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Carew, Richard, 1555-1620

"The Survey of Cornwall And an epistle concerning the excellencies of the English tongue"

The fish thus taken, are commonly Basse, Millet, Guilthead,
Whiting, Smelts, Flouk, Plaice, and Sole. The pond also breedeth
Crabs, Eeles, & Shrimps; and (in the beginning) Oysters grew vpon
boughs of trees (an Indian miracle) which were cast in thither,
to serue as a houer for the fish. The Basse and Millet do also
spawn there, but whether they ouerliue their breeders rauening,
to any big growth, I am not certayne. The pond will moreouer keepe
Shote, Peale, Trought, and Sammon, in seasonable plight, but not
in their wonted reddish graine. They feed on salt vnmarchantable
Pilcherd, small fish, called Brit, and Barne, Tag-wormes, Lugges,
little Crabs, & the liuers of beasts: the rest deuoure their meat,
but the Millets content themselues with sucking it, and chawing of
the sedge. Euery euening they come to a place certain in the pond,
for receiuing their allowed pittance, and in Summer, approche very
neere, and in the top of the water plainly discouer themselues.
They were first trayned hereunto, by throwing in their bayte at the
ponds mouth, as they resorted thither, to take pleasure of the new
entring water, and are now become alike tame, with those in the
Sicilian riuer Elorus, for which, Leonicus voucheth the testimony
of Apollodorus.


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