154 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



not broken my line by running to the rod's end, as 

 you suffered him. I would have held him within 

 the bent of my rod, unless he had been fellow to 

 the great trout that is near an ell long, which was 

 of such a length and depth that he had his picture 

 drawn, and now is to be seen at mine host Rick- 

 abie's at the George in Ware ; and it may be by 

 giving that very great trout the rod, that is, by 

 casting it to him into the water, I might have 

 caught him at the long run, for so I use always 

 to do when I meet with an overgrown fish, and 

 you will learn to do so too, hereafter ; for I tell 

 you, scholar, fishing is an art, or at least it is an art 

 to catch fish. 



Ven. But, master, I have heard that the great 

 trout you speak of is a salmon. 



Pise. Trust me, scholar, I know not what to say 

 to it. There are many country people that be- 

 lieve hares change sexes every year, and there be 

 very many learned men think so too, for in their 

 dissecting them they find many reasons to incline 

 them to that belief. And to make the wonder 

 seem yet less, that hares change sexes, note that 

 Dr. Meric Casaubon affirms, in his book of credi- 

 ble and incredible things, that Caspar Peucerus, a 

 learned physician, tells us of a people that once a 

 year turn wolves, partly in shape and partly in con- 

 ditions. And so, whether this were a salmon when 

 he came into fresh water, and his not returning 

 into the sea hath altered him to another color or 

 kind, I am not able to say ; but I am certain he 



