6EC0XD DAT.] PERCH. 39 



morning. Some minnows, ho ! — and the perch 

 rods ! 



HAL. — I am tired, sir, and would willingly avoid 

 minnow fishing after such a morning's sport. 



HOST. — Come, then, I will be a fisher for the 

 table. I have one — and another, that will weigh 

 nearly a pound a-piece. Now, there is a cunning 

 perch that has stolen my minnow ; I know he is a 

 large one. He has robbed me again and again ; and 

 if I fish on in this way, with the hook through the 

 upper lip, will, I dare say, carry away all the minnows 

 in the kettle. I shall put on a strong small hook, on 

 a stout, though fine, gut, with slender wire round the 

 top, and pass the hook through the back fin of the 

 minnow, and try my sagacity against his. Lo ! I 

 have him ! — and a very strong fish he is, and gone to 

 the bottom ; but even though the greatest perch in 

 the river, he cannot bite the gut, — he will soon be 

 tired and taken. He now comes up, and is landed. 

 He must be above 3 lbs. — a magnificent perch! 

 Kill him and crimp him, fisherman; take our two 

 trout, and the three perch, to the kitchen, and let 

 them be dressed as usual. You shall have a good 

 dish of fish, worthy of such determined anglers. But 

 I see one of your party coming up by the side of the 

 river, who seems tired and out of spirits. 



HAL. — It is Physicus, who has this day commenced 



