登陆注册
5541400000019

第19章

The third day - continued On the Nature and Breeding of the Trout, and how to fish for him Piscator, Venator, Milk-woman, Maudlin, Hostess Piscator.The Trout is a fish highly valued, both in this and foreign nations.He may be justly said, as the old poet said of wine, and we English say of venison, to be a generous fish: a fish that is so like the buck, that he also has his seasons; for it is observed, that he comes in and goes out of season with the stag and buck.Gesner says, his name is of a German offspring; and says he is a fish that feeds clean and purely, in the swiftest streams, and on the hardest gravel; and that he may justly contend with all fresh water fish, as the Mullet may with all sea fish, for precedency and daintiness of taste; and that being in right season, the most dainty palates have allowed precedency to him.

And before I go farther in my discourse, let me tell you, that you are to observe, that as there be some barren does that are good in summer, so there be some barren Trouts that are good in winter; but there are not many that are so; for usually they be in their perfection in the month of May, and decline with the buck.Now you are to take notice, that in several countries, as in Germany, and in other parts, compared to ours, fish do differ much in their bigness, and shape, and other ways; and so do Trouts.It is well known that in the Lake Leman, the Lake of Geneva, there are Trouts taken of three cubits long; as is affirmed by Gesner, a writer of good credit: and Mercator says, the Trouts that are taken in the Lake of Geneva are a great part of the merchandize of that famous city.

And you are further to know, that there be certain waters that breed Trouts remarkable, both for their number and smallness.I know a little brook in Kent, that breeds them to a number incredible, and you may take them twenty or forty in an hour, but none greater than about the size of a Gudgeon.There are also, in divers rivers, especially that relate to, or be near to the sea, as Winchester, or the Thames about Windsor, a little Trout called a Samlet, or Skegger Trout, in both which places Ihave caught twenty or forty at a standing, that will bite as fast and as freely as Minnows: these be by some taken to be young Salmons; but in those waters they never grow to be bigger than a Herring.

There is also in Kent, near to Canterbury, a Trout called there a Fordidge Trout, a Trout that bears the name of the town where it is usually caught, that is accounted the rarest of fish; many of them near the bigness of a Salmon, but known by their different colour; and in their best season they cut very white: and none of these have been known to be caught with an angle, unless it were one that was caught by Sir George Hastings, an excellent angler, and now with God: and he hath told me, he thought that Trout bit not for hunger but wantonness;and it is the rather to be believed, because both he, then, and many others before him, have been curious to search into their bellies, what the food was by which they lived; and have found out nothing by which they might satisfy their curiosity.

Concerning which you are to take notice, that it is reported by good authors, that grasshoppers and some fish have no mouths, but are nourished and take breath by the porousness of their gills, man knows not how: and this may be believed, if we consider that when the raven hath hatched her eggs, she takes no further care, but leaves her young ones to the care of the God of nature, who is said, in the Psalms, "to feed the young ravens that call upon him ".And they be kept alive and fed by a dew; or worms that breed in their nests; or some other ways that we mortals know not.And this may be believed of the Fordidge Trout, which, as it is said of the stork, that he knows his season, so he knows his times, I think almost his day of coming into that river out of the sea; where he lives, and, it is like, feeds, nine months of the year, and fasts three in the river of Fordidge.And you are to note, that those townsmen are very punctual in observing the time of beginning to fish for them; and boast much, that their river affords a Trout that exceeds all others.And just so does Sussex boast of several fish; as, namely, a Shelsey Cockle, a Chichester Lobster, an Arundel Mullet, and an Amerly Trout.

And, now, for some confirmation of the Fordidge Trout: you are to know that this Trout is thought to eat nothing in the fresh water; and it may be the better believed, because it is well known, that swallows, and bats, and wagtails, which are called half-year birds, and not seen to fly in England for six months in the year, but about Michaelmas leave us for a hotter climate, yet some of them that have been left behind their fellows, have been found, many thousands at a time, in hollow trees, or clay caves, where they have been observed to live, and sleep out the whole winter, without meat.And so Albertus observes, That there is one kind of frog that hath her mouth naturally shut up about the end of August, and that she lives so all the winter: and though it be strange to some, yet it is known to too many among us to be doubted.

And so much for these Fordidge Trouts, which never afford an angler sport, but either live their time of being in the fresh water, by their meat formerly gotten in the sea, not unlike the swallow or frog, or, by the virtue of the fresh water only; or, as the birds of Paradise and the cameleon are said to live, by the sun and the air.

There is also in Northumberland a Trout called a Bull-trout, of a much greater length and bigness than any in these southern parts; and there are, in many rivers that relate to the sea, Salmon-trouts, as much different from others, both in shape and in their spots, as we see sheep in some countries differ one from another in their shape and bigness, and in the fineness of the wool: and, certainly, as some pastures breed larger sheep; so do some rivers, by reason of the ground over which they run, breed larger Trouts.

同类推荐
  • 佛说鹹水喻经

    佛说鹹水喻经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 防海纪略

    防海纪略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 雷虚篇

    雷虚篇

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 斌雅禅师语录

    斌雅禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 法华论疏

    法华论疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 云端的次元漫步

    云端的次元漫步

    这些精彩的世界,真的是很有趣啊,虽然不知道为什么,自己拥有了系统穿越一个又一个的动漫世界。 奥,自己还在 系统的帮助下成为了一名修炼者,这下子,我的春天终于来了哈哈哈哈哈哈! …… 柳千城在经历过不同寻常的第一次任务出击后,经过修炼而成为了灵纹阵师,而随着临行前Z23的加入,下一场冒险又会发生什么样的变化呢? —— —— 第一卷——《重装机兵2r》 第二卷——《漆黑的子弹》
  • 名门暖婚:腹黑老公惹不起

    名门暖婚:腹黑老公惹不起

    隐婚两年,她重新认识了自己的枕边人。风靡海城的“霍三少”,传说中的三好青年……财大气粗颜值高,这样极品的老公,她怎么会放弃……
  • 净土圣贤录

    净土圣贤录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 选择正确的工作

    选择正确的工作

    工作可以产生许多奇迹,它可以擦亮人的眼睛,强健人的肌体,增添面颊的红润;它还可以使头脑更敏锐,使思想更集中,使脚步更矫健。工作可以奇迹般地治愈多种身心疾病,工作的人才是最健康的人。
  • 玫瑰博士的心灵圣经

    玫瑰博士的心灵圣经

    传奇女性的心路历程,凤起天使的壮美史诗,本书既有中国玉容方传人、山东凤起集团董事局主席李霞在开创和运营“玫瑰事业”的漫长奋斗道路上的人生感悟,又有她对拥有健康、美丽、优雅人生的一份真切的生命体会。从这些感悟和体会中,我们看到了一个热爱生活、热爱玫瑰事业的女性,在这个大浪淘沙的时代所展现出来的一种令人敬重和振奋的“玫瑰态度”。
  • 卤水点豆腐

    卤水点豆腐

    唐公子,请用一种植物形容一下你的娘子吧。唐昊阳沉思:“嗯,嗯……”我们可以跳过了,下一位。唐夫人,请用一种植物形容一下你的相公吧。谢青乔掩面而笑:“兰花!”有如翩翩君子,兰之猗猗,扬扬其香?谢青乔:“错!是与野草为伍,无论酷暑寒冬皆自然,好养!”在谢青乔卖了十年的豆腐后,终于明白:爱情不过是卤水点豆腐,一物降一物!
  • 千面风华:惊世魂妃狠逆天

    千面风华:惊世魂妃狠逆天

    音落新文:《暗少追妻:誓情索婚99次》【已完结,小伙伴们放心戳】一方面纱,几张面具,多重身份,千种风华。初见时,她还是萧家的痴傻女,他抬起她的下巴,嘴角一勾,淡淡道:【做我的王妃吧,那样,你这只懒蛤蟆就可以吃到天鹅肉了】再次相见,他用拐骗未成年少女的口吻,诱惑道:【跟着我,有肉吃】三次相见,夜凉如水,她趴在山顶,讥讽地目睹了一场借刀杀人的好戏,见识到他真正的面目再红尘陌上,浮世清欢,总要谋得君恩,才不枉这一世逆天!
  • 总裁的烙痕

    总裁的烙痕

    夜,未央。银色的月光,透过浅薄的窗帘,影影绰绰的布满不大的室内。一片暗影中,男人沉重炙热的呼吸,焦灼在女人稚嫩的肌肤上,让她感觉分外滚烫。她白皙的肌肤渗出一层细密的汗珠,带着隐隐香气,弥散在空气中。男人健硕的身躯……女人冰冷的双手,紧紧攥着身下洁白的床单。只是,身体的沉沦,丝毫也唤不起她内心的渴望!明亮的双眼紧闭,翘长的睫毛微耸,她想要装……
  • 佛说义足经

    佛说义足经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 八象天心诀之人皇

    八象天心诀之人皇

    天地万物先有劫数,后有命数,最后才有神魔人三元。所谓人者,命所归,天命所向,唯独缺少本心。所谓魔者,天命所归,天命所向,唯独缺少魔种。所谓神者,天命所归,天命所向,唯独缺少神格。命神者,天命三元,本心归一,魔种深种,神格完整。赐予神格,赐予本心,赐予魔种,却只要命源。至此,神魔人皆为种,命源为果。赵阳,一个阔家大少,最后落得家破人亡,自尽而死。机缘巧合之下,重生在三元命界,依旧是碌碌无为的少年,还是掀翻天地神魔人三界的存在呢?到底是命神再次愚弄,还是去打造自己的命……