430 



AMERICAN FISHES. 



The Bream is highly prized by many European anglers, but is perhaps 

 less in favor than it was two hundred years ago, when this proverb was 

 current : " Qui a breme, peut bramer ses amis," or as Walton translated it, 

 missing the pun : "He that hath bream in his pond may bid his friend 



THE EUROPEAN BREAM. ABRAMIS BKAMA. 



welcome." In Chaucer's day the Bream was apparently cultivated in ponds 

 in England, but now is somewhat neglected, even by anglers, though 

 Wheeldon devotes a chapter to Bream fishing in his " Practical Lessons in 

 the Gentle Art." In Germany the Brasse is in high favor, and is by 

 some preferred to the Carp, especially for winter eating.* Great quanti- 

 ties are brought to the markets. 



The American Bream, or Golden Shiner, Notemigonus clirysolciiciis, is a 

 better fish than its English namesake, and as an angler's fish, more like 

 the Roach. It is in fact, often called Roach and Shiner in the Middle 

 and Eastern States, Dakota and Texas, while an allied species, N. amcri- 

 canus, inhabits the rivers of the South Atlantic States, and others occur 

 in limited areas elsewhere. 



N. clirysolciiciis abounds in most rivers east of the Great Plains, fre- 

 quenting ponds, bayous, canals and ditches, and is the most abundant of 

 all cyprinoids in the tide-water region, preferring waters in which the bot- 

 tom is covered with aquatic plants. It reaches the length of nearly a foot, 

 and the weight of a pound and a half, and is sometimes brought to mar- 

 To Cook Bream. — Cleanse him and lay him in salt and water one hour ; stuff with a rich veal stuffing, and 

 bake him--plentifully anointed with good butter— in a slow oven, until the meat comes off easily from, the 

 bones. Serve him up, hot and hot, with cayenne pepper and lemon juice. — Wheeldun. 



