PREFACE 



T^ISHES captured in the fresh waters of the 

 ^ British Isles are not for the most part of 



great commercial importance. The Salmonoids are 

 a notable exception to this statement, for the Salmon 

 and Trout are valued food-fishes, and the Windermere 

 Char and the Lough Neagh Pollan are netted in 

 numbers for the market. Smelt and Shad are also 

 the objects of regular fisheries, and on the Severn 

 Lampreys are still captured and potted, whilst the 

 Eel fisheries are an important industry except in 

 Scotland, where this fish is not appreciated. But 

 the so-called coarse fishes, Pike, Perch, Roach, Bream, 

 etc., are seldom exposed for sale in this country ; 

 they are not inedible ; some, indeed, are very well 

 flavoured, and are valued as food-fishes on the 

 Continent. In former days in England, Pike, Carp, 

 Tench, and other species were esteemed as luxuries, 

 and every large country establishment had a pond 

 wherein fish were kept and fattened for the table. 

 But in those days transport was a very different 

 affair, and so long as fresh sea-fish can be obtained 



