THE COMPLETE ANGLER 25 



a word from my mouth (which she both knows and 

 obeys), to accept of meat from my hand, to own me 

 for her master, to go home with me, and be willing the 

 next day to afford me the like recreation. 



And more : this element of air which I profess to trade 

 in, the worth of it is such, and it is of such necessity, 

 that no creature whatsoever, not only those numerous 

 creatures that feed on the face of the earth, but those 

 various creatures that have their dwelling within the 

 waters, every creature that hath life in its nostrils stands 

 in need of my element. The waters cannot preserve 

 the fish without air, witness the not breaking of ice in an 

 extreme frost : * the reason is, for that if the inspiring and 

 expiring organ of any animal be stopped, it suddenly yields 

 to nature and dies. Thus necessary is air to the existence 

 both of fish and beasts, nay, even to man himself ; 

 that air or breath of life with which God at first inspired 

 mankind, he, if he wants it, dies presently, becomes a 

 sad object to all that loved and beheld him, and in an 

 instant turns to putrefaction. 



Nay more, the very birds of the air, those that be 

 not hawks, are both as many and so useful and pleasant 

 to mankind, that I must not let them pass without some 

 observations. They both feed and refresh them feed 

 him with their choice bodies, and refresh him with their 

 heavenly voices. I will not undertake to mention the 

 several kinds of fowl by which this is done and his 

 curious palate pleased by day, and which with their 

 very excrements afford him a soft lodging at night 

 these I will pass by ; but not those little nimble musicians 

 of the air, that warble forth their curious ditties, with 



* Though deep waters may be frozen over, fish will live in them 

 beneath the ice. In shallow waters fish are frequently frozen to 

 death. Fish, like certain quadrupeds the northern bear, the 

 marmot, and the little dormouse, frequently remain in a torpid 

 state during winter, and only revive with renewed increase of tem- 

 perature of the water, caused by rains or atmospheric influence. E. 



