BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
smaller as its maximum weight is only about 1} pounds. 
It is an inhabitant of sluggish waters, and keeps fairly 
close to the bed of the lake, or river, it frequents. It 
there searches for food, which consists of insects, 
molluscs, worms, and various vegetable matter. When 
spawning-time arrives in May, shallow water is resorted 
to, the eggs being laid on the weeds. In Winter deeper 
water is sought. Bream cannot be regarded as the 
possessors of sportive dispositions, and when once 
hooked there is no effort to make a bold bid for liberty. 
The silver colour of the scales has given this species the 
names of White or Silver Bream, but it is greenish on 
the back, and has greyish fins. It has a larger eye than 
Abramis brama, a less protruding snout, but a more 
prominent mouth. It is a very slimy fish, and although 
it can be easily caught, is of little service for the table. 
The name has been acquired from an old French word, 
the origin of which is obscure. 
Re IL hts 
ATR eee 
: = 
= 
= e's. -- 
ae. 
=e a>. 2 
Pe eeeA Ceres t: 
SEhLICE ey) So 
fee 
‘ 
MAS edd 3 
begins / 
Fig. 51. White Bream. 
Common Bream.—-Abrams brama (Fig. 52). ‘This 
species belongs to a different genus to the last-named, and 
is much more plentiful. It thrives exceedingly on the 
96 
