44 SALMONIA. 



the table. I have one and another, that will 

 weigh nearly a pound apiece. Now, there is 

 a cunning perch that has stolen my minnow ; 

 I know he is a large one. He has robbed me 

 again and again ; and if I fish on in this way, 

 with the hook through the upper lip, will, I 

 dare say, carry away all the minnows in the 

 kettle. I shall put on a strong small hook, on 

 a stout, though fine, gut, with slender wire 

 round the top, and pass the hook through the 

 back fin of the minnow, and try my sagacity 

 against his. Lo ! I have him ! and a very 

 strong fish he is, and gone to the bottom; but 

 even though the greatest perch in the river, he 

 cannot bite the gut, he will soon be tired 

 and taken. He now comes up, and is landed. 

 He must be above 3 Ibs. a magnificent perch ! 

 Kill him and crimp him, fisherman ; take our 

 two trout, and the three perch, to the kitchen, 

 and let them be dressed as usual. You shall 

 have a good dish of fish, worthy of such de- 

 termined anglers. But I see one of your party 

 coming up by the side of the river, who seems 

 tired and out of spirits. 



HAL. It is Physicus, who has this day 



