CHAP. XVII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 195 



CHAP. XVII. 



Of ROACH and DACE, and how to fish for them : and of Cadis. 



Venator. GOOD master, as we go now towards London, 

 be still so courteous as to give me more instructions ; fop 

 I have several boxes in my memory, in which I will keep 

 them all very safe, there shall not one of them be lost. 



Pise. Well, scholar, that I will : and I will hide nothing 

 from you that I can remember, and can think may help 

 you forward towards a perfection in this art. And be- 

 cause we have so much time, and I have said so little of 

 Roach and Dace, I will give you some directions con- 

 cerning them. 



Some say the Roach is so called from rutilus, which 

 they say signifies red fins. He is a fish of no great repu- 

 tation for his dainty taste ; and his spawn is accounted 

 much better than any part of him. And you may take 

 notice, that as the Carp is accounted the water-fox, for 

 his cunning ; so the Roach is accounted the water-sheep, 

 for his simplicity or foolishness. It is noted, that the 

 Ro % ach and Dace recover strength, and grow in season 

 in a fortnight after spawning ; the Barbel and Chub in 

 a month ; the Trout in four months ; and the Salmon in 

 the like time, if he gets into the sea, and after into fresh 

 water. 



Roaches be accounted much better ia the river than in 

 a pond, though ponds usually breed the biggest. But 

 there is a kind of bastard small Roach, that breeds in 

 ponds, with a very forked tail, and of a very small size ; 

 which some say is bred by the Bream and right Roach ; 

 and some ponds are stored with these beyond belief; and 

 knowing-men, that know their difference, call them Ruds : 

 they differ from the true Roach, as much as a Herring 



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