222 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. PART I. 



watch to destroy them, especially the spawn of the Carp 

 and Tench, when 'tis left to the mercy of ducks or vermin. 



He, and Dubravius, and all others advise, that you 

 make choice of such a place for your pond, that it may 

 be refreshed with a little rill, or with rain-water, running 

 or falling into it ; by which fish are more inclined both to 

 breed, and are also refreshed and fed the better, and do 

 prove to be of a much sweeter and more pleasant taste. 



To which end it is observed, that such pools as be large 

 and have most gravel, and shallows where fish may sport 

 themselves, do afford fish of the purest taste. And note, 

 that in all pools it is best for fish to have some retiring 

 place ; as namely, hollow banks, or shelves, or roots of 

 trees, to keep them from danger, and when they think fit, 

 from the extreme heat of summer ; as also from the ex- 

 tremity of cold in winter. And note, that if many trees be 

 growing about your pond, the leaves thereof falling into 

 the water, make it nauseous to the fish, and the fish to 

 be so to the eater of it. 



Tis noted, that the Tench and Eel love mud : and the 

 Carp loves gravelly ground, and in the hot months to feed 

 on grass. You are to cleanse your pond, if you intend 

 either profit or pleasure, once every three or four years, 

 (especially some ponds,) and then let it lie dry six or 

 twelve months, both to kill the water-weeds, as water- 

 lilies, candocks, reate, and bulrushes, that breed there ; 

 and also that as these die for want of water, so grass may 

 grow in the pond's bottom, which Carps will eat greedily 

 in all the hot months, if the pond be clean. The letting 

 your pond dry, and sowing oats in the bottom, is also 

 good, for the fish feed the faster : and being sometimes 

 let dry, you may observe what kind of fish either increases 

 or thrives best in that water ; for they differ much, both 

 in their breeding and feeding. 



