the complete angler-第17章

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ffer　him　to　take　no　rest；　but　carry　him　headlong　to　mills　and　weirs；　to　his　confusion。　And　of　these　Minnows：　first；　you　are　to　know；　that　the　biggest　size　is　not　the　best；　and　next；　that　the　middle　size　and　the　whitest　are　the　best；　and　then　you　are　to　know；　that　your　minnow　must　be　so　put　on　your　hook；　that　it　must　turn　round　when　'tis　drawn　against　the　stream；　and；　that　it　may　turn　nimbly；　you　must　put　it　on　a　big…sized　hook；　as　I　shall　now　direct　you；　which　is　thus：　Put　your　hook　in　at　his　mouth；　and　out　at　his　gill；　then；　having　drawn　your　hook　two　or　three　inches　beyond　or　through　his　gill；　put　it　again　into　his　mouth；　and　the　point　and　beard　out　at　his　tail；　and　then　tie　the　hook　and　his　tail　about；　very　neatly；　with　a　white　thread；　which　will　make　it　the　apter　to　turn　quick　in　the　water；　that　done；　pull　back　that　part　of　your　line　which　was　slack　when　you　did　put　your　hook　into　the　minnow　the　second　time；　I　say；　pull　that　part　of　your　line　back；　so　that　it　shall　fasten　the　head；　so　that　the　body　of　the　minnow　shall　be　almost　straight　on　your　hook：　this　done；　try　how　it　will　turn；　by　drawing　it　across　the　water　or　against　a　stream；　and　if　it　do　not　turn　nimbly；　then　turn　the　tail　a　little　to　the　right　or　left　hand；　and　try　again；　till　it　turn　quick；　for　if　not；　you　are　in　danger　to　catch　nothing：　for　know；　that　it　is　impossible　that　it　should　turn　too　quick。　And　you　are　yet　to　know；　that　in　case　you　want　a　minnow；　then　a　small　loach；　or　a　stickle…bag；　or　any　other　small　fish　that　will　turn　quick；　will　serve　as　well。　And　you　are　yet　to　know　that　you　may　salt　them；　and　by　that　means　keep　them　ready　and　fit　for　use　three　or　four　days；　or　longer；　and　that；　of　salt；　bay…salt　is　the　best。

And　here　let　me　tell　you；　what　many　old　anglers　know　right　well；　that　at　some　times；　and　in　some　waters；　a　minnow　is　not　to　be　got；　and　therefore；　let　me　tell　you；　I　have；　which　I　will　shew　to　you；　an　artificial　minnow；　that　will　catch　a　Trout　as　well　as　an　artificial　fly：　and　it　was　made　by　a　handsome　woman　that　had　a　fine　hand；　and　a　live　minnow　lying　by　her：　the　mould　or　body　of　the　minnow　was　cloth；　and　wrought　upon；　or　over　it；　thus；　with　a　needle；　the　back　of　it　with　very　sad　French　green　silk；　and　paler　green　silk　towards　the　belly；　shadowed　as　perfectly　as　you　can　imagine；　just　as　you　see　a　minnow：　the　belly　was　wrought　also　with　a　needle；　and　it　was；　a　part　of　it；　white　silk；　and　another　part　of　it　with　silver　thread：　the　tail　and　fins　were　of　a　quill；　which　was　shaven　thin：　the　eyes　were　of　two　little　black　beads：　and　the　head　was　so　shadowed；　and　all　of　it　so　curiously　wrought；　and　so　exactly　dissembled；　that　it　would　beguile　any　sharp…sighted　Trout　in　a　swift　stream。　And　this　minnow　I　will　now　shew　you；　look；　here　it　is；　and；　if　you　like　it；　lend　it　you；　to　have　two　or　three　made　by　it；　for　they　be　easily　carried　about　an　angler；　and　be　of　excellent　use：　for　note；　that　a　large　Trout　will　come　as　fiercely　at　a　minnow　as　the　highest…mettled　hawk　doth　seize　on　a　partridge；　or　a　greyhound　on　a　hare。　I　have　been　told　that　one　hundred　and　sixty　minnows　have　been　found　in　a　Trout's　belly：　either　the　Trout　had　devoured　so　many；　or　the　miller　that　gave　it　a　friend　of　mine　had　forced　them　down　his　throat　after　he　had　taken　him。

Now　for　Flies；　which　is　the　third　bait　wherewith　Trouts　are　usually　taken。　You　are　to　know；　that　there　are　so　many　sorts　of　flies　as　there　be　of　fruits：　I　will　name　you　but　some　of　them；　as　the　dun…fly；　the　stone…　fly；　the　red…fly；　the　moor…fly；　the　tawny…fly；　the　shell…fly；　the　cloudy　or　blackish…fly；　the　flag…fly；　the　vine…fly；　there　be　of　flies；　caterpillars；　and　canker…flies；　and　bear…flies；　and　indeed　too　many　either　for　me　to　name；　or　for　you　to　remember。　And　their　breeding　is　so　various　and　wonderful；　that　I　might　easily　amaze　myself；　and　tire　you　in　a　relation　of　them。

And；　yet；　I　will　exercise　your　promised　patience　by　saying　a　little　of　the　caterpillar；　or　the　palmer…fly　or　worm；　that　by　them　you　may　guess　what　a　work　it　were；　in　a　discourse；　but　to　run　over　those　very　many　flies；　worms；　and　little　living　creatures；　with　which　the　sun　and　summer　adorn　and　beautify　the　river…banks　and　meadows；　both　for　the　recreation　and　contemplation　of　us　anglers；　pleasures　which；　I　think；　myself　enjoy　more　than　any　other　man　that　is　not　of　my　profession。

Pliny　holds　an　opinion；　that　many　have　their　birth；　or　being；　from　a　dew　that　in　the　spring　falls　upon　the　leaves　of　trees；　and　that　some　kinds　of　them　are　from　a　dew　left　upon　herbs　or　flowers；　and　others　from　a　dew　left　upon　coleworts　or　cabbages：　all　which　kinds　of　dews　being　thickened　and　condensed；　are　by　the　sun's　generative　heat；　most　of　them；　hatched；　and　in　three　days　made　living　creatures。　and　these　of　several　shapes　and　colours；　some　being　hard　and　tough；　some　smooth　and　soft；　some　are　horned　in　their　head；　some　in　their　tail；　some　have　none；　some　have　hair；　some　none：　some　have　sixteen　feet；　some　less；　and　some　have　none：　but；　as　our　Topsel　hath　with　great　diligence　observed；　those　which　have　none；　move　upon　the　earth；　or　upon　broad　leaves；　their　motion　being　not　unlike　to　the　waves　of　the　sea。　Some　of　them　he　also　observes　to　be　bred　of　the　eggs　of　other　caterpillars；　and　that　those　in　their　time　turn　to　be　butterflies；　and　again；　that　their　eggs　turn　the　following　year　to　be　caterpillars　And　some　affirm；　that　every　plant　has　its　particular　fly　or　caterpillar；　which　it　breeds　and　feeds。　I　have　seen；　and　may　therefore　affirm　it；　a　green　caterpillar；　or　worm；　as　big　as　a　small　peascod；　which　had　fourteen　legs；　eight　on　the　belly；　four　under　the　neck；　and　two　near　the　tail。　It　was　found　on　a　hedge　of　privet；　and　was　taken　thence；　and　put　into　a　large　box；　and　a　little　branch　or　two　of　privet　put　to　it；　on　which　I　saw　it　feed　as　sharply　as　a　dog　gnaws　a　bone：　it　lived　thus；　five　or　six　days；　and　thrived；　and　changed　the　colour　two　or　three　times　but　by　some　neglect　in　the　keeper　of　it；　it　then　died　and　did　not　turn　to　a　fly：　but　if　it　had　lived；　it　had　doubtless　turned　to　one　of　those　flies　that　some　call　Flies　of　prey；　which　those　that　walk　by　the　rivers　may；　in　summer；　see　fasten　on　smaller　flies；　and；　I　think；　make　them　their　food。　And　'tis　observable；　that　as　there　be　these　flies　of　prey；　which　be　very　large；　so　there　be　others；　very　little；　created；　I　think；　only　to　feed　them；　and　breed　out　of　I　know　not　what；　whose　life；　they　say；　nature　intended　not　to　exceed　an　hour；　and　yet　that　life　is　thus　made　shorter　by　other　flies；　or　accident。

'Tis　endless　to　tell　you　what　the　curious　searchers　into　nature's　productions　have　observed　of　these　worms　and　flies：　but　yet　I　shall　tell　you　what　Aldrovandus；　our　Topsel；　and　others；　say　of　the　Palmer…worm；　or　Caterpillar：　that　whereas　others　content　themselves　to　feed　on　particular　herbs　or　leaves；　for　most　think；　those　very　leaves　that　gave　them　life　and　shape；　give　them　a　particular　feeding　and　nourishment；　and　that　upon　them　they　usually　abide；　yet　he　observes；　that　this　is　called　a　pilgrim；　or　palmer…worm；　for　his　very　wandering　life；　and　various　food；　not　contenting　himself；　as　others　do；　with　any　one　certain　place　for　his　abode；　nor　any　certain　kind　of　herb　or　flower　for　his　feeding；　but　will　boldly　and　disorderly　wander　up　and　down；　and　not　endure　to　be　kept　to　a　diet；　or　fixt　to　a　particular　place。

Nay；　the　very　colours　of　caterpillars　are；　as　one　has　observed；　very　elegant　and　beautiful　I　shall；　for　a　taste　of　the　rest；　describe　one　of　them；　which　I　will；　some　time　the　next　month；　shew　you　feeding　on　a　willow…tree；　and　you　shall　find　him　punctually　to　answer　this　very　description：　his　lips　and　mouth　somewhat　yellow；　his　eyes　black　as　jet；　his　forehead　purple；　his　feet　and　hinder　parts　green；　his　tail　two…forked　and　black；　the　whole　body　stained　with　a　kind　of　red　spots；　which　run　along　the　neck　and　shoulder…blade；　not　unlike　the　form　of　St。　Andrew's　cross；　or　the　letter　X；　made　thus　crosswise；　and　a　white　line　drawn　down　his　back　to　his　tail；　all　which　add　much　beauty　to　his　whole　body。　And　it　is　to　me　observable；　that　at　a　fixed　age　this　caterpillar　gives　over　to　eat；　and　towards　winter　comes　to　be　covered　over　with　a　strange　shell　or　crust；　called　an　aurelia；　and　so　lives　a　kind　of　dead　life；　without　e