134 The Complete Angler 



very long-lived ; and more than that, that all that 

 long life he thrives in bigness ; and so I think some 

 Carps do, especially in some places, though I never 

 saw one above twenty-three inches, which was a 

 great and goodly fish ; but have been assured there 

 are of a far greater size, and in England too. 



Now, as the increase of Carps is wonderful for 

 their number, so there is not a reason found out, I 

 think, by any, why they should breed in some ponds, 

 and not in others, of the same nature for soil and 

 all other circumstances. And as their breeding, so 

 are their decays also very mysterious : I have both 

 read it, and been told by a gentleman of tried 

 honesty, that he has known sixty or more large 

 Carps put into several ponds near to a house, where, 

 by reason of the stakes in the ponds, and the owner's 

 constant being near to them, it was impossible they 

 should be stole away from him ; and that when he 

 has, after three or four years, emptied the pond, 

 and expected an increase from them by breeding 

 young ones, for that they might do so he had, as 

 the rule is, put in three melters for one spawner, he 

 has, I say, after three or four years, found neither a 

 young nor old Carp remaining. And the like I 

 have known of one that had almost watched the 

 pond, and, at a like distance of time, at the fishing 

 of a pond, found, of seventy or eighty large Carps, 

 not above five or six : and that he had forborne 

 longer to fish the said pond, but that he saw, in a 

 hot day in summer, a large Carp swim near the top 

 of the water with a frog upon his head ; and that 

 he, upon that occasion, caused his pond to be let 

 dry : and I say, of seventy or eighty Carps, only 

 found five or six in the said pond, and those very 

 sick and lean, and with every one a frog sticking so 

 fast on the head of the said Carps, that the frog 

 would not be got off without extreme force or 



