BLEAK. 57 



species of this family, the Bleak dies quickly when caught, and 

 its flesh is quick to putrify. 



As food this species is not much thought of, but a value 

 has been attached to it from a remarkable invention of which 

 it has been the subject, in the formation of fictitious pearls; 

 the particulars of which I find related by Dr. Badham, in his 

 "Fish Tattle," at greater length than by any other writer within 

 my reach. It is the brilliant white lining on the inner surf^.ce 

 of the scales that has been employed for this purpose; and the 

 manufacture was first ventured on at Venice; where the true 

 pearls were held in the highest value, as they were in Rome 

 at the time when the last-named city was at the height of its 

 greatness. The glittering pigment was dropped into thin hollow 

 glass globules, where it adhered to the surface by means of a 

 pearly varnish; and by the purchase of these it became easy 

 for people of limited wealth to rival the pride of the higher 

 and richer classes. This however was not long tolerated by the 

 government, and the practice of thus imitating the true pearls 

 was forbidden. But greater liberty was allowed in Paris, where 

 the art was re-invented or introduced; and from whence it was 

 conveyed into England and other countries; but where at present 

 it appears to be generally neglected. In London we are told 

 that the cruelty was practised of depriving these fish of their 

 scales, and then turning them again into the river. We are 

 not aware that fish so treated can ever regain their natural 

 covering, so that if it were intended to catch and rob them a 

 second time the effort would be unsuccessful. 



This fish attains the length of about six inches, with a depth 

 at the ventral fins of about one fourth of the length of the 

 body, exclusive of the tail. The snout is somewhat pointed, and 

 the lower jaw a little longer than the upper; the head small 

 in proportion to the body. The lateral line gradually slopes 

 down to about the origin of the ventral fins, and from thence 

 backward low down and straight; scales easily removed. The 

 dorsal fin is behind the middle of the body and above the 

 vent; behind this fin and the anal the body becomes narrow 

 to the tail. 



As this species bears some resemblance to the Dace, a few 

 notes of the difference between examples of each sort of equal 

 size, laid side by side, will enable an observer to distinguish 

 VOL. IV. • I 



