264 AN OLD ANGLER'S LETTER. 



that nearly all fresh-water fish devoured greedily 

 the spawn of other fish, and very likely, under 

 peculiar circumstances, their own ova. Barker's 

 letter announcing his discovery to some noble 

 patron of his is still extant. Being curious and 

 instructive, I shall quote it: "Noble Lord, I 

 have found an experience of late, which you may 

 angle with and take great store of fish. First, it 

 is the best bait for a trout that I have seen in all 

 my time ; and will take great store, and not fail 

 if they be there. Secondly, it is a special bait for 

 dace or dare, good for chubs or bottlin, or grayling. 

 The bait is the roe of a salmon or trout : if it be 

 a large trout, that the spawns be any thing great, 

 you must angle for the trout with this as you 

 angle with the brandling, taking a pair of scissors, 

 and cut so much as a large hazel-hut, and bait 

 your hook, so fall to your sport ; there is no doubt 

 of pleasure. If I had known it but twenty years 

 ago, I would have gained a hundred pounds only 

 with that bait. I am bound in duty to divulge it 

 to your honour, and not to carry it to my grave 

 with me. I do desire that men of quality should 

 have it, that delight in that pleasure. The greedy 

 angler will murmur at me, but for that I care not. 

 For the angling for the scale-fish, they must angle 

 either with cork or quill, plumbing their ground, 

 and with feeding with the same bait, taking them 

 asunder, that they may spread abroad, that the 



