THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 47 



made her tanie, but to catcli fish, and do many other things 

 of much pleasure. 



HUNT. Take one with all my heart, but let us kill the rest. 

 And now let's go to an honest ale-house, where we may hav 

 a cup of good barley-wine, and sing " Old Rose," and all of 

 us rejoice together. 



YEN. Come, my friend Piscator, let me invite you along 

 with us ; I'll bear your charges this night, and you shall bear 

 mine to-morrow j for my intention is to accompany you a day 

 or two in fishing. 



Pise. Sir, your request is granted, and I shall be right 

 glad both to exchange such a courtesy, and also to enjoy your 

 company. 



YEN. Well, now let's go to your sport of angling. 



Pise. Let's be going with all my heart. God keep you all, 

 gentlemen, and send you meet this day with another bitch- 

 otter, and kill her merrily, and all her young ones too. 



YEN. Now, Piscator, where will you begin to fish ? 



Pise. We are not yet come to a likely place, I must walk 

 a mile further yet before I begin. 



YEN. Well then, I pray, as we walk tell me freely, how do 

 you like your lodging, and mine host, and the company ? Is 

 not mine host a witty man ? 



Pise. Sir, I will tell you presently what I think of your 

 host : but first, I will tell you, I am glad these otters were 

 killed ; but I am sorry there are no more otter-killers ; for I 

 know that the want of otter-killers, and the not keeping the 

 fence-months for the preservation of fish, will, in time, prove 

 the destruction of all rivers. And those very few that are 

 left, that make conscience of the laws of the nation, and of 

 keeping days of abstinence, will be forced to eat flesh, or 

 suffer more inconveniences than are yet foreseen. 



YEN. Why, sir, what be those that you call the fence- 

 months ? 



Pise. Sir, they be principally three, namely, March, April, 

 and May ; for these be the usual months that salmon come 

 out of the sea to spawn in most fresh rivers.'"" And their fry 



* Walton is again wrong in his natural history. Xo salmon spawn in April 

 and May ; a very small number of late fish spawn in March. Early salmon 

 spawn in September ; but the general spawning season is from the middle of 



