34 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART i. 



lets the smaller fish nibble and bite the end of it, at which time 

 she by little and little draws the smaller fish so near to her that 

 she may leap upon her, and then catches and devours her : and 

 for this reason some have called this fish the sea-angler. 



And there is a fish called a hermit, that at a certain age gets 

 into a dead fish's shell, and like a hermit dwells there alone, 

 studying the wind and weather, and so turns her shell, that she 

 makes it defend her from the injuries that they would bring 

 upon her. 



There is also a fish called, by ylian, in his ninth book of 

 Living Creatures^ chap. 16, the Adonis, or darling of the sea; 

 so called because it is a loving and innocent fish, a fish that 

 hurts nothing that hath life, and is at peace with all the 

 numerous inhabitants of that vast watery element : and truly 

 I think most anglers are so disposed to most of mankind. 



And there are also lustful and chaste fishes, of which I shall 

 give you examples. 



And first Du Bartas says of a fish called the sargus; which 

 because none can express it better than he does, I shall give 

 you in his own words ; supposing it shall not have the less 

 credit for being in verse ; for he hath gathered this and other 

 observations out of authors that have been great and indus- 

 trious searchers into the secrets of nature. 



" The adulterous sargus doth not only change 

 Wives every day, in the deep streams, but, strange, 

 As if the honey of sea-love delight 

 Could not suffice his raging appetite, 

 Goes courting she-goats on the grassy shore, 

 Horning their husbands that had horns before." 



And the same author writes concerning the cantharus that 

 which you shall also hear in his own words : 



f\y ^r J 

 tfr 3^ 



" But, contrary, the constant cantharus 

 ^ s ever constant to his faithful spouse; 

 ^ n nu P l * a l duties spending his chaste life; 

 Never loves any but his own dear wife." 



Sir, but a little longer, and I have done. 



