54 COMMON BREAM. 



water fish, cannot be intended (Haliciit. 1. 244). Athenseus enumerates the Abrainis among 

 several other fishes found in the Nile. The Abramis of the Greeks has been referred to 

 some species of Bream, therefore, without sufficient reason. 



There are two undoubted British species of Bream, namely the Common or Carp-Bream 

 {Abramis bramd), and the ^\^hite Bream, or Breamflat [Abramis blicca) ; the so-called Pome- 

 ranian Bream, the Cypriniis Bugge7ihagii of Bloch, being almost certainly a hybrid between 

 the Common Bream and the Roach.' The two first-named species, when young, are difficult 

 to distinguish, for both are nearly white in colour; but older specimens of the Common or 

 larger Bream become yellowish or yellowish brown, and are then readily to be distinguished 

 from the silvery white Breamflat. An examination of the throat-teeth, however, will clear up 

 any doubts as to the species, because those of the Common Bream are arranged in a single 

 series of five on each bone, while the other species has a double row or series of five teeth 

 in one and two in the other. 



Bream are common in many of the lakes, ponds, rivers, and canals of this countr}-. 

 They thrive best in large pieces of water, and have been known to attain the weight of 

 twelve or even fourteen pounds. Many parts of the Thames produce fine Bream, as at 

 Walton, Hampton, Kingston, &c. In the Midland Counties, as in the Trent and the Ouse, 

 Bream are abundant ; Air. Manley says that the Ouse is decidedly the best Bream river in 

 England. The Norfolk Broads are also mentioned as producing Bream of a large size. In 

 Shropshire I have seen great quantities of large Bream taken out of the Aqualate Mere, 

 belonging to Sir Thos. F. Boughey, Bart. 



Bream swim in shoals, and feed on worms and the larvce of water insects, together 

 with vegetable matter. Like some other of the Cyprinida:, the males during the spawning 

 season, which is in May, have white tubercles on the scales, and are rough to the touch. 

 These disappear when the season of reproduction is over. The Thames fishermen bait their 

 hooks with small red worms and brandlings ; when hooked in deep water, according to Mr. 

 Francis, the Bream "has a disagreeable nack of boring head down, and rubbing and chafing 

 the line with its side and tail, so that the line often comes up for a foot above the hook 

 covered with slime." 



The flesh of the Bream is generally soft, insipid, and full of fine bones, and in little 

 estimation for the table ; but Mr. Francis assures us that when taken off a clean gravelly 

 or sandy bottom in the winter time, "when the weed is out of them," they are by no means 

 bad eating. This is quite probable, as the quality of the flesh of various fish depends to a 

 considerable extent on the character of the water inhabited by them, and on the season of 

 the year. In more ancient days the feeding and eating of Bream were more in fashion than 

 at present. Chaucer says of his Frankeleyn — 



" Ful man}- a fat partrich had he in mewe, 

 And man}' a brem, and many a luce in stewe." 



{Piologm- Cant. T. 3+9.) 



Juliana Berners says that "the Breme is a noble fysshe and a deynteous." Dr. Badham 

 quotes a French proverb, ''Qui a braiic pent brainer scs amis;'" "he who has Bream is able 

 to ask friends to his table." Sir William Dugdale mentions that about the year 14 19 a 

 single Bream was valued at twenty pence, when the day's labour of a mason or master 

 carpenter was less than sixpence, from which three-halfpence was deducted if his food was 

 supplied to him. He also tells us that a pie containing four Bream was sent from Sutton, 

 in Warwickshire, to the Earl of Warwick at Mydlam in the north country, at the cost of 

 sixteen shillings ; which amount included the wages of two men employed for three days in 

 catching the fish, together with the spices and flour for making the pie.—{//ist. IVarw., 

 p. 568.) 



