the complete angler-第25章

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gested；　and　then　swallow　that　other　part　that　was　in　his　mouth；　and　so　put　it　over　by　degrees；　which　is　not　unlike　the　Ox；　and　some　other　beasts　taking　their　meat；　not　out　of　their　mouth　immediately　into　their　belly；　but　first　into　some　place　betwixt；　and　then　chew　it；　or　digest　it　by　degrees　after；　which　is　called　chewing　the　cud。　And；　doubtless；　Pikes　will　bite　when　they　are　not　hungry；　but；　as　some　think；　even　for　very　anger；　when　a　tempting　bait　comes　near　to　them。

And　it　is　observed；　that　the　Pike　will　eat　venomous　things；　as　some　kind　of　frogs　are；　and　yet　live　without　being　harmed　by　them；　for；　as　some　say；　he　has　in　him　a　natural　balsam；　or　antidote　against　all　poison。　And　he　has　a　strange　heat；　that　though　it　appear　to　us　to　be　cold；　can　yet　digest　or　put　over　any　fish…flesh；　by　degrees；　without　being　sick。　And　others　observe；　that　he　never　eats　the　venomous　frog　till　he　have　first　killed　her；　and　then　as　ducks　are　observed　to　do　to　frogs　in　spawning…　time；　at　which　time　some　frogs　are　observed　to　be　venomous；　so　thoroughly　washed　her；　by　tumbling　her　up　and　down　in　the　water；　that　he　may　devour　her　without　danger。　And　Gesner　affirms；　that　a　Polonian　gentleman　did　faithfully　assure　him；　he　had　seen　two　young　geese　at　one　time　in　the　belly　of　a　Pike。　And　doubtless　a　Pike　in　his　height　of　hunger　will　bite　at　and　devour　a　dog　that　swims　in　a　pond；　and　there　have　been　examples　of　it；　or　the　like；　for　as　I　told　you；　〃　The　belly　has　no　ears　when　hunger　comes　upon　it　〃

The　Pike　is　also　observed　to　be　a　solitary；　melancholy；　and　a　bold　fish；　melancholy；　because　he　always　swims　or　rests　himself　alone；　and　never　swims　in　shoals　or　with　company；　as　Roach　and　Dace；　and　most　other　fish　do：　and　bold；　because　he　fears　not　a　shadow；　or　to　see　or　be　seen　of　anybody；　as　the　Trout　and　Chub；　and　all　other　fish　do。

And　it　is　observed　by　Gesner；　that　the　jaw…bones；　and　hearts；　and　galls　of　Pikes；　are　very　medicinable　for　several　diseases；　or　to　stop　blood；　to　abate　fevers；　to　cure　agues；　to　oppose　or　expel　the　infection　of　the　plague；　and　to　be　many　ways　medicinable　and　useful　for　the　good　of　mankind：　but　he　observes；　that　the　biting　of　a　Pike　is　venomous；　and　hard　to　be　cured。

And　it　is　observed；　that　the　Pike　is　a　fish　that　breeds　but　once　a　year；　and　that　other　fish；　as　namely　Loaches；　do　breed　oftener：　as　we　are　certain　tame　Pigeons　do　almost　every　month；　and　yet　the　Hawk；　a　bird　of　prey；　as　the　Pike　is　a　fish；　breeds　but　once　in　twelve　months。　And　you　are　to　note；　that　his　time　of　breeding；　or　spawning；　is　usually　about　the　end　of　February；　or；　somewhat　later；　in　March；　as　the　weather　proves　colder　or　warmer：　and　to　note；　that　his　manner　of　breeding　is　thus：　a　he　and　a　she　Pike　will　usually　go　together　out　of　a　river　into　some　ditch　or　creek；　and　that　there　the　spawner　casts　her　eggs；　and　the　melter　hovers　over　her　all　that　time　that　she　is　casting　her　spawn；　but　touches　her　not。

I　might　say　more　of　this；　but　it　might　be　thought　curiosity　or　worse；　and　shall　therefore　forbear　it；　and　take　up　so　much　of　your　attention　as　to　tell　you　that　the　best　of　Pikes　are　noted　to　be　in　rivers；　next；　those　in　great　ponds　or　meres；　and　the　worst；　in　small　ponds。

But　before　I　proceed　further；　I　am　to　tell　you；　that　there　is　a　great　antipathy　betwixt　the　Pike　and　some　frogs：　and　this　may　appear　to　the　reader　of　Dubravius；　a　bishop　in　Bohemia；　who；　in　his　book　Of　Fish　and　Fish…ponds；　relates　what　he　says　he　saw　with　his　own　eyes；　and　could　not　forbear　to　tell　the　reader。　Which　was：

〃As　he　and　the　bishop　Thurzo　were　walking　by　a　large　pond　in　Bohemia；　they　saw　a　frog；　when　the　Pike　lay　very　sleepily　and　quiet　by　the　shore　side；　leap　upon　his　head；　and　the　frog　having　expressed　malice　or　anger　by　his　sworn　cheeks　and　staring　eyes；　did　stretch　out　his　legs　and　embrace　the　Pike's　head；　and　presently　reached　them　to　his　eyes；　tearing　with　them；　and　his　teeth；　those　tender　parts：　the　Pike；　moved　with　anguish；　moves　up　and　down　the　water；　and　rubs　himself　against　weeds；　and　whatever　he　thought　might　quit　him　of　his　enemy；　but　all　in　vain；　for　the　frog　did　continue　to　ride　triumphantly；　and　to　bite　and　torment　the　Pike　till　his　strength　failed；　and　then　the　frog　sunk　with　the　Pike　to　the　bottom　of　the　water：　then　presently　the　frog　appeared　again　at　the　top；　and　croaked；　and　seemed　to　rejoice　like　a　conqueror；　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　fisherman　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　book　of　Dubravius；　unto　a　friend；　who　replied；　〃　It　was　as　improbable　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　you　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。

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　hatch；　but　breed　her　young　alive；　which　she　does　not　then　forsake；　but　bides　with　them；　and　in　case　of　danger　will　take　them　all　into　her　mouth　and　swim　away　from　any　apprehended　danger；　and　then　let　them　out　again　when　she　thinks　all　danger　to　be　past：　these　be　accidents　that　we　Anglers　sometimes　see；　and　often　talk　of。

But　whither　am　I　going　？　I　had　almost　lost　myself；　by　remembering　the　discourse　of　Dubravius。　I　will　therefore　stop　here；　and　tell　you；　according　to　my　promise；　how　to　catch　this　Pike。

His　feeding　is　usually　of　fish　or　frogs；　and　sometimes　a　weed　of　his　own；　called　pickerel…weed；　of　which　I　told　you　some　think　Pikes　are　bred；　for　they　have　observed；　that　where　none　have　been　put　into　ponds；　yet　they　have　there　found　many；　and　that　there　has　been　plenty　of　that　weed　in　those　ponds；　and　　that　that　weed　both　breeds　and　feeds　them：　but　whether　those　Pikes；　so　bred；　will　ever　breed　by　generation　as　the　others　do；　I　shall　leave　to　the　disquisitions　of　men　of　more　curiosity　and　leisure　than　I　profess　myself　to　have：　and　shall　proceed　to　tell　you；　that　you　may　fish　for　a　Pike；　either　with　a　ledger　or　a　walking…bait；　and　you　are　to　note；　that　I　call　that　a　Ledger…bait；　which　is　fixed　or　made　to　rest　in　one　certain　place　when　you　shall　be　absent　from　it；　and　I　call　that　a　Walking…bait；　which　you　take　with　you；　and　have　ever　in　motion。　Concerning　which　two；　I　shall　give　you　this　direction；　that　your　ledger…　bait　is　best　to　be　a　living　bait　（though　a　dead　one　may　catch）；　whether　it　be　a　fish　or　a　frog：　and　that　you　may　make　them　live　the　longer；　you　may；　or　indeed　you　must；　take　this　course：

First；　for　your　LIVE…BAIT。　Of　fish；　a　roach　or　dace　is；　I　think；　best　and　most　tempting；　and　a　perch　is　the　longest　lived　on　a　hook；　and　having　cut　off　his　fin　on　his　back；　which　may　be　done　without　hurting　him；　you　must　take　your　knife；　which　cannot　be　too　sharp；　and　betwixt　the　head　and　the　fin　on　the　back；　cut　or　make　an　incision；　or　such　a　scar；　as　you　may　put　the　arming…wire　of　your　hook　into　it；　with　as　little　bruising　or　hurting　the　fish　as　art　and　diligence　will　enable　you　to　do；　and　so　carrying　your　arming…wire　along　his　back；　unto　or　near　the　tail　of　your　fish；　betwixt　the　skin　and　the　body　of　it；　draw　out　that　wire　or　arming　of　your　hook　at　another　scar　near　to　his　：　the　then　tie　him　about　it　with　thread；　but　no　harder　than　of　necessity；　to　prevent　hurting　the　fish；