98 



THE AQUARIUM, APRIL, 1894. 



The flesh is very good as an article 

 of diet, is very easily digested, espec- 

 ially when fried. 



In appearance and flavor it may be 

 compared with the lake-trout ; when 

 three or four twelve- inch orfes, freshly 

 caught, are properly cooked and nicely 

 served upon the table, they constitute 

 a most tempting and appetizing dish. 



In ancient times the orfe was culti- 

 vated in the moats surrounding the cas- 

 tles, and permission to sell it was only 

 given when the fish had reached a cer- 

 tain size, in order to prevent the dying 

 out of the species. 



It was then customary to send a few 

 of these fish to women when in confine- 

 ment, hence the name ''ladies' fish," 

 which it bore in old, England. 



Like nearly all other fishes, the roach 

 differs very much, according to the 

 locality in which it lives, and on that 

 account, too, bears a great many differ- 

 ent names. 



When full grown it attains a length 

 of from ten to twelve inches, takes 

 very readily to the hook and furnishes 

 much sport for the angler. It was not 

 much esteemed as a food fish until 

 lately, when the little fish became an 

 article of commerce in the shape of 

 sardines, prepared as such for the mar- 

 ket. 



It is a very common fish pretty much 

 all over Europe, but was not known in 

 this country until about twelve years 

 asfo. 



The Roach— 



THE ROACH. 



(Leuciscus rutilus. ) 

 Die Plotze. Le rotengle. 



The body of the roach is long and 

 compressed upon the sides ; the head is 

 small, the lips having no barbies ; the 

 dorsal fin is short. 



In color the back is of a dark 

 blueish or greenish cast, the sides and 

 abdomen of a silvery white. The whole 

 body is covered with a coat of medium- 

 sized, shining, silvery scales. The eyes 

 and fins present a beautiful and brilliant 

 red. 



(Reduced.) 



THE SPOTTED SHINER. 



( Ceraticlitliys dissimihis. ) 

 This fish is a bright, lively little fish, 

 and one well adapted for the purposes 

 of the aquarium. The body is long 

 and compressed upon the sides, the 

 head small ; in fact, it is much like the 

 preceding in shape. Color of the back 

 olivaceous, the sides bright silvery, 

 ornamented with a dark lateral band, 

 which widens at intervals into sjDots. 

 When full grown it attains a length of 

 from four to six inches. It is a native of 

 America, and more especially of the 

 Ohio valley. 



