222 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



generic characters are : Body covered with imbricate scales ; 

 dorsal fin commencing opposite, rarely behind, the ventrals ; 

 and the anal fin generally with from nine to eleven, rarely 

 with eight (in small species), and still more rarely with 

 fourteen, rays ; the mouth without any structural pecu- 

 liarities. There are no barbels ; the pharyngeal teeth are 

 conical, or compressed into a single or double series. 

 There are six British species. 



THE ROACH. 



The ROACH (Leuciscus rutilus, Cyprinus rutilus) is found 

 in most of our rivers, but prefers the sluggish streams, 

 frequenting the deeps by day and the shallows by night. 

 It lives in companies. The colour of the upper part of 

 the head and back is dusky green, with blue reflections, 





THE ROACH. 



becoming lighter on the sides, and passing into silvery- 

 white on the belly ; the irides yellow ; the cheeks and 

 gill-covers silvery-white ; the dorsal and caudal fins pale 

 brown, tinged with red ; pectoral fins orange-red ; ventral 

 and anal fins bright red. 



Fin-rays: dorsal, 1113; pectoral, 16 18 ; ventral, 

 9-10; anal, 12-13; caudal, 19. 



The pharyngeal teeth are in a single row. 



The roach rarely attains any great size. A fish of 

 2 Ibs. is considered very large. Mr. Jesse (" Anglers' 

 Rambles "), states that the largest roach he could hear of 

 weighed 3 Ibs. Pennant has recorded one of 5 Ibs. 



Roach spawn about the end of May or beginning of 

 June, and when about to spawn immense shoals go " to 



