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CHAPTER XIV. 



OBSERVATIONS OF THE BARBEL, AND DIRECTIONS 

 HOW TO FISH FOR HIM. 



niSCATOR. The barbel is so called, says Ges- 

 ner, by reason of his barb or wattels at his mouth, 

 which are under his nose or chaps. He is one of 

 those leather-mouthed fishes that I told you of, 

 that does very seldom break his hold if he be once 

 hooked ; but he is so strong that he will often 

 break both rod and line, if he proves to be a big 

 one. 



But the barbel, though he be of a fine shape, 

 and looks big, yet he is not accounted the best fish 

 to eat, neither for his wholesomeness nor his taste ; 

 but the male is reputed much better than the fe- 

 male, whose spawn is very hurtful, as I will pres- 

 ently declare to you. 



They flock together like sheep, and are at the 

 worst in April, about which time they spawn, but 

 quickly grow to be in season. He is able to live 

 in the strongest swifts of the water, and in summer 

 they love the shallowest and sharpest streams ; and 

 love to lurk under weeds, and to feed on gravel 

 against a rising ground, and will root and dig in 

 IS 



