CHAPTER XVIII. 



OF THE MINNOW, OR PENK, OF THE LOACH, AND 

 OF THE BULL-HEAD, OR MILLER ; S-THUMB. 



plSCATOR. There be also three or four other 

 little fish that I had almost forgot, that all 

 are without scales, and may, for excellence of 

 meat, be compared to any fish of greatest value 

 and largest size. They be usually full of eggs or 

 spawn all the months of summer ; for they breed 

 often, as 't is observed mice and many of the 

 smaller four-footed creatures of the earth do ; and 

 as those, so these come quickly to their full 

 growth and perfection. And it is needful that 

 they breed both often and numerously ; for they 

 be, besides other accidents of ruin, both a prey 

 and baits for other fish. And first I shall tell you 

 of the minnow, or penk. 



The minnow hath, when he is in perfect season 

 and not sick, which is only presently after spawn- 

 ing, a kind of dappled or waved color, like to a 

 panther, on his sides, inclining to a greenish and 

 sky-color, his belly being milk-white, and his back 

 almost black or blackish. He is a sharp biter at 



