DUBRAVIUS DE PISCINIS AND J. TAVERNER. 335 



There is a copy in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. The 

 title is " Dubravins de Piscinis." For many years I kept 

 a sharp look out for this book, and was at last fortunate 

 enough to buy one at a bookstall for eighteen-pence ; 

 it is a little book, six inches by four inches. It is 

 beautifully printed, and the ink blacker than any inks 

 used now. The date of it is 1559, therefore it was pub- 

 lished 321 years ago, in the second year of the reign of 

 Queen Elizabeth. This is a copy of the title-page: 

 '' Jani Dubravii qui postea Olomucensis Episcopus 

 creatus est De Piscinis et Piscibus qui in eis aluntur, 

 naturis libri quiuque, vi doctissimi, ita ad rem famili- 

 arem augendam utilissimi, ad illustrem virum Antonium 

 Fuggerum. 1559." 



Dubravius was a high church dignitary, Bishop of 

 Olmutz in Moravia. Bishop or no bishop, he knev*^ 

 more about fish-ponds than we do at the present day. 



After him came another writer on fish-ponds, to wit, 

 John Taverner, gentleman, who in 1600 (the 42nd year 

 of the reign of Queen Elizabeth), published a companion 

 treatise, of which the following is the title : " Certaine 

 Experiments concerning Fish and Fruite practised by 

 John Taverner, and by him published for the benefit of 

 others." (Small 4to. London : printed for AVilliam 

 Ponsonby, IGOO. 38 pp.) This tract is in black letter, 

 and a very rare book. 



The following is an abstract of the advice Dubravius 

 gives us as to the cultivation of fish-ponds : — 



'' Experience has shown that the proper treatment of 

 fish-ponds is to alternate a crop of fish with a crop of 

 vegetables. 



" Each pond should be so arranged that it can run 

 perfectly dry at will. 



*' We will suppose three ponds to be in existence — 



