56 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



floundering about under the large leaves of the water-lily ; 

 and in the deep etangs in the marais, in the Pas-de- 

 Calais, we have seen them wallowing about in shoals 

 amongst the weeds and lilies, beneath the hot burning 

 sun, apparently regardless of the approach of our boat 

 until we could almost touch them. 



These fish spawn late in the spring, or early in the 

 summer, according to the lateness or forwardness of the 

 season; and seek the most secluded and weedy places, 

 clogged-up, as it were, with vegetation, to deposit their 

 eggs, which are of a greenish colour, and very small. 

 They are wondrously prolific, and increase prodigiously 

 if undisturbed. In a female weighing about three pounds 

 and a half, there were counted more than 297,000 eggs. 



When particularly well nurtured, and in a favourable 

 situation, the tench will occasionally attain a weight of 

 seven or eight pounds. This, however, is of rare occur- 

 rence ; for, although the fish grows very fast, he will seldom 

 be found to exceed two or three pounds. 



Like carp, tench are extremely tenacious of life, and 

 may be carried very long journeys in wet grass, without 

 the slightest fear of losing them. 



Many medicinal properties have been attributed to the 

 tench ; but who will vouch for their authenticity ? It has 

 been credited, that when cut into pieces and placed on 

 the soles of the feet, his flesh will overcome the virulence 

 of the plague, and dissipate the heat in the fiercest fevers; 

 that, when applied alive to the brow, he will relieve 

 pains in the head; that, planted on the nape of the neck, 

 he will allay inflammations in the eyes; and that, when 

 held in contact with the lower part of the body, he will 

 effectually cure the jaundice. 



These notions are now exploded; but Walton seems to 



