登陆注册
15987100000061

第61章

The FIFTH day-continued Of the Minnow, or Penk; Loach, Bull-Head, or Miller's- Thumb: and the Stickle-bag Piscator and Venator Piscator.There be also three or four other little fish that I had almost forgot; that are all without scales; and may for excellency of meat, be compared to any fish of greatest value and largest size.They be usually full of eggs or spawn, all the months of summer; for they breed often, as 'tis observed mice and many of the smaller four-footed creatures of the earth do and as those, so these come quickly to their full growth and perfection.And it is needful that they breed both often and numerously;for they be, besides other accidents of ruin, both a prey and baits for other fish.And first I shall tell you of the Minnow or Penk.

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 Itold 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 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.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 半卷东风

    半卷东风

    站在风口,拥抱。躺在梦里,寻找。我,梦长亭,下一个路口等你。
  • 一步,你就不再平凡:从布衣到金领的路

    一步,你就不再平凡:从布衣到金领的路

    本书介绍了怎样策划自己的路,从布衣走到金领,包括怎样树立自信、怎样确立自己的位置、怎样从头做起、怎样全心投入工作等。
  • 仙族圣域

    仙族圣域

    一个剑与魔法的世界,一场爆笑的冒险,新人上路,请多关照。
  • 金色王经

    金色王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 黑道腹心讨丫头

    黑道腹心讨丫头

    黑道花花公子,被奇葩妹妹所征服,她们的爱情是难么的坎坷,她们所擦出的火花是那么的截然不同,都说爱情是美好而神圣的,可他们的爱情确是犯二残酷的。
  • 综漫之校园大乱斗

    综漫之校园大乱斗

    嘛,是一部融合了作者喜欢的动漫人物的综漫小说。就是描写一大群2次元的笨蛋在校园欢快的日常的故事。另外,推荐大家玩玩三国志11MOD华夏萌战录,很有爱的说。
  • 地藏菩萨像灵验记

    地藏菩萨像灵验记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 长泪邪

    长泪邪

    世间万物情感所化为的生灵,却只有雪白的记忆,她忘了太多的事。她的眼泪,可以起死回生。可是所谓的重生,不过一命换一命罢。“只要能救阿灵,我什么都愿意给你”她亲眼看见蜀国君主为了自己所爱之人亡了整个国家,她不甚唏嘘。在佛罗,她曾听一女子所言,那女子问她:“青邪,你生命可曾有过这样一个人,你明明恨他,却又不可抑制的爱上他”她无言以对,她的生命如白纸,早已遗忘了从前,又哪里会有这样的人。她经历了很多人的故事,却始终记不起自己的过往,那些相似之处却让她的心中隐隐作痛。她闭着眼,朦胧间,回忆着脑海中不太清晰的画面。那个身着白衫的男子,俊美的面容上淡淡的笑意,他衣衫的胸口上是像用墨画上去的山水画,他的眼神如月光般明亮,双手却如寒霜般冰冷。“长寻,若我死了,你会想我吗?”“我会陪你一起”
  • 盛宠兽妃

    盛宠兽妃

    一朝穿越,睁眼醒来,由人变狗?还摊上个痴傻新主子!凭借小小狗身,意气风发大义凛然收拾府内渣渣姨娘、恶毒奴仆!痴傻新主变王妃,喜大普奔奔走相告,自己却被新姑爷强行收去暖床!笑话!你喜欢重口味,我就得配合默契地撒盐添辣椒吗?待我寻到回魂之法,看我如何傲娇地回归人身抓毒蛇王爷过来暖床!本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。
  • 穿越时空之绝色裁女

    穿越时空之绝色裁女

    意外来到古代,本该是现代社会中的名设计师,到了古代也不能闲着不是,先遇踩花大盗,又遇土匪,真是叫人不能活了,让现代的气息充满古代,俨然一片现代人在古代的壮观景象。为了服装事业奋斗终身,熟料竟被招进宫做起了御用裁缝,郁闷!一个蒙面人摇身一变成了皇子,大家都是什麽习惯呢?真相到底是什麽?乱!