T E N C H. CtAss IV, 



The Tench fee fpares a medicinal kind : 



For when by wounds diftreft, or fore difeafe. 



He courts the falutary fifli for eafe ; 



Clofe to his fcales the kind phyiician glides , 



And fweats a healing balfam from his fides *, 



Whatever virtue its flime may have to the in- 

 habitants of the water, we will xHo: vouch for, but 



flelh is a wholefome and delicious food to thofe 

 /the earth. The Germans are of a different opi- 

 nion. By way of contempt, they call it Shoemaker. 

 Gefner even fays, that it is infipid and unwhole- 

 fome. 



It does not commonly exceed four or five pounds 

 in weight, but we have heard of one that weighed 

 ten pounds ; Salvianus fpeaks of fome that arrived 

 at twenty pounds. 



They love flill waters, and are rarely found in 

 rivers : they are very foolifh, and eafily caught. 



The tench is thick and fhort in proportion to 

 its length : the fcales are very fmall, and covered 

 with flime. 



The irides are red: there is fometimes, but not 

 always, a fmall beard at each corner of the mouth. 



The color of the back is dufky ; the dorfal and 

 ventral fins of the fame color : the head, fides, and 

 belly, of a greenifh caft, m.oft beautifully mixed 

 with gold, which is in its greateft fplendor when 

 the fiOi is in the higheft feafon, 



* Ed. n. 



The 



