THE BREAM 151 
being four times the length of the last. Conversely, the base 
of the anal fin is much greater than its height, occupying 
one-fourth of the entire length of the body. The tail fin is 
deeply divided into two irregular lobes, both acutely pointed, 
the lower lobe being half as long again as the upper. 
The body scales are rather large, numbering 51 to 
57 along the lateral line, and are very thickly coated with 
slime. The colour of the back is very dark olive. In young 
fish the sides are silvery white, but this becomes tinged with 
brassy, and even bronzy, hues in older fish. The fins are of 
inky hue, tinged with blue; the throat ruddy, the belly 
white, and the iris golden yellow. 
The name “ bream” has been traced to the same original as 
“bass” (see page 66), which was once written ‘‘barse’’ and 
‘“‘brasse,”’ and may be recognised in the Old French breame 
(now bréme), the old High German Brahsema, the Middle 
High German Brahsem, and the German Brassen, all applied 
to the fish which are known as “bream.” It has no known 
connection with the a4Bpayis—abramis—of Oppian’s Halieutics, 
which was a sea fish, although Cuvier, attracted by similarity of 
sound, chose that name to designate the genus. 
The bream is as much at home in rivers as in lakes, and is 
found in most parts of temperate Europe north of the Alps and 
Pyrenees. Although not uncommon in Ireland, it is absent 
from Scotland. It is said to enter the salt water of the Baltic. 
Bream probably are to be seen in the Norfolk Broads in 
greater numbers than elsewhere in England, but they 
abound in the Shropshire meres also, and in some 
rivers of the Midlands, notably the Ouse. 
They swim in large shoals, and are supposed to be under 
the leadership of one of their clan. They spawn in May or 
June, when the heads of the males become temporarily covered 
with warty tubercles and the scales feel rough to the touch. 
The eggs are yellow, 200,000 or 300,000 in a moderately- 
sized female, and are left hanging upon water weeds. Like 
Habits. 
