_Pisc_. The _Barbell_, is so called (sayes _Gesner_) from or by reason of his beard, or wattles at his mouth, his mouth being under his nose or chaps, and he is one of the leather mouthed fish that has his teeth in his throat, he loves to live in very swift streams, and where it is gravelly, and in the gravel will root or dig with his nose like a Hog, and there nest himself, taking so fast hold of any weeds or moss that grows on stones, or on piles about _Weirs_, or _Floud-gates_, or _Bridges_, that the water is not able, be it never so swift, to force him from the place which he seems to contend for: this is his constant custome in Summer, when both he, and most living creatures joy and sport themselves in the Sun; but at the approach of Winter, then he forsakes the swift streams and shallow waters, and by degrees retires to those parts of the River that are quiet and deeper; in which places, (and I think about that time) he Spawns; and as I have formerly told you, with the help of the Melter, hides his Spawn or eggs in holes, which they both dig in the gravel, and then they mutually labour to cover it with the same sand to prevent it from being devoured by other fish. There be such store of this fish in the River _Danubie_, that _Randelitius_ sayes, they may in some places of it, and in some months of the yeer, be taken by those that dwel neer to the River, with their hands, eight or ten load at a time; he sayes, they begin to be good in _May_, and that they cease to be so in _August_; but it is found to be otherwise in this Nation: but thus far we agree with him, that the Spawne of a _Barbell_ is, if be not poison, as he sayes, yet that it is dangerous meat, and especially in the month of _May_; and _Gesner_ declares, it had an ill effect upon him, to the indangering of his life. [Illustration of a Barbell] This fish is of a fine cast and handsome shape, and may be rather said not to be ill, then to bee good meat; the _Chub_ and he have (I think) both lost a part of their credit by ill Cookery, they being reputed the worst or coarsest of fresh water fish: but the _Barbell_ affords an _Angler_ choice sport, being a lustie and a cunning fish; so lustie and cunning as to endanger the breaking of the Anglers line, by running his head forcibly towards any covert or hole, or bank, and then striking at the line, to break it off with his tail (as is observed by _Plutark_, in his book _De industria animalium_) and also so cunning to nibble and suck off your worme close to the hook, and yet avoid the letting the hook come into his mouth.