BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
_ weighing 34 pounds each within five minutes of one 
another in a tributary of the River Colne, near Watford. 
It cannot be considered a solitary species as, when on 
the feed, a number may soon be caught in the same spot. 
Quietness is essential when angling for Tench, as it is 
very shy, and seems to be acquainted with every move- 
ment taking place on the bank. The best bait is a 
medium-size lob-worm. Sweet paste is also considered 
a luring “dish.” ‘To attract the fish, and work different 
holes, it is a good plan to slightly bob the float up and 
down without disturbing the water, resting occasionally 
so as to wait results. The bait moving below will 
probably have the desired result. This species is well 
distributed in Britain, and is found as far north as the 
Southern Highlands of Scotland. It is an animal as 
well as a vegetable feeder, and except in Spring, when it 
emerges from its Winter torpor, is always in a fat and 
healthy condition. The Tench is a tenacious species, 
and can exist not only for some time out of water, but is 
none the worse for being buried in mud when its liquid 
haunts have disappeared during drought. It spawns 
in June, the tiny eggs being shed, without restriction as 
to numbers, on aquatic plants growing in shallow water. 
In about seven days the small eggs hatch out, and at the 
end of a year the young weighs about 4 ounces. After 
then, it is said to increase in weight to the extent of 
16 ounces per annum. An 8 pound fish may be regarded 
as a very fine specimen. One of the finest I have seen 
was caught by my sister—Mrs. E. J. Bryant—in the 
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