tions　that　I　have　imparted　to　you。　This　good　man；　that　dares　do　anything　rather　than　tell　an　untruth；　did；　I　say；　tell　me　he　had　lately　dissected　one　strange　fish；　and　he　thus　described　it　to　me：
  〃This　fish　was　almost　a　yard　broad；　and　twice　that　length；　his　mouth　wide　enough　to　receive；　or　take　into　it；　the　head　of　a　man；　his　stomach；　seven　or　eight　inches　broad。　He　is　of　a　slow　motion；　and　usually　lies　or　lurks　close　in　the　mud；　and　has　a　moveable　string　on　his　head；　about　a　span　or　near　unto　a　quarter　of　a　yard　long；　by　the　moving　of　which；　which　is　his　natural　bait；　when　he　lies　close　and　unseen　in　the　mud；　he　draws　other　smaller　fish　so　close　to　him；　that　he　can　suck　them　into　his　mouth；　and　so　devours　and　digests　them。〃
  And；　scholar；　do　not　wonder　at　this；　for　besides　the　credit　of　the　relator；　you　are　to　note；　many　of　these；　and　fishes　which　are　of　the　like　and　more　unusual　shapes；　are　very　often　taken　on　the　mouths　of　our　sea　rivers；　and　on　the　sea　shore。　And　this　will　be　no　wonder　to　any　that　have　travelled　Egypt；　where；　'tis　known；　the　famous　river　Nilus　does　not　only　breed　fishes　that　yet　want　names；　but；　by　the　overflowing　of　that　river；　and　the　help　of　the　sun's　heat　on　the　fat　slime　which　the　river　leaves　on　the　banks　when　it　falls　back　into　its　natural　channel；　such　strange　fish　and　beasts　are　also　bred；　that　no　man　can　give　a　name　to；　as　Grotius　in　his　Sopham；　and　others；　have　observed。
  But　whither　am　I　strayed　in　this　discourse。　I　will　end　it　by　telling　you；　that　at　the　mouth　of　some　of　these　rivers　of　ours；　Herrings　are　so　plentiful；　as　namely；　near　to　Yarmouth　in　Norfolk；　and　in　the　west　country　Pilchers　so　very　plentiful；　as　you　will　wonder　to　read　what　our　learned　Camden　relates　of　them　in　his　Britannia。
  Well；　scholar；　I　will　stop　here；　and　tell　you　what　by　reading　and　conference　I　have　observed　concerning　fish…ponds。
  The　FIFTH　day…continued
  Of　Fish…Ponds
  Chapter　XX
  Piscator
  DOCTOR　LEBAULT；　the　learned　Frenchman；　in　his　large　discourse　of　Maison　Rustique；　gives　this　direction　for　making　of　fish…ponds。　I　shall　refer　you　to　him；　to　read　it　at　large：　but　I　think　I　shall　contract　it；　and　yet　make　it　as　useful。
  He　adviseth；　that　when　you　have　drained　the　ground；　and　made　the　earth　firm　where　the　head　of　the　pond　must　be；　that　you　must　then；　in　that　place；　drive　in　two　or　three　rows　of　oak　or　elm　piles；　which　should　be　scorched　in　the　fire；　or　half…burnt；　before　they　be　driven　into　the　earth；　for　being　thus　used；　it　preserves　them　much　longer　from　rotting。　And　having　done　so；　lay　faggots　or　bavins　of　smaller　wood　betwixt　them：　and　then；　earth　betwixt　and　above　them：　and　then；　having　first　very　well　rammed　them　and　the　earth；　use　another　pile　in　like　manner　as　the　first　were：　and　note；　that　the　second　pile　is　to　be　of　or　about　the　height　that　you　intend　to　make　your　sluice　or　floodgate；　or　the　vent　that　you　intend　shall　convey　the　overflowings　of　your　pond　in　any　flood　that　shall　endanger　the　breaking　of　your　pond…dam。
  Then　he　advises；　that　you　plant　willows　or　owlers；　about　it；　or　both：　and　then　cast　in　bavins；　in　some　places　not　far　from　the　side；　and　in　the　most　sandy　places；　for　fish　both　to　spawn　upon；　and　to　defend　them　and　the　young　fry　from　the　many　fish；　and　also　from　vermin；　that　lie　at　watch　to　destroy　them；　especially　the　spawn　of　the　Carp　and　Tench；　when　'tis　left　to　the　mercy　of　ducks　or　vermin。
  He；　and　Dubravius；　and　all　others　advise；　that　you　make　choice　of　such　a　place　for　your　pond；　that　it　may　be　refreshed　with　a　little　rill；　or　with　rain　water；　running　or　falling　into　it；　by　which　fish　are　more　inclined　both　to　breed；　and　are　also　refreshed　and　fed　the　better；　and　do　prove　to　be　of　a　much　sweeter　and　more　pleasant　taste。
  To　which　end　it　is　observed；　that　such　pools　as　be　large　and　have　most　gravel；　and　shallows　where　fish　may　sport　themselves；　do　afford　fish　of　the　purest　taste。　And　note；　that　in　all　pools　it　is　best　for　fish　to　have　some　retiring　place；　as　namely；　hollow　banks；　or　shelves；　or　roots　of　trees；　to　keep　them　from　danger；　and；　when　they　think　fit；　from　the　extreme　heat　of　summer；　as　also　from　the　extremity　of　cold　in　winter。　And　note；　that　if　many　trees　be　growing　about　your　pond；　the　leaves　thereof　falling　into　the　water；　make　it　nauseous　to　the　fish；　and　the　fish　to　be　so　to　the　eater　of　it。
  'Tis　noted；　that　the　Tench　and　Eel　love　mud；　and　the　Carp　loves　gravelly　ground；　and　in　the　hot　months　to　feed　on　grass。　You　are　to　cleanse　your　pond；　if　you　intend　either　profit　or　pleasure；　once　every　three　or　four　years；　especially　some　ponds；　and　then　let　it　dry　six　or　twelve　months；　both　to　kill　the　water…weeds；　as　water…lilies；　can…docks；　reate；　and　bulrushes；　that　breed　there；　and　also　that　as　these　die　for　want　of　water；　so　grass　may　grow　in　the　pond's　bottom；　which　Carps　will　eat　greedily　in　all　the　hot　months；　if　the　pond　be　clean。　The　letting　your　pond　dry　and　sowing　oats　in　the　bottom　is　also　good；　for　the　fish　feed　the　faster；　and　being　sometimes　let　dry；　you　may　observe　what　kind　of　fish　either　increases　or　thrives　best　in　that　water；　for　they　differ　much；　both　in　their　breeding　and　feeding。
  Lebault　also　advises；　that　if　your　ponds　be　not　very　large　and　roomy；　that　you　often　feed　your　fish；　by　throwing　into　them　chippings　of　bread；　curds；　grains；　or　the　entrails　of　chickens　or　of　any　fowl　or　beast　that　you　kill　to　feed　yourselves；　for　these　afford　fish　a　great　relief。　He　says；　that　frogs　and　ducks　do　much　harm；　and　devour　both　the　spawn　and　the　young　fry　of　all　fish；　especially　of　the　Carp；　and　I　have；　besides　experience；　many　testimonies　of　it。　But　Lebault　allows　water…frogs　to　be　good　meat；　especially　in　some　months；　if　they　be　fat：　but　you　are　to　note；　that　he　is　a　Frenchman；　and　we　English　will　hardly　believe　him；　though　we　know　frogs　are　usually　eaten　in　his　country：　however　he　advises　to　destroy　them　and　king…fishers　out　of　your　ponds。　And　he　advises　not　to　suffer　much　shooting　at　wild　fowl；　for　that；　he　says；　affrightens；　and　harms；　and　destroys　the　fish。
  Note；　that　Carps　and　Tench　thrive　and　breed　best　when　no　other　fish　is　put　with　them　into　the　same　pond；　for　all　other　fish　devour　their　spawn；　or　at　least　the　greatest　part　of　it。　And　note；　that　clods　of　grass　thrown　into　any　pond　feed　any　Carps　in　summer；　and　that　garden…earth　and　parsley　thrown　into　a　pond　recovers　and　refreshes　the　sick　fish。　And　note；　that　when　you　store　your　pond；　you　are　to　put　into　it　two　or　three　melters　for　one　spawner；　if　you　put　them　into　a　breeding…pond；　but　if　into　a　nurse…pond；　or　feeding…pond；　in　which　they　will　not　breed；　then　no　care　is　to　be　taken　whether　there　be　most　male　or　female　Carps。
  It　is　observed　that　the　best　ponds　to　breed　Carps　are　those　that　be　stony　or　sandy；　and　are　warm；　and　free　from　wind；　and　that　are　not　deep；　but　have　willow…trees　and　grass　on　their　sides；　over　which　the　water　does　sometimes　flow：　and　note；　that　Carps　do　more　usually　breed　in　marle…　pits；　or　pits　that　have　clean　clay　bottoms；　or　in　new　ponds；　or　ponds　that　lie　dry　a　winter　season；　than　in　old　ponds　that　be　full　of　mud　and　weeds。
  Well；　Scholar；　I　have　told　you　the　substance　of　all　that　either　observation　or　discourse；　or　a　diligent　survey　of　Dubravius　and　Lebault　hath　told　me：　not　that　they；　in　their　long　discourses；　have　not　said　more；　but　the　most　of　the　rest　are　so　common　observations；　as　if　a　man　should　tell　a　good　arithmetician　that　twice　two　is　four。　I　will　therefore　put　an　end　to　this　discourse；　and　we　will　here　sit　down　and　rest　us。
  The　FIFTH　day…continued
  Chapter　XXI
  Piscator　and　Venator
  Piscator。　Well；　Scholar；　I　have　held　you　too　long　about　these　cadis；　and　smaller　fish；　and　rivers；　and　fish…ponds；　and　my　spirits　are　almost　spent；　and　so　I　doubt　is　your　patience；　but　being　we　are　now　almost　at　Tottenham　where　I　first　met　you；　and　where　we　are　to　part；　I　will　lose　no　time；　but　give　you　a　little　direction　how　to　make　and　order　your　lines；　and　to　colour　the　hair　of　which　you　make　your　lines；　for　that　is　very　needful　to　be　known　of　an　angler；　and　also　how　to　paint　your　rod；　especially　your　top；　for　a　right…grown　top　is　a　choice　commodity；　and　should　be　preserved　from　the　water　soaking　into　it；　which　makes　it　in　wet　weather　to　be　heavy　and　fish　ill…favouredly；　and　not　true；　and　also　it　rots　quickly　for　want　of　painting：　and　I　think　a　good　top　is　worth　preserving；　or　I　had　not　taken　care　to　keep　a　top　above　twenty　years。
  But　first　for　your　Line。　First　note；　that　you　are　to　take　care　that　your　hair　be　round　and　clear；　and　free　from　galls；　or　scabs；　or　frets：　for　a　well…　chosen；　even；　clear；　round　hair；　of　a　kind　of　glass…colour；　will　prove　as　strong　as　three　uneven　scabby　hairs　that　are　ill…chosen；　and　full　of　galls　or　unevenness。　You　shall　seldom　find　a　black　hair　but　it　is　round；　but　many　white　are　flat　and　uneven；　therefore；　if　you　get　a　lock　of　right；　round；　clear；　glass…colour　hair；　make　much　of　it。
  And　for　making　your　line；　observe　this　rule：　first；　let　your　hair　be　clean　washed　ere　you　go　about　to　twist　it；　and　then　choose　not　only　the　clearest　hair　for　it；　but　hairs　that　be　of　an　equal　bigness；　for　such　do　usually　stretch　all　together；　and　break　all　together；　which　hairs　of　an　unequal　bigness　never　do；　but　bre