CHAP. XIII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER, 263 



I might here speak of many other fish, whose shape 

 and nature are much like the Eel ; and, frequent both, 

 the sea, and fresh rivers ; as namely, the Lamprel, the 

 Lamprey, and the Lamperne : as also of the mighty 

 Cong.T, taken often in Severn about Gloucester : And 

 might also tell, in what high esteem many of them 

 are for the curiosity of their taste. Bat these are not 

 so proper to be talked of by me, because they make 

 us anglers no sport ; therefore I will l u t them alone as 

 the Jews do, to who.n they arc forbidden by their law. 



And, scholar! there is also a FLOUNDER, a sea* 

 fish, which will wander very far into fresh rivers; 

 and there lose himself, and dwell ; and thrive to 

 a hand's breadth, and almost twice so long ; a fish 

 without scales, and most excellent meat: and a fish 

 that affords much sport lo jhe angler with any small 

 worm, but especially a little bluish worm, gotten 

 out of marsh-ground or meadows, which should be 

 well scoured *, But this, though it be most excel- 



attended with great trouble and the risk of tackle ; many, while they angle 

 for other fish, lay lines for the Eel, which they tie to weeds, flags, 55V. 

 with marks to find them by. Or, you may take a long packthread line, 

 with a leaden weight at the end, and hooks looped on at a yard distance 

 from each other : fasten one end to the flags, or on the shore ; and throw 

 the lead out, and let the line lie some time. And, in this way, you may 

 probably take a Pike. 



The river Kennet in Berkshire, the Stour in Dorsetshire, Irk in Lanca- 

 shire, and Ankham in Lincolnshire, are famed for producing excellent 

 Eels ; the latter to so great a degree, as to gire rise to the following pro-* 

 verbial rhyme; 



Ankham Eel, and Witham Pike, 

 In all England is none sike. 



But it is said, there are no Eels superior in goodness to those taken in th 

 head of the New River near Islington; and I myself have seen Eels, caught 

 there with a rod and line, of a very large size. 



Eels, contrary to all other fish, never swim up, but always down the 

 stream, 



* The taking Flounders with a rod antMine, is>a thing so accidental, 

 that it is hardly worth the mention. The same may be said of Smelts, 

 which, in the Thames, and other great rivers, are caught with a bit of any 

 mall fish, but chiefly of their own species. In the month of August, 

 about the year 1720, such vast quantities of smelts came up the Thames* 



