CHAP, xx.] THE FIFTH DAY. 199 



side, and in the most sandy places, for fish both to spawn upon, 

 and to defend them and the young fry from the many fish, and 

 also from vermin, that lie at watch to destroy them, especially the 

 spawn of the Carp and Tench, when 'tis left to the mercy of ducks 

 or vermin. 



He, and Dubravius, and all others advise that you make choice 

 of such a place for your pond, that it may be refreshed with a 

 little rill, or with rain water, running or falling into it ; by which 

 fish are more inclined both to breed, and are also refreshed and 

 fed the better, and do prove to be of a much sweeter and more 

 pleasant taste. 



To which end it is observed, that such pools as be large and 

 have most gravel, and shallows where fish may sport themselves, 

 do afford fish of the purest taste. And note, that in all pools it 

 is best for fish to have some retiring-place ; as, namely, hollow 

 banks, or shelves, or roots of trees, to keep them from danger, and, 

 when they think fit, from the extreme heat of summer ; as also 

 from the extremity of cold in winter. And note, that if many trees 

 be growing about your pond, the leaves thereof falling into the 

 water, make it nauseous to the fish, and the fish to be so to the 

 eater of it. 



'Tis noted, that the Tench and Eel love mud : and the Carp 

 loves gravelly ground, and in the hot months to feed on grass. 

 You are to cleanse your pond, if you intend either profit or 

 pleasure, once every three or four years, especially some ponds, 

 and then let it lie dry six or twelve months, both to kill the water- 

 weeds, as water-lilies, candocks, reate, and bulrushes, that breed 

 there ; and also that, as these die for want of water, so grass may 

 grow in the pond's bottom, which Carps will eat greedily in all 

 the hot months, if the pond be clean. The letting your pond dry, 

 and sowing oats in the bottom is also good, for the fish feed the 

 faster ; and being sometimes let dry, you may observe what kind 

 of fish either increases or thrives best in that water; for they 

 differ much, both in their breeding and feeding. 



Lebault also advises, that if your ponds be not very large and 

 roomy, that you often feed your fish by throwing into them chip- 

 pings of bread, curds, grains, or the entrails of chickens or of any 

 fowl or beast that you kill to feed yourselves ; for these afford fish 

 a great relief. He says that frogs and ducks do much harm, and 

 devour both the spawn and the young fry of all fish, especially of 

 the Carp ; and I have, besides experience, many testimonies of it. 

 But Lebault allows water-frogs to be good meat, especially in some 



