ROACH. 35 



which also signifies "a thornback" or "skate-fish;" this seams to bring one to the root reoh, 

 "rough." Possibly reference may be implied to the roughness of the fish during the season of 

 spawning. The expression "as sound as a Roach," is supposed by some to have been originally 

 "sound as a rock." Ray has the proverb "as sound as a Trout;" "but sometimes people will 

 express it as sound as a Roach; which is by no means a firm fish, but rather otherwise; and 

 on that account Mr. Thomas surmises it should rather be as sound as a roc/ie, or rock ; and it 

 is certain, the Abbey of de Rufe, in Yorkshire was called Roche Abbey, implying that roche 

 was formerly the pronunciation of j^ock here, in some places at least." (Latham's Diet, s.v.) 

 That the proverb however originally referred to a fish, and not to a rock, seems probable 

 from Ray's expression "sound as a Trout," as well as from the French saying "■ ctre frais 

 commc un gardou,'" "to be fresh as a gardo)i," (Roach or Ide) ; which Littre (s.v., gardon) 

 thus explains, "to have an air of freshness and health, an expression derived from the brilliancy 

 of the scales of this fish." Littre gives another proverb, '■'■ Fraiche commc un gardon, droite 

 commc unc pcrclic,'" "fresh as a Roach, right as a Perch." 



The scientific name of Icuciscus is from the Greek Icncos, "white," a term which we generally 

 employ to denote the bright and silvery Roach, Dace, &c. 



The fin formula of the Roach is 



' Dorsal 12. 



Pectoral 17. 

 Ventral 9. 

 Anal 13. 



The specimen figured was supplied by E. H. Reynard, Esq., of Sunderlandwick. 



