BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
pools. Whilst the young of this species closely resemble 
those of the White or Silver Bream, the adults are dis- 
tinguished by the brownish or greenish colouration, 
relieved with a metallic sheen on the sides of the body; 
and blackish on the fins. It is a social species, and 
large shoals move about in company. Some very old 
Bream used to frequent the surface of a small lake in 
which I have had rare sport in days gone by, and on a hot 
Summer’s day it was most annoying to observe these 
big fellows, grey with age, sunning themselves for hours 
on end, whilst I was patiently waiting for a bite. Nothing 
would tempt them, and although we caught a great many 
other fish in the same stretch of water, so far as I re- 
member we never succeeded in landing one of these 
8 to 10 pounders. That this fish is both cunning and 
shy, especially when it has attained any size, I can 
personally testify. Food and spawning time resemble 
those of the last-named, and at the latter season there is a 
great deal of display. Various hybrids occur between 
Bream and other species, but it is unnecessary to give 
details of these here. 
Bleak.—-Alburnus lucidus (Fig. 53). This small fish 
makes amends for its diminutiveness by its engaging 
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