AND OF STILL WA TERS. 99 



table. At a banquet which he gave to the King 

 and Queen on the 16th of September, 1394, 

 many kinds of fish were served, and amongst 

 them no less than seven gallons of minnows, 

 which cost eleven shillings and eightpence. At 

 this banquet two hundred and ten guests were 

 present, and the dinner cost 385/. of our present 

 money. People in those days were more 

 enlightened as to the merits of fresh-water fish 

 than they are now, when a fishmonger would 

 open his eyes with astonishment, not unmingled 

 with contempt, if any daring mortal should 

 express a wish for a dish of gudgeon or 

 minnows. 



As a rule, minnows are very clean feeders, 

 living chiefly on aquatic vegetables, and also 

 on tiny insects and worms or other soft bodies. 

 Some authorities say they are very destructive 

 to the spawn of salmon and of trout ; but this 

 statement is open to doubt. Rather is it the 

 other way j for, though the minnow has many 

 enemies, it is a question whether any of them 

 devour as many minnows as do the salmon and 

 trout. From the time he first makes his 

 h 2 





