126 FISH CULTURE. 



and wild waters at Teddington weir, very good sport 

 indeed is often obtained with them, and they are 

 caught up to seven and eight pounds' weight. It need 

 hardly be observed that, in such localities, the edible 

 ' qualities of the carp are greatly improved ; and so easy 

 a fish is it to naturalise and transport, that the only 

 wonder is that the Society which takes charge of the 

 waters of the Thames has not, with these facts 

 before it, introduced it more widely into all parts of 

 the river. 



The bream is widely distributed, many of our 

 rivers and lakes already abounding in it. There 

 are two kinds : the carp bream, which is the largest 

 and best fish of the two ; and the silver bream, 

 a small indifferent fish. I shall treat it more fully 

 when I come to ponds. In edibleness it may rank 

 next to the carp perhaps, and before chub and 

 barbel. 



I come now to one or two fish which are really 

 rather salt than fresh water fish, though they" enter 

 the rivers at times ; and, first of all, I must notice 

 the little Whitebait (Clupea alba). All sorts of 

 suppositions have been made concerning this most 

 delicate little fish. It has been supposed to be the 

 fry of some score of different fish, and by slow 

 degrees, and careful consideration, it has proved 



