Tll'E TEN 7 CH. 61 



ways use my trowl, that in case a pike should 

 take it, I may be prepared for him. Keep your 

 minnows in a tin kettle, and when you bait with 

 one, stick the hook through his upper lip or back 

 fin. If you use the frog, stick it through the 

 skin of his hind leg. These directions being care- 

 fully attended to, I dare insure the angler success, 

 The perch is much esteemed in Italy, especially 

 when small : Gesner prefers the perch and pike 

 before the trout, or any fresh fish. The Ger- 

 mans say proverbially, more wholesome than a 

 perch of the Rhine / 



The Tench; (the fish's physician) so called 

 because its slime is said to be very healing to 

 wounded fishes; and what is more strange, the 

 voracious pike is so sensible of his sovereign vir- 

 tue, that he will not hurt a tench, although he 

 will seize any other fish of his own size that comes 

 in his way ; and when he or any other fishes are sick, 

 they find relief by rubbing themselves against his 

 body. He is a delicious , fresh water fish ; has 

 small scales, yet very large and smooth fins, a red 

 circle about the eyes, and a little barb hanging at 

 each corner of his mouth. His haunts are chiefly 

 in ponds amongst weeds ; he thrives very ill in 

 clear waters, and covets to feed in foul ones) 

 yet his flesh is nourishing and pleasant. 



The Tench is esteemed as most delicate food 

 among us; but the Germans dislike it much, 

 and by way of contempt, call it shoemaker. Ges- 

 ner even says, that it is insipid and unwholesome. 

 It does not commonly exceed four or five pounds 

 in weight; but they have been met with of a 

 much larger size. 



G 



