894 AIA.MAL OF ilODER.X FAKRIi-Rr. 



from the boughs of trees, paste of brown bread mixed with 

 lionej, and of white bread in which a little tar is incorpc/- 

 rated ; the best time for angling is late in the afternoon or 

 early in the morning. When the weather is warm, foggj^ 

 and misling, with a southerly wind, the tench will bite 

 during the greater part of the day. Tench will live long out 

 of water, and may with safety be removed in dry straw to a 

 considerable distance. 



Tench prefer foul and muddy water, and are frequently 

 taken out of situations where they have been literally dyed 

 black with foul and foetid mud. The size of an ordinary fish 

 is from three to four pounds, and they are often met with 

 five pounds weight. One of extraordinary dimensions was 

 found in a piece of water, ordered to be cleaned cut, at 

 Thornville Royal, Yorkshire, IS^'ovember, 1801. After the 

 pond was thought to be quite free, under some roots there 

 seemed to be an animal, whicli was conjectured to be an 

 otter ; the place was surrounded, and on opening an entrance 

 among the roots, a tench was found of mobt singular form, 

 having literally assumed the shape of the hole, in which he 

 had of course for many years been confined. His length 

 from fork to eye was two feet nine inches ; his weight, eleven 

 pounds nine ounces and a quarter. The colour was also 

 singular ; his belly being that of a charr, or a vermilion. 

 This extraordinary fish, after having been inspected by many 

 gentlemen, was carefully put into a pond ; but either from 

 confinement, age, or bulk, it at first merely floated, and at 

 last, with difficulty, swam gently away. It lived long after- 

 wards. 



THE PIKE. 



The pike is the most voracious fish which inhabits the 

 fresh waters of Great Britain and Ireland. It is found in 

 many of our rivers and standing waters, at least those of any 



