758 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



])avt of the dny it lies still, almost motionless, at the 

 bottom, wliei-e it seeks its food. Now and then, how- 

 ever, it rises to the surface, (|uick of movement and 

 voriicious for its size. With greedy eagerness it catches 

 tlie insects that fall into the water. It dies aliiKjst in- 

 staiitaneouslv wiicu taken out of its native element." 

 In tVesii water it is less sensitive to the influence of 

 tlie air ;ind is sometimes seized with the same wan- 

 dering spirit as the Salmon, leaping over obstacles with 

 vigour relative] V tlie same and no less eagerness. It 

 sometimes forces its \va\ along the tiniest, half-dry 

 brooks and pools, if unly it feels running watei — and 

 may subse(|uently be found in ]>uddles, where it is 

 scarcely possible to explain its presence. In fresh water 

 it is also more sociable in its relations to other fishes: 

 in the Nissa River (Halland) I have often caught Min- 

 nows in companv with Salmon-fr^'. 



Its food is chiefly composed of insects, small crus- 

 taceans and mollusks, and worms. In the island-belt 

 it often keeps watch at the landing-places, \vhere fish 

 is gutted and rinsed, and seizes small fragments of 

 the ofial. Fislr-roe and small fry, even of its o\vn 

 species, also form a ])art of its diet. It does not dis- 

 dain a bait of wheat dough, though it bites less rea- 

 dily at this; and in an aquarium it may be fed on 

 liread-crumbs. Its voracity entices it forward at the 

 least cause and gives it an inquisitiveness of which 

 the fisherman may take advantage. Fatio tells us 

 that he caught quantities of Minnows in a landing- 

 net, by holding it still in a stream. As soon as the 

 leader and tlie van of the shoal had entered to see 

 what they might discover in the net, the others fol- 

 lowed without hesitation. 



The sjKiwning-season seems to vary according to 

 the early or late arrival of the summer warmth. In 

 the tracts bordering on the Rhine the Minnow is taken 

 in large numbers, together with a multitude of other 

 small fishes (Salmon-frj' among others), all known by 

 the common name of Hihnprhen, during the months of 

 May and June, at which time the ]\Iinnow ascends the 

 brooks to spawn on a ston}' or gravelly bottom. Ek- 



STHOM states that in the island-belt of Sodermanland 

 it spawns at tiie end of June or beginning of July. 

 According to Fatio the s|iawiiing may begin in the 

 Swiss valleys at the middle of A]>ril, but in the higher 

 Alpine regions is sometimes delayed till August. The 

 eggs are not very numerous, at most about 1 .i)i")() in 

 the same female, but co!ni)aratively large, being 1 — 1' ^ 

 mm. in diameter. They are hatched, sooner or later 

 according to tlie teni])erature of the water, in from fi" 

 to 15' days. 'It is a mistake,'' writes SArvAUON', "to 

 suppose that the eggs of the Minnow are strewn about 

 and carried away b}- the current among the gravel and 

 stones, as soon as they have been dejjositcd. During 

 the spawning the fish are so numerous and packed so 

 close together that their bodies are enough to neutralise 

 the gentle current that otherwise passes over the 

 spawning-place. Furthermore, these small, glutinous 

 ova adhere to eacii other and fill all the interstices be- 

 tween the stones, on Avhich they may often be found 

 in layers 1 — 5 cm. thick and 5 — 20 cm. long. All 

 these eggs stick fast together and form a lajer firm 

 enough to withstand a current ten times stronger than 

 that Avhich runs at the spawning-place. On the 30th 

 of Ma)' I have myself gathered at least .3 kgin. of 

 ilinnow-eggs." In the first week of August Yarreli. 

 found young Minnows three-quarters of an inch (111 

 mm.) long. The Minnow reaches maturity, according 

 to Fatio, at a length of 35 — 40 mm. 



At the approach of autumn the Minnow retires to 

 deep water, there to pass the winter in company with 

 other Cj'prinoids. As food the Minnow is not to be 

 despised, especially if the gall-bladder, which otherwise 

 gives it a bitter taste, be removed. In Sweden, how- 

 ever, it is seldom eaten; liere and there in the country 

 it is fried and made into the so-called fisli-cake. Fur- 

 ther south, where it is still more plentiful, it is a more 

 appreciated dish. In England, according to Day, it is 

 eaten freely, being prepared for table like Whitebaif*. 

 In Sweden it is most important as l)ait for Salmon 

 and Perch; but as it is not verj" tenacious of life, it 

 must not be left long on the hook. 



" According to Daw, see Day, 1. c. 

 ' According to Fatio. 



<^ Bull. Soc. Zool. D'Acclin.af. Paris, serie 2, jtome IV (1867), p. 721. 



'' BucKLAND says that on tin- IGtii of September, 1394 Bishop William of Wykeliam. the founder of Winchester College, gave a 

 dinner to tlie King and Queen and 210 other guests, the menu including a number of fish courses, among others 7 gallons of Minnows. 



