places, and take such hold of moss or weeds, that be the water never 

 so swift, it is not able to force him from the place that he contends 

 for. This is his constant custom in summer, when he and most 

 living creatures sport themselves in the sun ; but at the approach of 

 winter, then he forsakes the swift streams and shallow waters, and by 

 degrees retires to those parts of the river that are quieter and deeper ; 

 in which places (and I think about that time) he spawns, and, as I 

 have formerly told you, with the help of the melter, hides his spawn 

 or eggs in holes, which they both dig in the gravel, and then they 

 mutually labour to cover it with the same sand, to prevent it from 

 being devoured by other fish. 



There be such store of this fish in the river Danube, that Rondele- 

 tius says, they may in some places of it, and in some months of the 

 year, be taken by those that dwell near to the river, with their hands, 

 eight or ten load at a time : he says, they begin to be good in May, 

 and that they cease to be so in August ; but it is found to be other- 

 wise in this nation : but thus far we agree with him, that the spawn 

 of a barbel, if it be not poison, as he says, yet that it is dangerous 

 meat, and especially in the month of May ; which is so certain, that 

 Gesner and Gasius declare it had an ill effect upon them, even to the 

 endangering of their lives. 



This fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, with small scales, 

 which are placed after a most exact and curious manner, and, as I 

 told you, may be rather said not to be ill, than to be good meat : 

 the chub and he have (I think) both lost part of their credit by ill 

 cookery, they being reputed the worst or coarsest of fresh-water fish. 

 But the barbel affords an angler choice sport, being a lusty and a 

 cunning fish ; so lusty and cunning as to endanger the breaking of 

 the angler's line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert, 

 or hole, or bank, and then striking at the line, to break it off with 

 his tail (as is observed by Plutarch in his book, De Industrid 

 Animalium] ; and also so cunning to nibble and suck off your worm 

 close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the hook come into his 

 mouth. 



The barbel is also curious for his baits ; that is to say, that they 

 be clean and sweet ; that is to say, to have your worms well scoured, 



'95 



