242 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part i. 



pond, if you intend either profit or pleasure, once 

 every three or four years, especially some ponds, 

 and then let it lie dry six or twelve months, both 

 to kill the water-weeds, as water-lilies, candocks, 

 reate, and bull-rushes, that breed there : and also 

 that as these die for want of water, so grass may 

 grow in the pond's bottom, which Carps will eat 

 greedily in all the hot months if the pond be clean. 

 The letting your pond dry and sowing oats in the 

 bottom is also good, for the fish feed the faster : 

 and, being sometime let dry, you may observe what 

 kind of fish either increases or thrives best in that 

 water ; for they differ much both in their breeding 

 and feeding. 



Lebault also advises, that if your ponds be not 

 very large and roomy, that you often feed your fish 

 by throwing into them chippings of bread, curds, 

 grains, or the entrails of chickens, or of any fowl 

 or beast that you kill to feed yourselves ; for these 

 afford fish a great relief. He says that frogs and 

 ducks do much harm, and devour both the spawn 

 and the young fry of all fish, especially of the Carp : 

 and I have, besides experience, many testimonies 

 of it. But Lebault allows water-frogs to be good 

 meat, especially in some months, if they be fat : but 

 you are to note, that he is a Frenchman, and we 

 English will hardly believe him, though we know 

 frogs are usually eaten in his country : however, he 

 advises to destroy them and king -fishers out of 



