THE CHUB 191 



The spawning takes place in May and June, 

 when the males are distinguished by the thickened 

 pectoral fin-rays, the presence of Httle whitish 

 tubercles on the head, which is otherwise blackish, 

 and the scarlet colour of the belly. The Minnows 

 repair in large numbers to gravelly shallows, usually 

 in brooks where the stream runs fairly rapidly. 

 Here the eggs are deposited on the bottom, and 

 adhere to each other and to the stones, so that they 

 are not washed away by the current. After the 

 spawning the males have been observed to ascend 

 the shallows in large shoals and to lie together, 

 forming an almost solid mass, which looks like a bed 

 of weeds, whilst the little white spots on their heads 

 have been compared to half-open buds ; after some 

 days they return and recommence an active life. 



The chief use of the Minnow is as a bait for 

 Trout, Perch, and Pike, but it is not to be despised 

 as food ; indeed, according to Walton, a Minnow- 

 tansy is a dainty dish of meat, and Day tells us 

 that in 1394 seven gallons of Minnows were served 

 at a banquet given by William of Wykeham. 



The name Minnow appears in old writings in 

 various forms such as Menoun, Minoe, etc. ; it seems to 

 have some connection with the French memc^ small, 

 but philologists are not agreed as to its derivation. 



The Chub {Leuciscus cephahts) has the body 

 rather elongate and little compressed ; the greatest 

 depth usually measures about one-fourth of the length 

 to the base of the caudal fin, but in large specimens 

 is sometimes not much less than one-third of that 

 distance ; in the adult fish the width of the flat 

 interorbital region is nearly one-half of the length 



