CHAP. XVIII. THE COMPLETE ANGLER. 213 



streams: he grows not to be above a finger long, and no 

 thicker than is suitable to that length. This is not 

 unlike the shape of the Eel: he has a beard or wattles 

 like a Barbel. He has two fins at his sides, four at his 

 belly, and one at his tail; he is dappled with many black 

 or brown spots; his mouth is barbel-like under his nose. 

 This fish is usually full of eggs or spawn; and is by Ges- 

 ner and other learned physicians, commended for great 

 nourishment, and to be very grateful both to the palate 

 and stomach of sick persons. He is to be fished for 

 with a very small worm, at the bottom ; for he very sel- 

 dom, or never, rises above the gravel, on which I told 

 you he usually gets his living. 



The MILLER'S-THUMB or BULL-HEAD, is a fish of no 

 pleasing shape. He is by Gesner compared to the Sea- 

 toad-fish, for his similitude and shape. It has a head 

 big and flat, much greater than suitable to his body; a 

 mouth very wide, and usually gaping; he is without teeth, 

 but his lips are very rough, much like to a file. He hath 

 two fins near to his gills, which be roundish or crested ; 

 two fins also under the belly; two on the back; one 

 below the vent; and the fin of his tail is round. Nature 

 hath painted the body of this fish with whitish, blackish, 

 and brownish spots. They be usually full of eggs or spawn 

 all the summer, I mean the females; and those eggs 

 swell their vents almost into the form of a dug. They 

 begin to spawn about April, and, as I told you, spawn 

 several months in the summer. And ' in the winter, the 



(1) Since Walton wrote, there has been brought into England, from Germany, 

 a species of small fish, resembling Carp in shape and colour, called Crusiam, 

 with which rv.ay ponds are now plentifully storked. 



There have also been brought hither from China, those beautiful creatures 

 Gold and Silver Fish; the first are of an orange-colour, with very shining 

 scales, and finely variegated with black and dark brown: the Silver Fish are 

 of the colour of silver tissue, with scarle( fins, with which colour they arc 

 curiously marked in several parts of the body. 



These fish are usually kept in ponds, basons, and small reservoirs of water ; 

 to which they are a delightful ornament. And it is now a very common prat- 



