n8 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PARTI. 



Now, as the increase of carps is wonderful for their number, 

 so there is not a reason found out, I think, by any, why they 

 should breed in some ponds, and not in others of the same 

 nature for soil and all other circumstances. And as their 

 breeding, so are their decays also very mysterious : I have both 

 read it, and been told by a gentleman of tried honesty, that 

 he has known sixty or more large carps put into several ponds 

 near to a house, where, by reason of the stakes in the ponds, 

 and the owner's constant being near to them, it was impossible 

 they should be stole away from him ; and that when he has, 

 after three or four years, emptied the pond, and expected an 

 increase from them by breeding young ones (for that they 

 might do so, he had, as the rule is, put in three melters for 

 one spawner), he has, I say, after three or four years, found 

 neither a young nor old carp remaining. And the like I have 

 known of one that had almost watched the pond, and at a like 

 distance of time, at the fishing of the pond, found, of seventy or 

 eighty large carps, not above five or six; and that he had fore- 

 borne longer to fish the said pond, but that he saw, in a hot day 

 in summer, a large carp swim near the top of the water with a 

 frog upon his head; and that he, upon that occasion, caused 

 his pond to be let dry* and I say, of seventy or eighty carps, only 

 found five or six in the said pond, and those very sick and lean, 

 and with every one a frog sticking so fast on the head of the 

 said carps that the frog would not be got off without extreme 

 force or killing. And the gentleman that did affirm this to me, 

 told me he saw it ; and did declare his belief to be, and I also 

 believe the same, that he thought the other carps, that were so 

 strangely lost, were so killed by the frogs, and then devoured. 



in Worcestershire, assured 



__ 



me he had aegn a necklace or collar of tadpoles^jiang Hke a 

 chain or necklace of beads about a pike's Jiecky. and tojdll 

 him ; whether_jt^ be for meat or malice must be to me a 

 question 



3ut I am fallen into this discourse by accident, of which I 

 might say more, but it has proved longer than I intended, and 

 possibly may not to you be considerable : I shall therefore give 



