226 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



the form of the body more elongated and more elegantly 

 shaped ; the scales are much smaller than those of the 

 roach, and the dorsal fin commences rather more posteriorly. 

 The colour of the upper part of the head and back dusky 

 blue, paler on the sides ; belly white ; eyes straw-colour ; 

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

 brown ; pectoral, ventral, and anal almost white, tinged 

 with red. 



Fine-rays: dorsal, 910; pectoral, 1516; ventral, 910; 

 anal, 10 II; caudal, 1920. 



The dace spawns at the end of May and beginning of 

 June, depositing its eggs at the roots of aquatic plants, 

 under stones, and on the gravelly beds of rivers. The 

 best season for fishing for dace is the end of July 

 onwards. 



THE DACE. 



Buckland says that " at certain times of the year they 

 assemble in vast numbers at the lower side of the Thames 

 navigation weirs, on the road up-stream. We generally 

 get leave from the Thames Conservators to open one of the 

 hatches and let them pass up." 



Dace are not found in Scotland or Ireland. 



Whether the AZURINE (Leuciscus ccemleus) is a distinct 

 species or a variety of the dace is a question. It was first 

 added to the British list by Yarrell, and is found only in 

 a few localities ; its local name is the Blue Roach. Day 

 (" The Fishes of Great Britain and Ireland," vol. ii. p. 

 184), in describing the varieties of the rudd, says: "The 

 azurine was added to the list of British fishes, some 

 fish of this variety having been obtained from Knowsley. 



