Natural Hislorij of their Geneiation. 271 



the year: the first part svith their spawn in the two fir.it 

 months ot the year, and are called Felniary pikes ; and if 

 the water is even covered wiih ice, they ajiproacn the shore 

 under the ice, till they find a litlle gra:-s, on which thev 

 hang their spawn. The second sort spawns in March; 

 their fry thrives generally best on accoimt of tlie water3 

 being then high, and the weather milder at this season. 

 Therefore they will o;et into meadows overflown with water, 

 and do not seein to care if their backs are even out of the 

 water. They gencr.illv travel bv pairs, and part with their 

 spawn by continnallv ruhhing against each other with great 

 noise, and uianv tinjus the larger devours the smaller in 

 this business. When it happens that the weather is proper 

 for thein, and that the waters do not fall suddenly, but ra- 

 ther rise, and that the sunshine causes the air to be mild, 

 they breed in iireat abundance ; and these pikes, w hich are 

 called grass-pikes, are afterwards to be n)et with in great 

 plenty; which is looked upon in general as an omen that 

 it will be a bad corn vear; and it is comnionlv correct, not 

 that it has any connection therewith, but that the soil ia 

 our climate (Germany) will not bear much wet for the 

 growth of corn. The third part spawn in May, and are 

 called May pikes. 



Carps and carouches spawn but once a year, which 

 is in the sumn)er ; they part with their spawn without 

 much trouble, and in all places ; but the spawn does 

 not thrive everv where ; and v/e hear frequent complaints, 

 that ponds which have had plenty have no young fry; 

 but when ponds come fo be inspected, it is found that those 

 places which are proper for spawning are full of weeds 

 or filth, for they require a clay bottom: a small spot in a 

 pond is sutTicicnt to breed vast numij^rs, and thespawninc- 

 ponds are full of weeds, and require to be annually cleaned, 

 and the number of tiie young ones to he lessened : without 

 this care the yomig fry grow poor, get thick heads, and on 

 their scales a glutiiious subslunce, which is called grief; 

 and when thev grow up are dii^tinguished by the name of 

 sto7}ij carps, or slonv carouches. A good cEConomist wilt 

 never sull'er anv of these sorts to remain in his ponds longer 

 than three vcars ; and in a middling pond seldom above 

 twelve feuiale and three or four male carps or carouches. 

 When the store carps are put into the spawnina ponds, 

 some tenches .tre put in along with them; and when ilte 

 tperm f>t ilic male tench is n)ix;d with the fen}ale spawn 

 of the "arp, it produces what wc call spicgal carps. \C is- 

 believed that a fiih is produced from the mixiuro of carps 



and 



