100 



tench. The few white Jish, whereby we generally tm- 

 derstand all the smaller kinds with glittering sides, such 

 as the roachy dace, gudgeon, &c. in such places gene- 

 rally ran large, on account of the small ones J>eing for 

 the most part either devoured, or driven away by the 

 more, ravenous kinds. What few there may be, owe 

 their safety to their bulk and strength ; but if the jacks 

 be very numerous, they will not only destroy all the 

 white fish, but attack each other, until at last none but 

 the largest of that species will be seen. 



Consequently, in such situations, the angler may ge- 

 nerally expect to have the soundness and sufficiency of 

 his tackle put to the test ; if that be good, he will, under 

 ordinary circumstances, go home well laden. 



We occasionally see large extents of marshy ground, 

 intersected by ditches, or having parts much deeper than 

 ethers : if such remain tolerably supplied with water, 

 whether from springs, or small inlets, or that, the soil 

 being retentive, the fluid does not escape, but present* 

 nearly the same appearance during the whole summer, 

 we may there reasonably search for large fishes. 



It generally happens, that such places are subject to 

 heavy inundations ; not merely from land- drains, rc. 

 but from their connexion with other waters, either rivers 

 or lakes, whence they receive many good sorts of fish in 

 abundance. For all fishes have a very great disposition 

 to migrate, especially those of prey ; these no sooner 

 find a small inlet or creek, than they run up it as far as 

 they can be floated ; nay, they may be occasionally seen 

 struggling to obtain a passage forcibly, especially where 

 there is a current, however trifling. 



The copious autumnal showers often swell the waters* 



so 



