THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 121 



famous river of Loire, out of whose bellies grains of gold have 

 been often taken. And some think that he feeds on water-thyme, 

 and smells of it at his first taking out of the water : and they 

 may think so with as good reason, as we do that our smelts smell 

 like violets at their first being caught ; which I think is a truth. 

 Aldrovandus says, the salmon, the grayling, and trout, and all 

 fish that live in clear and sharp streams, are made by their mother 

 Nature of such exact shape and pleasant colors, purposely to 

 invite us to a joy and contentedness in feasting with her. Whether 

 this is a truth or not, it is not my purpose to dispute ; but 'tis cer- 

 tain, all that write of the umber declare him to be very medi- 

 cinable. And Gesner says, that the fat of an umber or gray- 

 ling, being set with a little honey a day or two in the sun in a 

 little glass, is very excellent against redness, or swarthiness, or 

 anything that breeds in the eyes. Salvian* takes him to be called 

 umber from his swift running or gliding out of sight, more like a 

 shadow or a ghost than a fish. Much more might be said both 

 of his smell and taste ; but I shall only tell you, that St. Am- 

 brose, the glorious bishop of Milan, who lived when the church 

 kept fasting-daj's, calls him the flower-fish, or flower of fishes ; 

 and that he was so far in love with him, that he would not let him 

 pass without the honor of a long discourse tf but I must ; and 

 pass on to tell you how to take this dainty fish. 



* Hippolito Salviani, a physician of Rome, who died 1572, aged 59. 

 Besides his Aquatiliiim Animalium HistoricB, Rom., 1554, foL, he wrote De 

 Crisibus ad Galenam Censura, and a comedy {La Rujffiana), with poems 

 in Italian. See a memoir of him prefixed to the sixth volume of Javdine's 

 Naturalist's Library. — Am. Ed. 



t The burst of enthusiasm by the saintly lover of fish is so hearty, that 

 I give it at length. He has been treating very quietly of other fish, when 

 he exclaims : " Neque te inhonoratum nostra prosecutione, thymalle, di- 

 mittam, cui a flore nomen incoluit ; seu Ticini te fluminis, seu amaeni 

 Atesis unda nutrierit flores. Denique sermo testatior, quod de eo cui gra- 

 tam redolet suavitatem, dictum facete sit, Aut piscem oltt aut florem ; ita 

 idem pronuntiatus est piscis odor esse qui floris. Quid specie tua gratius ? 

 Quid suavitate jucundius .' Quid odore fragrantius .' Quod mella fragrant, 

 hoc tu tuo corpore spiras." Hexa'emeron, v. 2 In justification of the 

 good bishop, it may be added that the grayling of the Alpine waters 14 

 particularly good for those who " keep fasting days." — Am. Ed 



t 



