88 A BOOK OF THE RUNNING BROOK: 



Dr. Badham, in his " Fishing Tattle " relates the 

 story of the dish of gudgeon which Ptolemy 

 caused to be set before the parasite Archephon, 

 whom he had invited over from Attica to Egypt. 

 Ptolemy was utterly taken aback when his guest 

 refused the delicacy, and he muttered to his 

 confidant Alcanor that the guest must be either 

 a blind man or a lunatic. Alcanor hastened 

 to appease the royal wrath by attributing 

 the guest's abstinence to modesty. " He saw 

 it, sire, but deemed himself unworthy to 

 lay profane hands upon so divine a little 

 fish." 



Galen gives the gudgeon a high place amongst 

 edible fish, not only for the sweetness and deli- 

 cacy of its flavour, but also for its digestibility. 

 John Williamson, "gent. temp. 1740," com- 

 mends the gudgeon " for a fish of an excellent 

 nourishment, easy of digestion, and increasing 

 good blood." Izaak Walton says " the gudgeon 

 is reputed a fish of excellent taste and to be very 

 wholesome." Dr. Brookes, in his "History of 

 Fishes," goes still further, and says that this fish 

 is " thought good for a consumption and by 



