GEX. TINCA. THE COMMON TENCH. 61 



tritious and of good flavour, and not generally held 

 in the estimation it deserves." This diversity of 

 sentiment is to be ascribed more to difference ot 

 feeding, and other external circumstances, than to 

 any inferiority in the species ; and if, by a little at- 

 tention to these circumstances, improvement can be 

 effected in the Tench, so probably might it also be 

 with many other fish. 



On the specific characters of this well known 

 fish we need not much insist : it is short and thick ; 

 and its colouring seems to vary according to the 

 purity of the water in which it resides. Its general 

 colour is greenish olive, lightest beneath, with the 

 fins dark brown; but the hue verges towards 

 brilliant golden yellow in rapid streams with sandy 

 bottoms, whilst it becomes almost black in muddy 

 marshes. Its average size in Britain is from twelve 

 to eighteen inches, although sometimes it reaches 

 three feet ; its weight from four to six pounds ; 

 Salviani mentions it has reached twenty. It is 

 common in many of the temperate countries of 

 Europe, from whence it is supposed to have been 

 introduced into England, where it thrives ; and into 

 Scotland, which does not appear to be at all con- 

 genial Certainly it does not thrive near Edin- 

 burgh; although it has been reported to flourish, 

 under somewhat peculiar circumstances indeed, in 

 some ponds belonging to Mr. Ferguson of Pitfour, 

 near Aberdeen. In the northern counties of Eng- 

 land it is found, but not abundantly ; as in the 

 Eden, and Sol way Firth, and near Berwick in Hir- 



