XII.] 



THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



183 



day in -winter, and he hath been observed by some, 

 not usually to bite till the mulberry-tree buds ; that 

 is to say, till extreme frosts be past the spring : for 

 when the mulberry-tree blossoms, many gardeners 

 observe their forward fruit to be past the danger of 

 frosts ; and some have made the like observation of 

 the Pearch's biting. 



But bite the Pearch will, and that very boldly ; 

 and as one has wittily observed, if there be twenty 

 or forty in a hole, they may be, at one standing, all 

 catched one after another ; they being, as he says, 

 like the wicked of the world, not afraid, though 

 their fellows and companions perish in their sight. 

 And you may observe, that they are not like the 

 solitary Pike ; but love to accompany one another, 

 and march together in troops. 



And the baits for this bold fish, 



are not many : I mean he will bite as well at some, 

 or at any of these three, as at any or all others 

 whatsoever ; a worm, a minnow, or a little frog, 

 of which you may find many in hay-time : and of 



