34 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



He gives the "proportion of fish according to the 

 greatnesse of your pond." Four hundred carp, 

 bream, or tench of 8 or 10 inches long may be kept 

 for every acre of pond. A pond of four acres, how- 

 ever, will better keep 1600, than a pond of two acres 

 will keep 800. 



The following appears to be rather an exaggerated 

 estimate of the rate of growth of the pike : 



The Pike is in no wise to be admitted to your great 

 ponds, with your other fish, he is so great a devourer, 

 and will grow so fast having his fill of feeding, that 

 being but eight or ten inches in the beginning of 

 Sommer, he may be eighteene or twentie inches 

 before Hollantide, at what time he will eate more 

 fish every day than will suffice a man. 



Taverner recommends that the fish-ponds should 

 lie dry every other year, as in this way they can be 

 kept cleaner, more natural food can be obtained for 

 the fish, and overcrowding can be prevented. 



The following extract shows the keen powers of 

 observation of the author : 



I have scene a young flie swimme in the water too 

 and fro, and in the end come to the upper crust of 

 the water, and assay to flie up : howbeit not being 

 perfitly ripe or fledge, hath twice or thrice fallen 

 downe againe into the water : howbeit in the end 

 receiving perfection by the heate of the sunne, and 

 the pleasant fat water, hath in the ende within 

 some halfe houre after taken her flight, and flied 

 quite awaie into the ayre. And of such young 

 flies before they are able to flie awaie, do fish feede 

 exceedingly. 



