THE BREAM. 59 



factory manner, we may be permitted to doubt these 

 notions altogether. 



The barbel takes his name from the beard or wattles 

 which hang about his mouth ; and when he is young and 

 very small, he is called in France " Barbillon." With 

 these beards or wattles, says Walton, he is able to take 

 such hold of weeds and moss, that the sharpest floods 

 cannot move him from his position. He seems to have 

 the power of rooting into the mud, and pig-like wallowing 

 in the mire and weeds, at the bottom of deep holes and 

 under overhanging banks. 



This fish feeds on flies, bees, bugs, wasps, maggots, 

 worms, slugs, snails, and all similar kinds of bait; but 

 anglers have invented or adopted various other baits to 

 entrap this wary shy-biting fish, which will be noticed in 

 the proper place. 



The eggs of the barbel are supposed to be injurious; 

 and an opinion once prevailed in the north of Europe, 

 that they who partook of them copiously would " shrink 

 up in great danger of life." This, perhaps, is an exaggera- 

 tion ; but there can be no doubt that the spawn of all fresh- 

 water fish is more or less pernicious. 



iSrcam Ha 33reme. 



The BREAM is a great, flat, coarse, ugly fish, strong in 

 the water, but utterly detestable on the table. The 

 French, it is true, are of a different opinion, and hold 

 him in rather high estimation. All we can say is, *' So 

 much for taste." The French gastronomes, however, 

 seldom make mistakes of this description. 



This fish frequents still places in deep placid waters; but 

 prefers the retirement of ponds and lakes where the water 

 is still, the place undisturbed, and the bottom weedy and 

 muddy. 



