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commended for great nourishment； and to be very grateful both to the
palate and stomach of sick persons。 He is to be fished for with a very small
worm； at the bottom； for he very seldom； or never； rises above the gravel；
on which I told you he usually gets his living。
The MILLER'S…THUMB； or BULL…HEAD； is a fish of no pleasing
shape。 He is by Gesner compared to the Sea…toad…fish； for his similitude
and shape。 It has a head big and flat； much greater than suitable to his
body； a mouth very wide； and usually gaping； he is without teeth； but his
lips are very rough； much like to a file。 He hath two fins near to his gills；
which be roundish or crested； two fins also under the belly； two on the
back； one below the vent； and the fin of his tail is round。 Nature hath
painted the body of this fish with whitish； blackish； brownish spots。 They
be usually full of eggs or spawn all the summer； I mean the females； and
those eggs swell their vents almost into the form of a dug They begin to
spawn about April； and； as I told you； spawn several months in the
summer。 And in the winter； the Minnow； and Loach； and Bull…head dwell
in the mud； as the Eel doth； or we know not where； no more than we know
where the cuckoo and swallow； and other half…year birds； which first
appear to us in April； spend their six cold； winter； melancholy months。
This BULL…HEAD does usually dwell； and hide himself； in holes； or
amongst stones in clear water； and in very hot days will lie a long time
very still； and sun himself； and will be easy to be seen upon any flat stone；
or any gravel； at which time he will suffer an angler to put a hook； baited
with a small worm； very near unto his very mouth： and he never refuses to
bite； nor indeed to be caught with the worst of anglers。 Matthiolus
commends him much more for his taste and nourishment； than for his
shape or beauty。
There is also a little fish called a STICKLEBAG； a fish without scales；
but hath his body fenced with several prickles。 I know not where he dwells
in winter； nor what he is good for in summer； but only to make sport for
boys and women…anglers； and to feed other fish that be fish of prey； as
Trouts in particular； who will bite at him as at a Penk； and better； if your
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THE COMPLEAT ANGLER
hook be rightly baited with him； for he may be so baited as； his tail turning
like the sail of a wind…mill； will make him turn more quick than any Penk
or Minnow can。 For note； that the nimble turning of that； or the Minnow is
the perfection of Minnow…fishing。 To which end； if you put your hook into
his mouth； and out at his tail； and then； having first tied him with white
thread a little above his tail； and placed him after such a manner on your
hook as he is like to turn then sew up his mouth to your line； and he is like
to turn quick； and tempt any Trout： but if he does not turn quick； then turn
his tail； a little more or less； towards the inner part； or towards the side of
the hook； or put the Minnow or Sticklebag a little more crooked or more
straight on your hook； until it will turn both true and fast； and then doubt
not but to tempt any great Trout that lies in a swift stream。 And the Loach
that I told you of will do the like： no bait is more tempting； provided the
Loach be not too big。
And now； scholar； with the help of this fine morning； and your patient
attention； I have said all that my present memory will afford me；
concerning most of the several fish that are usually fished for in fresh
waters。
Venator。 But； master； you have by your former civility made me hope
that you will make good your promise； and say something of the several
rivers that be of most note in this nation； and also of fish…ponds； and the
ordering of them： and do it I pray； good master； for I love any discourse of
rivers； and fish and fishing； the time spent in such discourse passes away
very pleasantly
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The FIFTH day…continued
Of Rivers； and some Observations of Fish
Chapter XIX
Piscator
WELL； scholar； since the ways and weather do both favour us； and
that we yet see not 'Tottenham…Cross； you shall see my willingness to
satisfy your desire。 And； first； for the rivers of this nation： there be； as you
may note out of Dr。 Heylin's Geography and others； in number three
hundred and twenty…five； but those of chiefest note he reckons and
describes as followeth。
The chief is THAMISIS； compounded of two rivers； Thame and Isis；
whereof the former； rising somewhat beyond Thame in Buckinghamshire；
and the latter near Cirencester in Gloucestershire； meet together about
Dorchester in Oxfordshire； the issue of which happy conjunction is
Thamisis； or Thames； hence it flieth betwixt Berks； Buckinghamshire；
Middlesex； Surrey； Kent and Essex： and so weddeth itself to the Kentish
Medway； in the very jaws of the ocean。 This glorious river feeleth the
violence and benefit of the sea more than any river in Europe； ebbing and
flowing； twice a day； more than sixty miles； about whose banks are so
many fair towns and princely palaces； that a German poet thus truly spake：
Tot campos； &c。 We saw so many woods and princely bowers； Sweet
fields； brave palaces； and stately towers； So many gardens drest with
curious care； That Thames with royal Tiber may compare。
2。 The second river of note is SABRINA or SEVERN： it hath its
beginning in Plinilimmon…hill； in Montgomeryshire； and his end seven
miles from Bristol； washing； in the mean space； the walls of Shrewsbury；
Worcester； and Gloucester； and divers other places and palaces of note。
3。 TRENT； so called from thirty kind of fishes that are found in it； or
for that it receiveth thirty lesser rivers； who having his fountain in
Staffordshire； and gliding through the counties of Nottingham； Lincoln；
Leicester； and York； augmenteth the turbulent current of Humber； the most
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