TENCH AND ROACH 
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River Lea on Lord Salisbury’s estate at Hatfield. It 
turned the scale at 4 pounds. The colour apparently 
varies according to the age of the fish. Greenish- 
yellow to greenish-black, with whitish on the belly, 
may be given as a general colouration. At times a 
golden variety is encountered. The body scales are 
very small. This was a favourite fish in monastic 
days, and I have frequently caught large Tench of three 
to four pounds weight from ponds which were once the 
pride of the monks of old. Although it has a firm white 
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flesh it has a muddy taste, but this is said to disappear 
after scalding. Perhaps the monks were not so fastidious 
in their tastes as we are to-day, though from all accounts 
they did not leave much to chance where provision for 
their appetites was concerned. 
Roach. — Rutilus rutilus (Fig. 46). The name is 
derived from an old French word, the meaning and 
origin of which are obscure. The deep silvery body and 
greenish back, covered with large scales almost as large 
as a threepenny piece, is admirably shown off by the 
lower fins of the adult being tinged with red, whilst those 
G 8. 
