or little known British Fishes. 3 



which have no communication with that where they are thought to 

 be peculiar. 



In general habits the Vendace nearly resemble the guiniad, and 

 indeed most of the allied species of the genus. They swim in 

 large shoals, and during warm and clear weather retire to the 

 depths of the lakes, apparently sensible of the increased tempera- 

 ture. They are only taken with nets, a proper bait not being yet 

 discovered ; and the fact that little excrement is found in their in- 

 testines, has given rise to another tradition, that they are able to 

 subsist without food. They are most successfully taken during a 

 dull day and sharp breeze, approaching near to the edges of the 

 loch, and swimming in a direction contrary to the wind. They 

 spawn about the commencement of November, and at this time 

 congregate in large shoals, frequently rising to the surface of the 

 water, in the manner of the common herring, and making a similar 

 noise by their rise and fall to and from the surface. The sound 

 may be distinctly heard, and the direction of the shoal perceived, 

 during a calm and clear evening. They are very productive. The 

 lochs abound with pike, of which thoy are a favourite food, but their 

 quantity seems in no degree to be diminished, notwithstanding that 

 immense numbers must be destroyed. They are considered a great 

 delicacy, resembling the smelt or spirling a good deal in flavour, and 

 though certainly very palatable, the relish may be somewhat height- 

 ened by the difficulty of always procuring a supply. During the 

 summer, fishing parties are frequent, introducing some stranger 

 friend to this Lochmaben whitebait ; and a club, consisting of be- 

 tween twenty and thirty of the neighbouring gentlemen, possess- 

 ing a private net, &:c. meet annually in July to enjoy the sport of 

 fishing and feasting upon this luxury. 



The Vendace is one of the most elegant of the genus ; its length 

 is from four to ten inches ; the head is of an angular shape, and 

 small, compared with the size and depth of the body. The under 

 jaw is considerably longer than the upper, and when closed bends 

 into the upper as into a groove. The^ crown of the head is very 

 transparent, so that the form of the skull and brain is seen through 

 the integuments, heart-shaped, and the heart on the forehead 

 is one of the first things that are pointed out to a stranger. 

 The eye is large and brilliant ; the interior of the maxillae desti- 

 tute of teeth ; the tongue placed far back, small, and triangular, 

 and covered with very fine and minute teeth, which can only be 

 seen with the assistance of a magnifying lens, or felt by a light 

 touch of the finger. The body rises gracefully to the back fin, and 

 recedes with a gradual line to the tail ; the under line of the 

 body is nearly straight from the gills to the ventral fin ; the upper 

 parts are of a delicate greenish-brown colour, shading gradually 

 into a clear silver lustre ; the scales are of considerable size, oval, 

 and nearly smooth on the outer surface ; the dorsal fin is greenish- 

 brown, the anterior edge much lengthened and pointed ; the lower 



