134 THE COMPLETE ANGLER. [part I. 



to the bottom of the water : then presently the frog .appeared 

 again at the top, and croaked, and seemed to rejoice like a con- 

 queror, after which he presently retired to his secret hole. The 

 bishop, that had beheld the battle, called his fisherman to fetch 

 his nets, and by all means to get the Pike that they might declare 

 what had happened : and the Pike was drawn forth, and both his 

 eyes eaten out ; at which when they began to wonder, the fisher- 

 man wished them to forbear, and assured them he was certain 

 that Pikes were often so served." * 



I told this, which is to be read in the sixth chapter of the f 

 book of Dubravius, unto a friend, who replied, " It was as im- 

 probable as to have the mouse scratch out the cat's eyes." But 

 he did not consider, that there be Fishing-frogs, which the 

 Dalmatians call the Water-devil, of which I might tell you as 

 wonderful a story : but I shall tell ^tou that 'tis not to be doubted 

 but that there be some frogs so fearful of the water-snake, that 

 when they swim in a place in which they fear to meet with him, 

 they then get a reed across into their mouths ; which, if they two 

 meet by accident, secures the frog from the strength and malice 

 of the snake ; and note, that the frog usually swims the fastest of 

 the two.8 



And let me tell you, that as there be water and land frogs, so 

 there be land and water snakes. Concerning which take this 

 observation, that the land-snake breeds and hatches her eggs, 

 which become young snakes, in some old dunghill, or a like hot 

 place : but the water-snake, which is not venomous, and as I 

 have been assured by a great observer of such secrets, does not 



VARIATION. 



8 which secures him if they two meet by accident, for you are to note, that the frog 

 swims the faster. — "id edit. 



* Mr Pennant, in his Zoology, 4to, Lond. 1776, vol. iv. p. to, has tlie following re- 

 mark on this passage of the Complete Angler : — 



" As frogs adhere closely to the backs of their own species, so we know they will do 

 the same by fish : Walton mentions a strange story of their destroying pike ; but that 

 they will injure, if not entirely kill carp, is a fact indisputable from the following rela- 

 tion : A very few years ago, on fishing a pond belonging to Mr Pitt, of Encombe, 

 Dorsetshire, great numbers of the carp were found each with a frog mounted on it, the 

 hind legs clingmg to the back, the fore legs fixed in the corner of each eye of the fish, 

 which were thin and greatly wasted, teased by carrying so disagreeable a load. These 

 frogs we imagme to have been males disappointed of a mate." — E. 



"In the moneth of March, at which time Todes doe ingendcr, the Tode will many 

 times covet to fasten himselfe uppon the head of the Carpe, and will thereby invenime 

 the Carpe, in such sort that the Carpe will swell as great as he may hold, so that his 

 scales will stand as it were on edge, and his eyes stand out of his head neare halfe an 

 inch, in very ugly sort : and in the end will for the most part die thereof: and it is 

 very dangerous for any person to eate of any such Carpe so invenimed." — Taverner's 

 Experiments on Fish, &c. 4to, 1600, p. 23. 



t Walton should have said aixixjirst book ; for there it is to be found.— H. 



