THE CARP FAMILY. 407 



muddy bottom. It feeds on worms and insects, and 

 spawns in May or June. It is poor as an article of 

 food. 



Distinguished from the preceding by the greater amount 



of red on the body and fins, as well as by the shorter anal 



fin, longer scales, and equal tail -lobes, the 



flat or small and solitary Bream -flat, which rarely 



White exceeds a weight of i lb., is found more 



particularly in the eastern rivers of England, 



and is common in many parts of Ireland. 



The small Bleak, the greatest length of which is not 

 much more than 7 inches, is common in the Thames and 

 Lea, as well as many other waters, both still 

 and running, of England, but is absent from 

 Scotland and Ireland. In colour, it is blue on the back 

 and sides, silver below ; and the scales have, like those of 

 the mackerel-midge, long been used in the manufacture of 

 artificial pearls. This fish is infested with a tapeworm, 

 often longer than the fish itself. It feeds, near the surface 

 in warm weather, on insects, and spawns in May and 

 June. 



That small mud-fish, the Loach, which does not often 

 exceed a length of 4 inches, has no fewer than six barbels, 

 all on the upper jaw. In colour, the loach is 

 dark green along the back, yellow on the sides, 

 and grey below, spotted and streaked with dark brown. 

 During the day this little fish hides at the bottom, lurking 

 beneath the stones, from which it may be dislodged in a 

 half -stunned condition by a smart blow on the stone. 

 Unlike the foregoing coarse fish, it dies almost immedi- 

 ately on removal from the water. It feeds on insects, 

 worms, and spawn, sometimes on vegetable matter, and 

 spawns in March and April. It appears to be widely 

 distributed throughout these islands. 



