54 ANGLING. 



unobtrusive with so wary a fish, for though you may at 

 times catch a few fish, particularly small ones, when dis- 

 regarding these precautions, in the long run you will find 

 it well to observe them. 



The monks, who particularly cultivated the carp at 

 many of their monasteries, had regular succession ponds 

 for breeding and feeding them ; clear pure water, and 

 plenty of it, running over a sweet gravel bottom being the 

 last stage they went through before being tabled bread 

 and milk and other farinaceous diet being used to fatten 

 and sweeten them. Carp can be rendered very tame, and 

 will take their food from the hands of their attendant in 

 time, being called by a bell, or whistle, or other signal. 

 They have a species of carp in Germany called the Spiegel, 

 or Mirror carp, which has a singular row of large brilliant 

 scales running along the side ; also the Leather carp, a fish 

 with small scales and very like a tench. They are both 

 said to be better table fish than the ordinary carp. In 

 this country the Prussian and the Crucian carp are often 

 found, though they are much inferior both for table and 

 angling purposes to their superior congeners. The gold 

 and silver fish are also carps. The carp has been taken 

 over 201b. in weight in this country, but half that weight 

 is a large one, and not so very common. Carp live to a 

 very great age. 



THE TENCH (Cyprinus tinea). 

 The tench is often found in the same ponds and places 

 as the carp, and they thrive well together. They spawn 

 about a fortnight or three weeks later than the carp, as a 

 rule, and do not reach the same size. A tench of 41b. is a 

 large one, though I have seen plenty of 51b. or olb., and 

 thev have been known to reach 81b. or 91b. ; but this is a 



