THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 173 



colour, and beautified with black spots both on his body and 

 tail. He breeds two or three times in the year ; and always in 

 summer. He is commended for a fish of excellent nourishment. 

 The Germans call him Groundling, by reason of his feeding on 

 the ground ; and he there feasts himself, in sharp streams, and 

 on the gravel. He and the Barbel both feed so : and do not 

 hunt for flies at any time, as most other fishes do. He is an 

 excellent fish to enter a young angler, being easy to be taken 

 with a small red worm, on or very near to the ground. He is one 

 of those leather-mouthed fish that has his teeth in his throat, and 

 will hardly be lost from off the hook if he be once strucken. 



They be usually scattered up and down every river in the 

 shallows, in the heat of summer : but in autumn, when the 

 weeds begin to grow sour or rot, and the weather colder, then 

 they gather together, and get into the deeper parts of the water ; 

 and are to be fished for there, with your hook always touching 

 the ground, if you fish for him with a float, or with a cork. 

 But many will fish for the Gudgeon by hand, with a running 

 line upon the ground, without a cork, as a Trout is fished for ; 

 and it is an excellent way, if you have a gentle rod, and as 

 gentle a hand.* 



RUFFE-PERCH Perca Cornua LINNJBVS. 



There is also another fish called a Pope, and by some a 

 Ruffe ; a fish that is not known to be in some rivers : he is 

 much like the Perch for his shape, and taken to be better than 

 the Perch; but will not grow to be bigger than a Gudgeon. 

 He is an excellent fish ; no fish that swims is of a pleasanter 

 taste. And he is also excellent to enter a young angler, for he 

 is a greedy biter ; and they will usually lie," abundance of them 

 together, in one reserved place, where the water is deep, and 



* In'fishing- for Gudgeons, have a rake ; and every quarter of an hour 

 rake the bottom of the river, and the fish will flock thither in shoals. 



