76 TREATISE ON FLY-FISHING. 



her honour ; and that he, going to the river after 

 he had used his devotions, willed one, who was 

 making to fish, to bring him the first fish that was 

 caught, which was done. In the mouth of this 

 fish, he found the ring, and sending it to the 

 lady, she was thereby freed of her husband's 

 suspicion." 



The classical tale of Polycrates related by 

 Herodotus, a thousand years before the tale of 

 St. Kentigern, is perhaps the earliest version of the 

 fish and the ring. " This ring," says Herodotus, 

 " was an emerald set in gold, and beautifully 

 engraved ; " and this very ring Pliny relates, was 

 preserved in the Temple of Concord, in Rome, 

 to which it was given by the Emperor Augustus. 



It is somewhat singular, that the Natural His- 

 tory of a fish, which constitutes so important an 

 article of commerce that adds so much to the 

 wealth of a country where it abounds that forms 

 so nutricious and delicate a food that affords an 

 amusement which rivals that truly British sport of 



