194 CORWEN TO BALA. 



This pool is well flocked with fifli of various 

 kinds, but in particular with trout, eels, and a 

 fpecies found only in alpine lakes, called, from the 

 whitenefs of its fcales, Gwyniadd. It is a gregarious 

 fifh, the Salmo lavaretus of Linnaeus. Its greatefk 

 weight feldom exceeds three or four pounds. With 

 refpeft to the tafte, this fiih is generally faid to be 

 infipid : the noble traveller quoted in a preceding 

 page, aflerts, hov/ever, that it is fo delicate, that his 

 friend would prefer the flavour of it to even the lips 

 of the fair maids of Bala. The time of fpawning is 

 in the month of December. Thefe fifh ufually keep 

 at the bottom of the water, where they feed on 

 fmall fliells and aquatic plants. — It is generally be- 

 lieved bv the inhabitants of the nelf^hbourhood, that 

 although the Dee runs directly through this pool, 

 the gwyniadds are never to be caught in the river ; 

 nor, on the contrary, are the falmon with which 

 the river abounds, ever taken in the pool. Hence 

 Churchyard ; 



A poole there is thro' which the Dee doth pafTe, 

 Where is a fillx that feme a whiting call : 

 Where never yet no falmon taken was. 

 Yet hath good ftore of other fifiies all. 

 Above that poole, and fo bentath that flood 

 Are faLmons caught, and many a fi(h full good. 

 But lu the fame there will no falmon bee, 

 And neere that poole you fhall no whiting fee. 



This is a fmgular circumfiance, but there appears 

 fome truth in it. The honourable Daines Barring- 

 ton, 



