PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 497 



the ' Boke of St. Albans ' published in 1496 that they were 

 known then at any rate, while other ancient writers dealing 

 with him establish his place in our native lakes and rivers 

 somewhere about the same period. They attain a vast age. 

 Buffbn telling us that he has seen at Pontchartrain fish of 

 this species which were known to be 1 50 years old ; how 

 this age was arrived at is not very clear, but well authenti- 

 cated accounts have been from time to time brought for- 

 ward, proving that they are, under suitable conditions, an 

 extremely long-lived fish. In Prussia and Germany they 

 are cultivated carefully, and there carp of 25 Ib. and 30 Ib. 

 weight is not of unfrequent occurrence, while in warm 

 climates, India to wit, fish of this species grow to an 

 enormous size, specimens of the family being taken in the 

 tanks and lagoons of 40 Ib. to 60 Ib. Fancy, brother 

 angler, getting a fellow of this size on a fine gut bottom 1 

 Here, a fish of 10 Ib. or 12 Ib. is accounted a good one, but 

 there is little doubt that in some of the deep inland meres 

 and lakes they grow to a much larger size. I have myself 

 seen in an extensive sheet of water that I had the 

 opportunity of fishing in Hampshire some years ago, fish 

 basking in the weeds on a hot summer's day, that I have 

 little doubt would have run from 15 Ib. to 20 Ib., and once 

 or twice got hold of one, but never was able to hold him, 

 for he pulled like a donkey, and went straight for the 

 nearest weed-bed, and quietly smashed me up. The rod 

 to be used should not be too long, 12 feet is ample; 

 when it is longer it does but make it more tiring to 

 the man using it, who, I need hardly say, should avoid 

 laying it on the bank as much as possible, particularly when 

 it is remembered that he is on the trail of the "water 

 fox," as old anglers delighted to call our golden friend. 

 This perhaps is the situation. One's arm gets a bit 



VOL. III. H. 2 K 



