THE BARBEL. 



Abdominales Malacopterygii. Cyprinida. 



{Cyprinus barhiis.) 



German: Die Barbe, Barm. French: Le Barheau. Swedish: 

 Barhfisli. Dutch: BarbeeU. Italian: Barbolo. 



The Barbel maybe said to be a water-pig, Lis habits in 

 the water are so very like those of a pig on the land. 



BARBEL. 



His leathery mouth is most admirably formed for routing 

 about, and he lives principally by feeding upon insects 

 which live among the plants (I do not call them weeds) 

 which cover the stones at the bottom of the water. 

 The poet Flood has recorded the barbel's grubbing pro- 

 pensities in the follow^ing lines : 



"In they went, and hunted about, • 



Open-mouthed, like chub or trout, 

 And some with upper lip thrust out, 

 Like that fish for routino: — the barbel." 



To the anglers of London and the tovms on the 

 Thames, as well as to the fishermen of Nottingham, Shef- 

 field, &c., the barbel is a very important fish, aflordmg 

 wonderful sport in the season. Barbel delight prin- 

 cipally in the rapid water below weirs. He is also 



