The Fourth Day 165 



or flood-gates, or weir ; 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 the approach of 

 winter, then he forsakes the swift streams and 

 shallow waters, and, by degrees, retires to those 

 parts of the river that are quiet and deeper ; in which 

 places, and I think about that time he spawns ; and, 

 as I have formerly told you, with the help of the 

 melter, hides his spawn or eggs in holes, which they 

 both dig in the gravel ; and then they mutually 

 labour to cover it with the same sand, to prevent it 

 from being devoured by other fish. 



There be such store of this fish in the river 

 Danube, that Rondeletius says they may, in some 

 places of it, and in some months of the year, be 

 taken, by those who dwell near to the river, with 

 their hands, eight or ten load at a time. He says, 

 they begin to be good in May, and that they cease 

 to be so in August : but it is found to be otherwise 

 in this nation. But thus far we agree with him, 

 that the spawn of a Barbel, if it be not poison, as 

 he says, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especi- 

 ally in the month of May, which is so certain, that 

 Gesner and Gasius declare it had an ill effect upon 

 them, even to the endangering of their lives. 



The fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, 

 with small scales, which are placed after a most 

 exact and curious manner, and, as I told you, may 

 be rather said not to be ill, than to be good meat. 

 The Chub and he have, I think, both lost part 

 of their credit by ill cookery ; they being reputed 

 the worst, or coarsest, of fresh-water fish. But the 

 Barbel affords an angler choice sport, being a lusty 



