THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 137 



fishermen to fetch his nets, and by all means to get the pike 

 that they might declare what had happened : and the pike 

 was drawn forth, and both his eyes eaten out ; at which 

 when they began to wonder, the fisherman wished them to 

 forbear, and assured them he was certain that pikes were 

 often so served." 



I told this, which is to be read in the sixth chapter of the 

 first book of Dubravius, unto a friend, who replied, " It was 

 as improbable as to have the mouse scratch out the cat's eyes." 

 But he did not consider, that there be fishing frogs, which 

 the Dalmatians call the water-devil, of which I might tell you 

 as wonderful a story ; but I shall tell you, that 'tis not to be 

 doubted, but that there be some frogs so fearful of the water- 

 snake, that, when they swim in a place in which they fear to 

 meet with him, they then get a reed across into their mouths, 

 which, if they two meet by accident, secures the frog from the 

 strength and malice of the snake ; and note, that the frog 

 usually swims the fastest of the two. 



And let me tell you, that as there be water and land-frogs, 

 so there be land and water snakes. Concerning which, take 

 this observation, that the land-snake breeds and hatches her 

 eggs, which become young snakes, in some old dunghill, or a 

 like hot place ; but the water-snake, which is not venomous, 

 and, as I have been assured by a great observer of such secrets, 

 does not hatch, but breed her young alive, which she does 

 not then forsake, but bides with them, and in case of danger 

 will take them into her mouth and swim away from any 

 apprehended danger, and then let them out again when she 

 thinks all danger to be passed ; these be accidents that we 

 anglers sometimes see, and often talk of. 



But whither am I going ? I had almost lost myself, by 

 remembering the discourse of Dubravius. I will therefore 

 stop here, and tell you, according to my promise, how to 

 catch the pike. 



His feeding is usually of fish or frogs, and sometimes a 

 weed of his own called pickerel- weed, of which I told you 

 some think pikes are bred ; for they have observed, that 

 where none have been put into ponds, yet they have there 

 found many, and that there has been plenty of that weed in 

 those ponds, and [they think] that that weed both breeds 

 and feeds them : but whether those pikes so bred will ever 

 breed by generation as the others do, I shall leave to the 

 disquisitions of men of more curiosity and leisure than I 



