f^ 



BRITISH SPORTING FISH. 117 



traordinary degree of reserve and intolerance of 

 observation. In the spring, however, when the 

 fish seek the gravelly shallows to spawn, they 

 become very lively, and at this season may some- 

 times be seen tumbling and rolling about with 

 their bodies half out of the water like a shoal of 

 porpoises. Amongst some specimens kept in a 

 vivarium, it was observed that, when they fancied 

 no one was looking, they would plunge and rub 

 themselves against the brickwork, and otherwise 

 show considerable signs of playfulness. 



The name " Barbel," as already noticed, is de- 

 rived from the barbs or beards at the corners of 

 the mouth. These are evidently designed to assist 

 the fish in feeling its way about in deep and, con- 

 sequently, more or less dark waters, which are its 

 natural habitats, and probably also for the purpose 

 of enabling it to detect the nature of the substances 

 with which it comes in contact. Of the species 

 provided with these barbs or beards viz., the 

 Carp, Tench, Gudgeon, Loach, and Burbot all 

 find their food principally, or wholly, on the 

 bottom ; and generally the fact of a fish being 

 " bearded " affords a correct index to its habits. 



The Barbel is not much of a fish-eater, although 

 it has been known occasionally to take small fry 

 such as Minnows. Its ordinary food consists prin- 

 cipally of worms, slugs, grubs, &c. ; and in order 

 to procure these it routs about amongst the gravel 

 with its nose, in very much the same manner that 



