BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
familiar Goldfish (Carassius auratus) has the same sombre 
dress as its two relatives last dealt with, but when kept 
under artificial conditions it assumes both gold and silver 
forms which make a strong appeal to those who have 
ornamental waters, or who are desirous of keeping such 
brilliant fishes in an aquarium at home. Many piebald 
varieties may be encountered, indeed there seems no 
end to the “ sports ”’ that are to be met with. 
Barbel.— Barbus vulgaris. From Barbellus, the dimi- 
nutive of Barbus, in reference to the barbels on the mouth. 
Hence also its English name (Fig. 43). This is a very 
locally distributed species, and may be known by having 
two barbels on either side of the mouth. It occurs in 
the Thames and Trent, and further north in certain 
rivers of Yorkshire. With these exceptions, its appear- 
ance is rare elsewhere. It is greenish-olive in colour, 
with golden sides, the somewhat elongate body being 
covered with moderate-sized scales. There are on 
frequent occasions some small dark spots on the body, 
and also on the fins. It seems to attain a maximum 
weight in Britain of about 20 pounds, but on the Con- 
tinent turns the scale at considerably more than this. 
It feeds upon various water-creatures, both animal and 
vegetable, searching for its provender by grubbing about 
with its snout, and is probably aided by its barbels being 
used as feelers. In Winter it lies up in a torpid state, 
several individuals keeping one another company. ‘The 
eggs are laid in early Summer, either in shallow or deep 
water where there is a gravelly bed. It is stated that 
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