of fishing. 45 



flouds downe the streame, in few yeares they will greatly increase, if they be not 

 taken with mens handes, and kild with Rats for they will lie in holes and vnder 

 stones, and we'edes, and so are soone taken : for they cannot flie fast away. If they 

 be taken in May, it will be a great spoyle of their increase, for commonly then they 



doe shed their spawne. The Water-rat is also a great deuourer of them lying in 

 holes : and whereas many rats are, they cannot lightly prosper or increase there. 

 Thus much for the fresh water Creauis. Ye may store any brooke or riuer with 

 the Creuis, but especially he loues the sandie and grauely running waters. 



The Kinges fisJier. 



There is a bird which is a great destroyer of all young fry and small fish, and 

 he is called the Kinges fisher : he is about the bignesse of a Larke, and doth com- 

 monly bre'ede in bankes, sides of riuers and brookes, in the spring of the yeare : his 

 feathers are gre'ene and blewe, and he will alwayes haunt about the sides of riuers 

 and brookes, whereas small fish is, and as soone as he hath caught a fish, he will 

 straight way flie to the next bough, and there will sit on a t\vigge and eate the fish, 

 and so fetch an other. Thus he liueth by the deuouring of all sortes of small frie, 

 such as he may take and carrie away. For to take this birde, they vse to marke 



