10 FOOD OF FISHES. 



are not leather-mouthed is of some importance in 

 angling, as a different management is required for each, 

 in making sure of a fish, after it is hooked. " By a 

 leather-mouthed fish," says Walton, "I mean such as 

 have their teeth in their throat ; and the hook being 

 struck into the leather or skin of the mouth of such 

 fish, does very seldom or never lose its hold ; but, on 

 the contrary, a pike, a perch, a trout, and so some 

 other fish which have not their teeth in their throats, 

 but in their mouths (which you shall observe to be 

 very full of bones, and the skin very thin, and little of 

 it,) I say, of these fish the hook never takes so sure 

 hold but you often lose your fish, unless she have 

 gorged it." 



That water-grass and some other plants are partly 

 the natural food of the carp is, I think, unquestionable ; 

 but I think it probable when either carp or other fish 

 feed on brewers' grains, boiled barley, split peas, and 

 the like, that they mistake these for the eggs or cocoons 

 of water animals, inasmuch as they could not naturally 

 procure a supply of these except by rare accident. 

 That some fish may feed on the seeds of such plants 

 as are scattered about the water is not however impro- 

 bable, and it may have been from observing this, that 

 it is recommended by Lebault and Debraw, after re- 

 moving the fish to let fish-ponds dry, to sow them with 

 oats or other grain, and when the corn is ripe to stop 

 up the water and bring back the fish to feed. Bowlker 

 remarks that carp will eat wheaten, barley, or oaten 

 bread, while tench and perch will not touch it : a 

 manifest indication of peculiarity in taste. 



