ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 35 



I was recently told by a head gardener at the 

 Oxford Botanical Gardens that he had been for a 

 long time puzzled why the goldfish in his tanks did 

 not breed ; on watching them more closely he 

 observed that when two fish paired off for the 

 exercise of their reproductive functions, they were 

 followed about the tank by the other fish, who 

 promptly devoured the spawn as soon as it was 

 deposited. Subsequently on removing the fish to 

 another tank as soon as they were observed to pair 

 off in this manner, a large stock of young goldfish 

 was ultimately reared. Taverner mentions eels 

 following other fish and devouring their spawn in 

 a similar manner : 



When the Carps, Breams, Tenches, or Roches do 

 lay their spawne in egges in spawning time, you shall 

 many times see sixe, ten, or more small Eeles follow 

 them, and as the spawne falleth from them they eate 

 it, as also Duckes will do the like. Afterward so 

 soone as it is quicke, the Eele, and especially the 

 Perch will devour it in great quantitie before it be 

 able to swimme any thing fast. 



The ingendring and breeding of the like fish as 

 aforesaid I have noted to be in this manner, some- 

 time in May, and sometime in June, as the season 

 happeneth to fall out apt for generation, the water by 

 Gods providence having then a naturall warmth to 

 performe the same, the male fish by course of nature, 

 will chase about the female, seeking copulation : and 

 as in all other creatures, so in this the female seemeth 

 to shun and flie from the male, so that you shall see 

 three, foure, or five male fish, chase one female, and 

 so hold her in on everie side, that they will force her 



