102 THE DRIFFIELD ANGLER. 



inches will devour another of eighteen ; some 

 grow more in length, others in thickness, 

 which latter sort are the finest fish ; for a 

 lean slender Pike, though he seems to ad- 

 vance in length, is commonly in a decayed 

 condition, by reason of some outward wound 

 from the otter, or some stronger of his own 

 kind, or an inward prick by the hook, or 

 some other casualty ; yet even in this con- 

 dition he will be as hungry and as greedy as 

 ever. It is observed by some, that Tench 

 and Eels delight in those ponds chiefly, 

 whose bottoms are full of mud ; whereas the 

 Carp likes a sound gravelly bottom, where 

 grass grows on the sides of the pond ; for in 

 the hot months, if the water happens to rise, 

 they will feed on it. Some make a square 

 hole in the middle of their pond, three feet 

 deep, and cover it with a sort of door, sup- 

 ported at the corners by four strong stakes 

 driven into the ground ; this provides the 

 fish both with a place of shelter and re- 

 treat, and likewise preserves the pond from 

 being robbed, as the door and stakes would 

 tear the nets all to pieces. 



