CHAP. IX. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 143 



Hops and turkies, carps and beer, 

 Came into England all in a year. * 



And doubtless, as of sea-fish the Herring dies soonest 

 out of the water, and of fresh-water fish the Trout, so, 

 except the Eel, the Carp endures most hardness, and lives 

 longest out of his own proper element. And, therefore, 

 the report of the Carp's being brought out of a foreign 

 country into this nation, is the more probable. 



Carps and Loaches are observed to breed several 

 months in one year, which Pikes and most other fish do 

 not. And this is partly proved by tame and wild rabbits ; 

 as also by some ducks, which will lay eggs nine of the 

 twelve months ; and yet there be other dutks that lay not 

 longer than about one month. And it is the rather to be 

 believed, because you shall scarce or never take a male 

 Carp without a melt, or a female without a roe or spawn, 

 and for the most part very much, and especially all the 

 summer season. And it is observed, that they breed 

 more naturally in ponds than in running waters, if they 

 breed there at all; and that those that live in rivers are 

 taken by men of the best palates to be much the better 

 meat. 



And it is observed that in some ponds Carps will not 

 breed, especially in cold ponds ; but where they will breed, 

 they breed innumerably; Aristotle and Pliny say, six 

 times a year, if there be no Pikes nor Perch to devour 

 their spawn, when it is cast upon grass or flags, or weeds, 

 where it lies ten or twelve days before it be enlivened. 



(1) See, in the Life of Walton hereto prefixed, a passage extracted from the 

 book of Dame Juliana Barnes ; whereby it appears that in her time there were 

 Carps, though but few, in England. It seems, therefore, that Mr. Mascal of 

 Plumsted did not first bring hither Carps: but, as the curious in gardening do 

 by exotic plants, he naturalized this species of fish, and that about the aera men- 

 tioned in the above distich, " Hops and turkies," c. which elsewhere is read 

 thus: 



Hops, reformation, turkies, carps, and beer, 



Came into England all in one year. 



