The Roach The Bleak. 



483 



Dace spawn in March, and are in season about three 

 weeks afterwards. They improve, and are good about 

 Michaelmas ; but in February they are best. The flesh 

 is, however, at all times woolly and insipid. They are 

 very lively creatures, and, if kept in ponds, may live a 

 considerable time. 



THE EOACH, (Cyprinus rutilus,) 



BELONGS also to the carp family, and is remarkable for 

 its numerous progeny. It is a deep yet thin-made fish, 

 in shape somewhat resembling the bream, but approach- 

 ing the carp in the breadth and shape of its scales, which 

 are large and deciduous. The soundness of the flesh is 

 become proverbial, and pleases the taste by a peculiar 

 delicacy of flavour. The ventral fins are, like those of 

 the perch, of a bright crimson, and the irides of the eye 

 sparkle like rubies and garnets. The length of the Eoach 

 is commonly between nine and ten inches, but sometimes 

 much greater. 



THE BLEAK, (Cyprinus allurnus,) 



Is nearly allied to the roach. It is a small glittering fish, 

 familiar to most persons from its playing about on warm 



