208 ANCIENT ANGLING AUTHORS 



parasitic worms, which are now known to frequently 

 exist in the serous cavities and in the intestines of 

 eels. 



The following story is to be found quoted in many 

 angling books to show the voracity of the pike : 



My Father catcht a Pike in Barn Meer (a large 

 standing Water in Cheshire) was an Ell long, and 

 weigh'd thirty-five pounds, which he brought to Lord 

 Cholmondley ; His Lordship ordered it to be turn'd 

 into a Canal in the Garden, wherein were abundance 

 of several Sorts of Fish ; about 1 2 months after his 

 Lordship draw'd the Canal and found that this over- 

 grown Pike had devour'd all the Fish, except one 

 large Carp that weighed between nine and ten 

 Pounds, and that was bitten in several places ; the 

 Pike was then put into the Canal again together 

 with abundance of Fish with him to feed upon, all 

 'which he devoured in less than a Year's time, and 

 was observ'd by the Gardiner and Workmen there 

 to take the Ducks and other Water-Fowl under 

 Water ; whereupon they shot Magpies and Crows 

 and throw'd them into the Canal, which the Pike 

 took before their Eyes ; of this they acquainted 

 their Lord, who thereupon order'd the Slaughter- 

 man to fling Calf's-bellies, Chickens-guts, and such 

 like Garbage to him to prey upon, but being soon 

 after neglected he dyed, as suppos'd from want of 

 Food. 



The art of fly-fishing is very briefly dealt with in 

 this book, but the natural history of the flies and the 

 methods of imitating them are more fully described 

 than in any preceding work, and several new flies are 

 also mentioned for the first time. 



