CHAPTER XIV 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE BARBEL J AND DIRECTIONS 

 HOW TO FISH FOR HIM 



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Pise. The Barbel is so called, says Gesner, by reason of 

 his barb or wattles at his mouth, which are under his nose 

 or chaps. He is one of those leather-mouthed fishes, that 

 I told you of, that does very seldom break his hold if he 

 be once hooked : but he is so strong, that he will often 

 break both rod and line, if he proves to be a big one. 



But the barbel, though he be of a fine shape, and looks 

 big, yet he is not accounted the best fish to eat, neither 

 for his wholesomeness nor his taste : but the male is 

 reputed much better than the female, whose spawn is very 

 hurtful, as I will presently declare to you. 



They flock together, like sheep, and are at the worst in 

 April, about which time they spawn, but quickly grow 

 to be in season. He is able to live in the strongest swifts 

 of the water, and in summer they love the shallowest 

 and sharpest streams ; and love to lurk under weeds, 

 and to feed on gravel against a rising ground, and will 

 root and dig in the sands with his nose like a hog, and 

 there nest himself : yet sometimes he retires to deep and 

 swift bridges, or flood-gates, or weirs, where he will nest 

 himself amongst piles, or in hollow places, and take such 

 hold of moss or weeds, that be the water never so swift, it 

 is not able to force him from the place that he contends 

 for. This is his constant custom in summer, when he and 

 most living creatures sport themselves in the sun : but at 



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