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especially as the fishes retire into the greatest deeps, and 

 lay under whatever shelters may present themselves. 

 During the spring, and as the days get longer, the 

 poachers are more afraid of being detected j not but they 

 will, if possible, have a hearty drag. As the summer 

 advances, the weeds become so strong and plentiful, as 

 to defy all nets j unless a previous clearance be made, 

 such as poachers could not generally attempt -, though in- 

 stances have been known of their carrying boats to the 

 waters in gentlemen's parks, &c. and of their having 

 cleared away the weeds, so as to be able to work their nets. 

 The fishes in ponds are in their habits pretty similar to 

 those in running waters ; but I think them, for the most 

 .part, far more silly, yet not so ravenous, unless their 

 numbers, in proportion to the quantity of water, and to 

 the supply of food, render them so. Their want of cun- 

 ning, comparatively, no doubt, is owing to their being 

 in a state of protection, and less subject than the river 

 fishes to all sorts of devices. 



Their being more easily taken, I impute to their sub^ 

 sisting chiefly on vegetable productions, and, conse- 

 quently, more prompt to take a worm than such as feed 

 principally on animal matter ; as is the case in running 

 waters, into which chance and design combine to launch 

 a great variety of worms, slugs, snails, and refuse of a 

 thousand kinds. These run the gauntlet down the cur- 

 rent, and, though unnoticed by one kind, are snapt up 

 by others Reason would tell us, and experience con- 

 firms it, that as the fowls of the air feed on various fruits, 

 seeds, &c. so some kinds partake exclusively of certain 

 productions : thus, the carrion crow, &c. like the jack* 

 refuses nothing that comes in his way, 



When 



