICKLEBAG； a fish without scales； but hath his body fenced with several prickles。 I know not where he dwells in winter； nor what he is good for in summer； but only to make sport for boys and women…anglers； and to feed other fish that be fish of prey； as Trouts in particular； who will bite at him as at a Penk； and better； if your hook be rightly baited with him； for he may be so baited as； his tail turning like the sail of a wind…mill； will make him turn more quick than any Penk or Minnow can。 For note； that the nimble turning of that； or the Minnow is the perfection of Minnow…fishing。 To which end； if you put your hook into his mouth； and out at his tail； and then； having first tied him with white thread a little above his tail； and placed him after such a manner on your hook as he is like to turn then sew up his mouth to your line； and he is like to turn quick； and tempt any Trout： but if he does not turn quick； then turn his tail； a little more or less； towards the inner part； or towards the side of the hook； or put the Minnow or Sticklebag a little more crooked or more straight on your hook； until it will turn both true and fast； and then doubt not but to tempt any great Trout that lies in a swift stream。 And the Loach that I told you of will do the like： no bait is more tempting； provided the Loach be not too big。
And now； scholar； with the help of this fine morning； and your patient attention； I have said all that my present memory will afford me； concerning most of the several fish that are usually fished for in fresh waters。
Venator。 But； master； you have by your former civility made me hope that you will make good your promise； and say something of the several rivers that be of most note in this nation； and also of fish…ponds； and the ordering of them： and do it I pray； good master； for I love any discourse of rivers； and fish and fishing； the time spent in such discourse passes away very pleasantly
The FIFTH day…continued
Of Rivers； and some Observations of Fish
Chapter XIX
Piscator
WELL； scholar； since the ways and weather do both favour us； and that we yet see not 'Tottenham…Cross； you shall see my willingness to satisfy your desire。 And； first； for the rivers of this nation： there be； as you may note out of Dr。 Heylin's Geography and others； in number three hundred and twenty…five； but those of chiefest note he reckons and describes as followeth。
The chief is THAMISIS； compounded of two rivers； Thame and Isis； whereof the former； rising somewhat beyond Thame in Buckinghamshire； and the latter near Cirencester in Gloucestershire； meet together about Dorchester in Oxfordshire； the issue of which happy conjunction is Thamisis； or Thames； hence it flieth betwixt Berks； Buckinghamshire； Middlesex； Surrey； Kent and Essex： and so weddeth itself to the Kentish Medway； in the very jaws of the ocean。 This glorious river feeleth the violence and benefit of the sea more than any river in Europe； ebbing and flowing； twice a day； more than sixty miles； about whose banks are so many fair towns and princely palaces； that a German poet thus truly spake：
Tot campos； &c。 We saw so many woods and princely bowers； Sweet fields； brave palaces； and stately towers； So many gardens drest with curious care； That Thames with royal Tiber may compare。
2。 The second river of note is SABRINA or SEVERN： it hath its beginning in Plinilimmon…hill； in Montgomeryshire； and his end seven miles from Bristol； washing； in the mean space； the walls of Shrewsbury； Worcester； and Gloucester； and divers other places and palaces of note。
3。 TRENT； so called from thirty kind of fishes that are found in it； or for that it receiveth thirty lesser rivers； who having his fountain in Staffordshire； and gliding through the counties of Nottingham； Lincoln； Leicester； and York； augmenteth the turbulent current of Humber； the most violent stream of all the isle This Humber is not； to say truth； a distinct river having a spring…head of his own； but it is rather the mouth or aestuarium of divers rivers here confluent and meeting together； namely； your Derwent； and especially of Ouse and Trent； and； as the Danow； having received into its channel the river Dravus； Savus； Tibiscus； and divers others； changeth his name into this of Humberabus； as the old geographers call it。
4。 MEDWAY； a Kentish river； famous for harbouring the royal navy。
5。 TWEED； the north…east bound of England； on whose northern banks is seated the strong and impregnable town of Berwick。
6。 TYNE； famous for Newcastle； and her inexhaustible coal…pits。 These； and the rest of principal note； are thus comprehended in one of Mr。 Drayton's Sonnets：
Our floods' queen； Thames； for ships and swans is crown'd And stately Severn for her shore is prais'd； The crystal Trent； for fords and fish renown'd； And Avon's fame to Albion's cliffs is rais'd。
Carlegion Chester vaunts her holy Dee； York many wonders of her Ouse can tell； The Peak； her Dove； whose banks so fertile be； And Kent will say her Medway doth excel：
Cotswold commends her Isis to the Tame： Our northern borders boast of Tweed's fair flood； Our Western parts extol their Willy's fame； And the old Lea brags of the Danish blood。
These observations are out of learned Dr。 Heylin； and my old deceased friend； Michael Drayton； and because you say you love such discourses as these； of rivers； and fish； and fishing； I love you the better； and love the more to impart them to you。 Nevertheless； scholar； if I should begin but to name the several sorts of strange fish that are usually taken in many of those rivers that run into the sea； I might beget wonder in you； or unbelief； or both： and yet I will venture to tell you a real truth concerning one lately dissected by Dr。 Wharton； a man of great learning and experience； and of equal freedom to communicate it； one that loves me and my art； one to whom I have been beholden for many of the choicest observations that I have imparted to you。 This good man； that