THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 165 



out writing, or, unless it were casually, without the least com- 

 municating them to any other nation or tribe ; for to do that, they 

 account a profanation. And yet it is thought that they, or some 

 spirit worse than they, first told us that lice swallowed alive were 

 a certain cure for the yellow jaundice. This and many other 

 medicines were discovered by them or by revelation ; for doubt- 

 less, we attained them not by study. 



Well, this fish, besides his eating, is very useful both dead and 

 alive for the good of mankind. But I will meddle no more 

 with that — my honest humble art teaches no such boldness : 

 there are too many foolish meddlers in physic and divinity, that 

 think themselves fit to meddle with hidden secrets, and so bring 

 destruction to their followers. But I will not meddle with them 

 any further than to wish them w-iser ; and shall tell you next, 

 for I hope I may be so bold, that the tench is the physician of 

 fishes, for the pike especially : and that the pike, being either 

 sick or hurt, is cured by the touch of the tench. And it is ob- 

 served, that the tyrant pike will not be a vvolf to his physician, 

 but forbears to devour him though he be never so hungry.* 



* The notion that the tench is " the physician of fishes"' is generally 

 prevalent. Hamilton, in the Naturalist's Library, Vol. VI., 64, quotes 

 Boccius as saying, " It is a well authenticated fact, that no fish of prey 

 will touch the tench ; and that it is understood that the tench acts medi- 

 cinally to other fish, by rubbing against them when wounded or sick. 

 Hence in Germany, the fishermen call it the doctor-fish." Moses Browne, 

 in his Piscatory Eclogue III., says of the pike — 



" Yet, howsoe'er with raging famine pined, 

 The tench he spares, a salutary kind ; 

 For when by wounds distrest or sore disease. 

 He courts the fish medicinal, for ease, 

 Close to his scales the kind physician glides, 

 And sweats a healing balsam from his sides.'* 



Salter {Angler's Guide) says, " Whether the forbearance of the pike 

 arises from respect to the healing qualities of the tench, or from dislike 

 of the slimy matter on its body, I know not, but I believe the tench is per- 

 fectly free from the persecution of the pike ; for I have never known one 

 mutilated as other small fish often are by his teeth. The eel also foregoes 

 his voracity, in regard to the tench, both night and day, for I have known 

 trimmers laid with several sorts of fish, and both eels and pike taken with 



