chap, vi.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 131 



they may do so in other nations, I think those in 

 England differ nothing but in their names. Aldro- 

 vandus says, they be of a Trout kind : and Gesner 

 says that, in his country, which is Switzerland, he 

 is accounted the choicest of all fish. And in Italy, 

 he is, in the month of May, so highly valued, that he 

 is sold then at a much higher rate than any other 

 fish. The French, which call the Chub un villain, 

 call the Umber of the lake Leman, un Umble Che- 

 valier ; and they value the Umber or Grayling so 

 highly, that they say he feeds on gold ; and say that 

 many have been caught out of their famous river of 

 Loire, out of whose bellies grains of gold have been 

 often taken. And some think that he feeds on 

 water-thyme, and smells of it at his first taking 

 out of the water ; and they may think so with as 

 good reason as we do that our Smelts smell like 

 violets at their being first caught, which I think is 

 a truth. Aldrovandus says, the Salmon, the Gray- 

 ling, and Trout, and all fish that live in clear and 

 sharp streams, are made by their mother Nature of 

 such exact shape and pleasant colours, purposely to 

 invite us to a joy and contentedness in feasting with 

 her. Whether this is a truth or not, is not my 

 purpose to dispute ; but 'tis certain, all that write 

 of the Umber declare him to be very medicinable. 

 And Gesner says, that the fat of an Umber or Gray- 

 ling being set with a little honey, a day or two in 

 the sun in a little glass, is very excellent against 

 redness or swarthiness, or anv thing that breeds 



