204 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 



and when they think fit, from the extreme heat of summer, as 

 also from the extremity of cold in winter. And note, that if 

 many trees be growing about your pond, the leaves thereof 

 falling into the water, make it nauseous to the fish, and the fish 

 to be so to the eater of it. 



It is noted, that the Tench and Eel love mud ; and the Carp 

 loves gravelly ground, and in the hot months to feed on grass. 

 You are to cleanse your pond, if you intend either profit or 

 pleasure, once every three or four years, (especially some ponds,) 

 and then let it lie dry six or twelve months, both to kill the 

 water weeds, as water lilies, candocks, reate, and bulrushes, 

 that breed there ; and also that as these die for want of water, 

 so grass may grow in the pond's bottom, which Carps will eat 

 greedily in all the hot months, if the pond be clean. The 

 letting your pond dry, and sowing oats in the bottom, is also 

 good, for the fish feed the faster : and being some time let dry, 

 you may observe what kind of fish either increases or thrives 

 best in that water ; for they differ much, both in their breeding 

 and feeding. 



Lebault also advises, that if your ponds be not very large and 

 roomy, that you often feed your fish by throwing into them 

 chipping of bread, curds, grains, or the entrails of cliickens, or 

 of any fowl or beast that you kill to feed yourselves ; for these 

 afford fish a great relief. He says, that frogs and ducks do 

 much harm, and devour both the spawn and the young fry of 

 all fish, especially of the Carp ; and I have, besides experience, 

 many testimonies of it. But Lebault allows water-frogs to be 

 good meat, especially in some months, if they be fat ;* but you 

 are to note, that he is a Frenchman ; and we English will 

 hardly believe him, though we know frogs are usually eaten in 

 his country : however, he advises to destroy them and king- 

 fishers out of your ponds. And he advises not to surfer much 

 shooting at wild fowl ; for that, he says, affrightens, and harms, 

 and destroys the fish. 



Note, that Carps and Tench thrive and breed best when no 

 other fish is put with them into the same pond ; for all other 

 fish devour their spawn, or at least the greatest part of it. And 

 note, that clods of grass thrown into any pond feed any Carps 

 in summer ; and, that garden earth and parsley thrown into a 

 pond recovers and refreshes the sick fish. And note, that when 

 you store your pond, you are to put into it two or three melters 

 for one spawner, if you put them into a breeding pond ; but if 

 into a nurse pond or feeding pond, in which they will not breed, 



* Angling for frogs is a common French sport and profitable, for frogs 

 sell high in the market, a dish of frogs being very expensive. I ne*ver saw 

 the edible frog in Britain, though it is said to be native. Only the hind 

 quarters are used. J. R. 



