GEN. BARBUS. THE BARBEL. 57 



length. The general colour of the superior parts is 

 greenish brown, becoming yellowish green on the 

 sides, the cheeks and gill-covers are tinged with 

 bronze ; belly white ; irides yellow ; lips pale flesh- 

 colour. It is in the most sluggish parts of the 

 Thames and its tributaries, that this fish most 

 abounds. So numerous, says Mr. Yarrell, are the 

 Barbel about Shepperton and Walton, that one 

 hundred and fifty pounds weight have been taken 

 in five hours ; and on one occasion it is said that 

 two hundred and fifty pounds of a large size were 

 taken in one day. Mr. Pennant states that it is 

 sometimes three feet in length, and weighs eighteen 

 pounds. It feeds upon slugs, worms, and small 

 fish. When turning up the loose soil at the bottom 

 in search of food, many smaller fish are seen to 

 attend, and pick up such nourishment as is set 

 afloat. They spawn in May and June, the ova 

 amounting to seven or eight thousand in a full sized 

 female. During summer they frequent weedy parts 

 of the river ; but as soon as vegetation begins to 

 decay in autumn, they seek the deeper waters, 

 and shelter near piles, locks, and bridges. 



Mr. Jesse, when describing the habits of the 

 different sorts of fishes kept in his Vivarium, in- 

 forms us that the Barbel were the shyest, and 

 seemed most impatient of observation ; although in 

 the spring, when they could not perceive any one 

 watching them, they would roll about, and rub 

 themselves against the brick- work, and show con- 

 siderable playfulness. There were some large stones 



