chap, ix.] THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 161 



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, onlv 

 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 kill- 

 ing. And the gentleman that did affirm this to me, 

 told me he saw it ; and did declare his belief to be, 

 and I also believe the same, that he thought the 

 other Carps that were so strangely lost, were so 

 killed by frogs, and then devoured. 



And a person of honour now living, in Worcester- 

 shire * assured me he had seen a neck- „,._„„ 



* Mr. Fr. Ru. 

 lace, or collar of tadpoles, hang like a 



chain or necklace of beads about a Pike's neck, and 

 to kill him : whether it were for meat or malice, 

 must be to me a question. 



But I am fallen into this discourse by accident ; 

 of which I might say more, but it has proved 

 longer than I intended, and possibly may not to 

 you be considerable : I shall therefore give you 

 three or four more short observations of the Carp, 

 and then fall upon some directions how you shall 

 fish for him. 



