160 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
known to inhabit European waters. Of the name “loach” 
no explanation has been received. 
Wherever in Britain there runs a limpid brook over 
sandy and gravelly shallows, one may expect to find loaches, 
lurking under stones, much sought after by greater fish, 
by birds, and even by man, because of the sweetness of 
their flesh. But you must have quick eyes to detect them, 
so closely does their mottled skin accord with the ground 
of their haunts, and nimble fingers to catch them, so slippery 
are their sides with abundant mucus. 
In appearance the loach is distinguished by its elongated 
body, nearly cylindrical, measuring in length seven or eight 
times its height. The head is relatively long and broad ; 
the eyes are small and set high in the head ; but it is probable 
that the fish depends less upon these organs in pursuit of 
its prey than upon six sensitive barbules, delicate instruments 
of touch, which hang from the upper lip. Above and below 
the eye 1s a conspicuous row of mucus channels. The back 
is olive-green, the sides yellow, and the belly greyish-white, 
and this ground colour is boldly marbled with very dark 
brown, which extends over the dorsal and tail fins. The 
other fins are tinged with yellow. The caudal fin is rather 
fan-shaped, rounded at the angles and not forked. The 
skin, except on the head, breast, and abdomen, is covered 
with exceedingly minute scales, which, however, resemble 
those of the tench in being separate one from the other— 
not overlapping. 
The loach spawns earlier in the year than other British 
cyprinoids, breeding in March or early in April. It is a 
ground feeder, living, it is believed, exclusively on animal 
diet. People who speak from experience are enthusiastic 
about the delicacy of its flesh ; but, under ordinary conditions, 
the labour of collecting a dish of loaches must be out of 
proportion to its value, for the fish seldom reaches five inches 
in length, and is more commonly much smaller even than that. 
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