ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 29 



hailing the gouernment of any riuers, brookes, or 

 standing pooles, to replenish them with all such 

 kinde of fish as may there be preserued or bred, as- 

 well of straying as others. There is a kinde of fish in 

 Holand, in the fennes besides Peterborrow, which they 

 call a poult, they be like in making and greatnesse 

 to the Whiting, but of the cullour of the Loch : they 

 come foorth of the fenne brookes, into the riuers nigh 

 there about, as in Wansworth riuer there are many 

 of them. They stirre not all the sommer, but in 

 winter when it is most coldest weather. There they 

 are taken at Milles in Welles, and at wayers likewise. 

 They are a pleasant meate, and some do thinke they 

 would be aswell in other riuers and running waters, 

 as Huntington, W r are, and such like, if those waters 

 were replenished with them, as they may be with 

 small charge. They haue such plentie in the fenne 

 brookes, they feede their hogges with them. If other 

 riuers were stored with them, it would be good for a 

 common wealth, as the Carpe which came of late 

 yeares into England. Thus much for the fenne pult. 



Further directions are included for the cultivation 

 of Miller's thumbs, "loches," and cray fish. A 

 description is also given of the methods of sniggling 

 and bobbing for eels. 



Mascall gives a variety of ground baits with which 

 to attract the different kinds of fish : the first one 

 contains " Salarmoniache eight drams, Scallion onions 

 one dram, fat of veale ten drachms " ; this ground 

 bait is intended for trout, which will "come them- 

 selves to the smell thereof, and so ye may take 

 them." 



To take Loches or small fish. 



Take the branne of wheate meale, two pound, of 



