OF GREAT BRITAIN. 137 



silver-white on the throat and belly ; gill-covers, bright orange 

 behind the eyes. The whole of the irides red-orange. Pec- 

 toral and dorsal fins pinky-olive, or olive, slightly tinged with 

 red towards the extremities ; ventral- and anal-fins, bright 

 crimson ; tail-fin, with a base of olive-green tinged with crimson, 

 the crimson getting more vivid towards margin, and top and 

 bottom fin-ray. The whole appearance of the fish golden as 

 distinguished from the silvery appearance of the Roach. [The 

 specimen from which the above colouring was taken was a 

 Slapton Ley fish weighing about i^ lbs., caught by VV. G. F. 

 Whittingstall, Esq., October, 1885.] 



The Roach. — Length of head, ith of total length (including 

 head, body, and tail-fin to the extremity). Muzzle rather 

 sharp. Nape of neck rising abruptly. Depth of body at 

 broadest part only equal to i more than the length of the head, 

 and equal to ^ of the entire length of the fish, head and tail- 

 fin included. Dorsal-fin commencing exactly over commence- 

 ment of pectoral-fin ; ist ray midway between point of nose 

 and end of fleshy part of tail. Scales in lateral line, 43 ; in 

 oblique line at widest part of body, 1 2. Teeth pharyngeal (in 

 the throat). Colours : back, dull olive, or brownish-green ; 

 cheeks and sides silvery, with a patch of orange on each cheek 

 and just over the eye ; belly, white ; irides, orange-red. Ventral- 

 and anal-fins bright crimson, ventrals brightest. Pectoral-fins 

 paler crimson, mixed with a Httle orange and green ; back-fin and 

 tail-fin darker tint of crimson, mixed with a good deal of green. 

 [This is the full colouring of a Thames Roach of about | 

 lbs. weight, taken at the end of October or beginning of 

 November last at Marlow. A slight tinge of gold, perceptible 

 all over the head and gill-covers, increases as the fish gets 

 older, the sides also become less silvery.] 



