124 ANGLING 



occurrence, for although the fish grows very fast, he 

 will seldom be found to exceed two or three pounds. 



Like carp, tench are extremely tenacious of life, and 

 may be carried very long journeys in wet grass without 

 the slightest fear of losing them. 



Many medicinal properties have been attributed to the 

 tench — but who will vouchsafe for their authority and 

 truth? It has been credited, that when cut into pieces 

 and placed on the soles of the feet, his flesh will overcome 

 the virulence of the plague, and dissipate the heat in the 

 fiercest fevers ; that, when applied alive to the brow, he 

 will relieve pains in the head ; that, planted on the nape 

 of the neck, he will allay inflammations in the eyes ; and 

 that, when held in contact with the lower part of the 

 body, he will effectually cure the jaundice. 



The tench has been called the physician of the pike, 

 the latter being supposed to rub himself against its soft, 

 mollifying skin when sick or wounded. This notion 

 does not seem to rest upon any sufficient foundation, 

 and yet it is almost universally credited. 



The flesh of this fish is rich, luscious, and delicate, 

 although somewhat muddy in its flavour ; but the 

 ancients, who have offered some illustrious examples 

 of their familiarity with the gastronomic art, and the 

 appreciation of the delicacies which nature supplies, 

 considered the tench very difficult of digestion, and 

 held him in light estimation. And an old Silesian 

 physician, who seems to have shared these prejudices, 

 says : " The tench is a vile, neglected fish, very flabby 

 and glutinous, bad for digestion, a food fit only for 

 paupers and serfs." If he had ever eaten the fish when 

 under the influence of Dr. Kitchener, or M. Soyer, 

 he would have smacked his lips, and revoked his 

 opinion. 



The tench is by no means a shy fish, but he bites, 

 perhaps, slower than others. He will play with and 

 mumble the bait some time before he will take it, so 

 that he requires a great deal of indulgence, and must 

 be allowed to have his own way for some minutes 

 before the angler can venture to interfere with him, 



