THE TENCH. 97 



tlieir vitality, that as long as they are bedewed 

 with water and their gills kept wet, they will 

 live and feed on what chance throws in their 

 way. Daniel, in his Eural Sports, gives a 

 curious confirmation of these facts, which is 

 quoted by Mr. Yarrell, and may well be re- 

 peated here, as it is on undoubted authority. 

 " A piece of water, which had been ordered to 

 be filled up, and into which wood and rubbish 

 had been thrown for years, was directed to be 

 cleaned out. Persons were accordingly em- 

 ployed ; and almost choked up by weeds and 

 mud, so little water remained that no person 

 expected to see any fish, except a few eels ; yet 

 nearly two hundred brace of tench of all sizes, 

 and as many perch, were found. After the 

 pond was thought to be quite free, under some 

 roots there seemed to be an animal, which was 

 conjectured to be an otter ; the place was sur- 

 rounded, and on opening an entrance among 

 the roots, a tench was found of most singular 

 form, having literally assumed the shape of the 

 hole in which of course he had been for many 

 years confined. His length from eye to fork 

 was thirty- three inches, his circumference 

 almost to the tail was twenty-seven inches, his 

 weight eleven pounds nine ounces and a 

 quarter ; the colour was also singular, his belly 



