OBSERVATIONS OF THE PEARCH 



of which they say, we English see but a few, to be a much 

 better fish. 



The Pearch grows slowly, yet will grow, as I have been 

 credibly informed, to be almost two foot long ; for an honest 

 informer told me, such a one was not long since taken by Sir 

 Abraham Williams, a gentleman of worth, and a Brother of the 

 Angle, that yet lives, and I wish he may : this was a deep- 

 bodied fish : and doubtless durst have devoured a Pike of half 

 his own length : for I have told you, he is a bold fish, such a 

 one as, but for extreme hunger, the Pike will not devour : for 

 to affright the Pike, and save himself, the Pearch will set up 

 his fins, much like as a Turkey-Cock will sometimes set up 

 his tail. 



But, my Scholar, the Pearch is not only valiant to defend 

 himself, but he is, as I said, a bold-biting fish, yet he will not 

 bite at all seasons of the year ; he is very abstemious in Winter, 

 yet will bite then in the midst of the day, if it be warm : and 

 note, that all fish bite best about the midst of a warm day in 

 Winter, and he hath been observed by some, not usually to 

 bite till the Mulberry-tree buds ; that is to say, till extreme 

 frosts be past the Spring ; for when the Mulberry-tree blossoms, 

 many Gardeners observe their forward fruit to be past the 

 danger of frosts, and some have made the like observation of 

 the Pearch's biting. 



But bite the Pearch will, and that very boldly : and as one 

 has wittily observed, if there be twenty or forty in a hole, they 

 may be at one standing all catched one after another ; they 

 being, as he says, like the wicked of the world, not afraid, 

 though their fellows and companions perish in their sight. 

 And you may observe, that they are not like the solitary Pike ; 

 but love to accompany one another, and march together in 

 troops. 



And the baits for this bold fish, are not many ; I mean, he 

 will bite as well at some, or at any of these three, as at any, or 

 all others whatsoever, a Worm, a Minnow, or a little Frog, of 

 which you may find many in hay-time : and of worms, the Dung- 

 hill-worm, called a Brandling, I take to be best, being well 

 scoured in moss or fennel ; or he will bite at a worm that lies 

 under cow-dung with a bluish head. And if you rove for a 

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