402 FISHES. 



['' Golden Caiy or " Goldfish," which came originally 

 from China and Japan, are known chiefly in the strictly 

 domesticated state in glass bowls, though they also 

 thrive, under somew^hat more natural conditions, in the 

 heated waters of mill-dams.] 



Absent from both Scotland and Ireland, the Barbel, 



which reaches a weight of at least 15 lbs. in the vicinity 



of Thames weirs, is more in evidence in the 

 * Barbel. 



streams of the east side of Enojland. It has 



four strongly developed barbels, two on either jaw ; the 



snout is long and fleshy, and the upper lip is very thick. 



Its colour, which varies somewhat in the breeding-season, 



is normally green above, white beneath ; the lower fins 

 red. It is not fastidious in the choice of food, living 

 largely on vegetable substances, but also devouring small 

 fishes, molluscs, and animal droppings. It spawns in May 

 and June, and is not one of the most fertile of the group. 

 Like the carp, it is hardy, and stands removal from the 

 water well. It is little esteemed as food in this country, 

 and the roe is actually regarded as poisonous. 



The Gudgeon, one of the smallest of the family, rarely 

 exceeds a weight of }^ lb., though, according to Day,i 

 Pennant mentions one of ^ lb., " which some modern 



1 British Fishes, ii. 174. 



