232 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PAIIT I. 



And, doubtless; as, of sea- fish, the Herring dies 

 soonest out of the water, and, of fresh- water-fish, 

 the Trout ; so, except the Eel, the Carp endures 

 most hardness, and lives longest out of his own 

 proper element. And, therefore, the report of the 

 Carp's being brought out of a foreign country into 

 this nation, is the more probable. 



Carps and Loaches are observed to breed several 

 months, in one year ; -which Pikes and most other 

 fish do not. And this is partly proved, by tarue 

 and wild rabbits; as also by some ducks, which 

 will lay eggs nine of the twelve months, and yet 

 there be other ducks that lay not longer than about 

 one month. And it is the rather to be believed ; 

 because you shall scarce, or never, take a male Carp 

 without a melt, or a female without a roe or spawn, 

 and for the most part very much, and especially all 

 the summer season. And it is observed, that they 

 breed more naturally in ponds, than in running waters, 

 if they breed there at all; and that those that live 

 in rivers, are taken by men of the best palates to 

 be much the better meat. 



And it is observed, that in some ponds Carps will 

 not breed, especially in cold ponds : but where they 

 will breed, they breed innumerably : Aristotle and 

 Pliny say, six times in a year ; if there be no Pikes 

 nor Pearch, to devour their spawn, when it is cast 

 upon grass or flags, or weeds, where it lies ten or 

 twelve days before it be enlivened. 



The Carp, if he have water-room and good feed ; 

 will grow to a very great bigness and length, I have 

 heard, to be much above *a yard long*. It is said 



of fish ; and, that, about the sera mentioned in the above distich," Hops and 

 ** turkies," tffc. which elsewhere is read thus : 



Hops, reformation, turkies, carps, and beer, 

 Came into England all in one year. 



* A lady now living, the widow of the late Mr. David Garrick of 

 Drury-lane theatre, once told me, that in her native country, Germany, 

 he had seen the head of a Carp served up at table, big enough to fiti a larg 

 dish, 



