THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I, 



CHAP. XVIII. 



Of the MINNOW, or PENK; of the LOACH; of the BULL-HEAD, 

 or MILLER's-THUMB: and of the STICKLEBAG. 



Piscator. THERE be also three or four other little fish 

 that I had almost forgot ; that are all without scales ; and 

 may, for excellency of meat be compared to any fish of 

 greatest value and largest size. They be usually full of 

 eggs or spawn, all the months of summer ; for they breed 

 often, as 'tis observed mice and many of the four-footed 

 creatures of the earth do; and as those, so these come 

 quickly to their full growth and perfection. And it is 

 needful that they breed both often and numerously; for 

 they be, besides other accidents of ruin, both a prey and 

 baits for other fish. And first I shall tell you of the Min- 

 now or Penk. 



The MINNOW hath, when he is in perfect season, and 

 not sick, which is only presently after spawning, a kind 

 of dappled or waved colour, like to a panther, on his sides, 

 inclining to a greenish and sky-colour; his belly being 

 milk white : and his back almost black, or blackish. He 

 is a sharp biter at a small worm, and in hot weather 

 makes excellent sport for young anglers, or boys, or 

 women that love that recreation. And in the spring they 

 make of them excellent Minnow-tansies; for being washed 

 well in salt, and their heads and tails cut off, and their 

 guts taken out, and not washed after, they prove excel- 

 lent for that use ; that is, being fried with yolks of eggs, 

 the flowers of cowslips and of primroses, and a little tansy; 

 thus used they make a dainty dish of meat. 



The LOACH is, as I told you, a most dainty fish; he 

 breeds and feeds in little and clear swift brooks or rills, 

 and lives there upon the gravel, and in the sharpest 



