THE COMPLETE ANGLER 77 



Now the next thing that I will commend to your con- 

 sideration is, that the trout is of a more sudden growth 

 than other fish. Concerning which, you are also to take 

 notice, that he lives not so long as the perch, and divers 

 other fishes do, as Sir Francis Bacon hath observed in 

 his History of Life and Death. 



And now you are to take notice, that he is not like the 

 crocodile, which if he lives never so long, yet always 

 thrives till his death. And you are to know, that he will 

 about, especially before, the time of his spawning, get 

 almost miraculously through weirs and flood-gates against 

 the streams ; even through such high and swift places as 

 is almost incredible. Next, that the trout usually spawns 

 about October or November, but in some rivers a little 

 sooner or later : which is the more observable, because 

 most other fish spawn in the spring or summer, when the 

 sun hath warmed both the earth and the water, and made 

 it fit for generation. And you are to note, that he con- 

 tinues many months out of season ; for it may be observed 

 of the trout, that he is like the buck or the ox, that he 

 will not be fat in many months, though he go in the very 

 same pasture that horses do, which will be fat in one 

 month : and so you may observe, that most other fishes 

 recover strength, and grow sooner fat and in season, than 

 the trout doth. 



And next you are to note, that till the sun gets to such 

 a height as to warm the earth and the water, the trout 

 is sick and lean, and lousy, and unwholesome : for you 

 shall in winter find him to have a big head, and then to be 

 lank, and thin, and lean : at which time many of them 

 have sticking on them sugs, or trout-lice, which is a kind of 

 worm, in shape like a clove or pin, with a big head, and 

 sticks close to him and sucks his moisture ; those I think, 

 the trout breeds himself, and never thrives till he free 

 himself from them, which is when warm weather comes ; 

 and then, as he grows stronger, he gets from the dead, still 



