54 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



Alexander of his conquests 



Surely never felt more proud 

 Than did this honest Angler 

 When he had kill'd his Jack, 

 Tho' he'd been bother'd by a bull, 



His spirits where not cow'd ; 

 From that day forward he has been 

 An Angler true as e'er was seen, 

 Despising every thing that's mean, 



But most of all a poacher. 

 He grieves that trimmers slyly placed, 

 An Angler's name some have disgraced, 

 But from him they are always chased 



As rascally encroachers. 



At bottom, &c. 



The haunts of the Tench are nearly the same as the 

 Carp ; they are said to be possessed of healing qualities, 

 and that fish of prey will not meddle with them ; I 

 have made every enquiry, and havelieard of no instance 

 where Tench have been taken by Jack, Perch, 

 &c., the experiment having been made, by some 

 friends, and the baits were always found free from 

 laceration. With regard to their healing qualities, it 

 is generally believed that wounded fish are benefited 

 by rubbing against the Tench, the slime on his body 

 acting as a balsam to their wounds, this may or may 

 not be true, I leave the naturalist to decide. 



They spawn in July, and are in season about Sept. 



