CHAP. II. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 129 



Ven. Well then, I pray : As we walk, tell me freely, 

 how do you like your lodging, and mine host and the 

 company ? Is not mine host a witty man ? 



Pise. Sir, I will tell you, presently, what I think of 

 your host : but, first, I will tell you, I am glad these 

 Otters were killed ; and I am sorry there are no more 

 Otter-killers ; for I know that the want of Otter-killers, 

 and the not keeping the fence-months for the preserva- 

 tion offish, wilt, in time, prove the destruction of all 

 rivers. And those VERY FEW that are left, that make 

 conscience of the laws of the nation, and of keeping 

 days of abstinence, will be forced to eat flesh, or suffer 

 more inconveniences than are yet foreseen. 



Ven. Why, Sir, what be those that you call the 

 fence-months ? 



Pise. Sir, they be principally three, namely , March, 

 April and May ; for these be the usual months that 

 Salmon come out of the sea, to spawn, in most fresh 

 rivers. And their fry would, about a certain time, 

 return back to the salt-water, if they were not hin- 

 dered by wires and unlawful gins, which the greedy 

 fishermen set ; and, so, destroy them by thousands, as 

 they [the fry] would, being so taught by nature, 

 change the fresh for salt water. He that shall view the 

 wise Statutes made in the 13th of Edward 1. and the 

 like in Richard III. may see several provisions, made 

 against the destruction of fish : and though I profess no 

 knowledge of the law, yet I am sure the regulation of 

 these defects might be easily mended. But I remember 

 that a wise friend of mine did usually, say, " That 

 which is every body's business is no body's business:" 

 if it were otherwise, there could not be so many nets, 

 and fish, that are under the statute-size, sold daily 

 amongst us ; and of which the conservators of the waters 

 should be ashamed*. 



* About the year 1770 upon the trial of an indictment, before me, at 

 Hicks'sHall a basket was produced in evidence, containing flounders 

 that had been taken with unlawful nets in the river Thames, so small 

 that warce any one of them would cover a half crown-piece. The in- 



