shape and in their spots, as we fee Sheep differ one from another in their shape and bigness, and in the finefs of their wool: and certainly as fome Pastures do breed larger Sheep, fo do fome Rivers, by reason of the ground over which they run, breed larger Trouts .

Now the next thing that I will commend to your confideration is, That the Trout is of a more fudden growth then other fish: concerning which you are alfo to take notice, that he lives not fo long as the Pearch and divers other fifhes do, as Sir Francis Bacon hath obferved in his History of life and death.

And next,you are to take notice, that after hee is come to his full growth,he declines in his bodie, but keeps his bigness or thrives in his head till his death. And you are to know that he wil about (especially before) the time of his Spawning, get almost miraculously through Weires

and

and Floud-Gates against the stream, even through fuch high and swift places as is almoft incredible. Next, that the Trout ufually Spawns about October or November, but in fome Rivers a little fooner or later; which is the more obfervable,because most other fish Spawne in the Spring or Summer when the Sun hath warmed both the earth and water, and made it fit for generation.

And next,you are to note, that tili the Snn gets to fuch a height as to warm the earth and the water, the Trout is fick, and lean, and lowfie, and unwholfome: for you fhall in winter find him to have a big head, and then to be lank, and thin,& lean; at which time many of them have fticking on them Sugs, or Trout lice, which is a kind of a worm, in shape like a Clove or a Pin, with a big head, and sticks close to him and fucks his moisture; those I think the Trout breeds himfelfe, and never

thrives

thrives til he free himself from them, which is till warm weather comes, and then as he growes ftronger, he gets from the dead, still water, into the sharp ftreames and the gravel, and there rubs off these worms or lice: and then as he grows stronger,fo he gets him into swifter and swifter streams, and there lies atthe watch for any flie or Minow that comes neer to him; and he especially loves the May flie,which is bred of the Cod-worm or Caddis; and these make the Trout bold and luftie, and he is ufually fatter, and better meat at the end of that month, then at any time of the year.

Now you are to know, that it is obferved,that usually the best Trouts are either red or yellow, though some be white and yet good; but that is not usual; and it is a note obfervable that the female Trout hath usually a less head and a deeper body then the male Trout; and a little

head

head to any fish, either Trout, Salmon,or other fish, is a fign that that fifh is in season.

But yet you are to note, that as

you fee fome Willows or Palm trees bud and bloffome fooner then others do, fo fome Trouts be in fome Rivers fooner in season; and as the Holly or Oak are longer before they caft their Leaves, fo are fome Trouts infome Rivers longer before they go out of season.

CHAP.

A

CHAP. IV.

ND having told you these Obfervations concerning Trouts, I fhall next tell you how to catch them: which is ufually with a Worm,ora Minnow (which fome call a Penke;) or with a Flie, either a natural or an artificial Flie: Concerning which three I wil give you some Observations arid Directi

ons.

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P

For Worms, there be very many forts; fome bred onely in the earth, as the earth worm; others amongst or of plants,as the dug worm; and others in the bodies of living creatures; or fome of dead flesh, as the Magot or Gentle, and others. Now these be most of them particularly good for particular fishes: but for the Trout the dew - worm, Trout

(