46 THE ANGLER S GUIDE. 



white, and somewhat of a purple hue, the dorsal or 

 back fin and the tail are of a light brown, waved or 

 spotted with darker brown j at the mouth hang two 

 barbs or wattles, like those of the Carp. Gudgeons 

 are seldom taken of more than eight or nine inches in 

 length, or weighing more than four ounces : I have 

 never heard of any being taken that weighed half a 

 pound. 



The New River, and the Canals near London, 

 abound with Gudgeons, and they are also to be met 

 with in most rivers in England, but are not so large 

 in any that I have seen as those caught in the Thames 

 and Lea, nor are they so numerous. I have frequently 

 taken fifty dozen in the course of a day's angling, in 

 the river Thames, which number is very seldom taken 

 in the river Lea, during a day's fishing 5 yet the Lea 

 Angler has the best of Gudgeon fishing, because he 

 may take them before they cast their spawn, whereas 

 the Angler who fishes in the river Thames is prohi- 

 bited bottom-fishing, from the first of March until the 

 first of June, in all the water which is under the con- 

 servance of the City of London, which extends some- 

 what beyond Staines Bridge. — ^Note, the largest Gud- 

 geons that are caught in the river Lea are those parts 

 nearest London, when they are coming from the 

 Thames into the Lea, to cast their spawn. The Gud- 

 geon is a gregarious Fish, and may be seen, in Sum- 

 mer, at the bottom of clear rivers, in herds of hun- 

 dreds together ; but they are very susceptible of cold, 

 and retire as soon as the Winter commences, and lie 



