78 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
“To breede Miller’s Thumbes and Loches in Shallow Brookes 
or Rivers. 
“The fish called Loches, and the other called Millers 
Thumbes or Culles . . . are fish holesome to be eaten of feeble 
persons having an ague or other sicknesse. . . . Like as there 
is a shallow river running from Barcamstide to Chestum and so 
to Chane; also by Croydon and other places, wherein they 
might breede of the said fish great store, if they were so given. 
The like river runnes in Hampeshire bysides Altum, increasing 
by diverse springes, and runnes shallow in many places, and by 
a certaine parish there called ;* the Parson 
thereof hath tolde me he hath had so many of the said Culles 
and Loches to his tithe weekly, that they have found him 
sufficient to eate Fridays and Saturdays, wherefor he was called 
the Parson of Culles.” 
In the category of sporting fish the miller’s thumb can 
claim no place. It is true that it may easily be caught by 
dangling a small red worm on miniature tackle in front of its 
lair. The bullhead is neither fastidious nor shy, and never 
seems to be off its feed ; but he who wishes for a dish of 
miller’s thumbs had best take the shortest way to his object. 
Let him secure the assistance of a friend and repair to the 
nearest brook, the smaller and shallower the better. One of 
the pair lifts a likely stone in the channel ; very likely the dark 
ungainly form of Cottus will be seen reposing beneath it. 
The fish will make no attempt to dart away, and may be lifted 
out without difficulty and consigned toacan. A still shorter 
and simpler method of capture is described by Aristotle, who 
says: ‘There occur in rivers certain little fish, found under 
stones, which some people call Cottoi. From their lying under 
stones people catch them by striking these stones with (other) 
* Blank in original. 
