59 



GRAINING. 



Leiiciscus Lancastriensis, Yarrell; Linn. Transactions, vol. 17, p. 6. 

 British Fishes, vol. i, p. 406. 

 '• " Jenyns; Manual, p. 411. 



The earliest notice of this fish was given by Pennant, but 

 perhaps from want of opportunity for examination it amounted 

 to little more than assigning its provincial name and the situation 

 in which it was found; and it remained for Mr. Yarrell to make 

 us acc|uainted with the greater portion of what is known of its 

 habits, and the marks by which it is distinguished from the 

 kindred species. These particulars were originally contained in 

 a paper printed in the Transactions of the Linna;an Society, as 

 quoted above, and from which most of what we shall say of 

 it is derived; to which I add that at the time when that paper 

 appeared I was indebted to the kindness of that gentleman for 

 coloured figures of this species, and also of the Blue Roach or 

 Azurine, presently to be described. 



But although the Graining had remained to so late a date 

 unknown to naturalists, it is not scarce in its own limited 

 districts in the northern counties of England. Indeed they are 

 said to be abundant in the River Alt, and some other branches 

 of the Mersey, where they afibrd much sport to fishermen, who 

 fish for them in the same manner as they do for Trout. They 

 take a fly as readily as they do a worm. Mr. Thompson also 

 obtained examples of the Graining in the River Leam near 

 Leamington, and at Guy's Cliff, in Warwickshire. 



To prevent mistakes, as the examples believed to be of this 

 species were of a difl^erent colour from what has been described 

 by Mr. Yarrell, that of the body approaching more nearly to 

 Shaw's description, we shall adhere closely to the description 

 given by the former gentleman; adding only the renuuk, that 



