THE DACE. 65 



sake of cooking him. After all, the best use to which 

 either the one or the other can be put, is to make a bait 

 of him for the voracious pike. 



Bace Ha Fcnboige ou Baft. 



The DACE is a well-made, salmon-shaped, strong-built, 

 handsome fish, of a bright silvery hue. He frequents 

 clear rapid waters, and is very frequently found in the same 

 streams with the trout. It makes but little difference to 

 him whether the water be deep or shallow, provided it be 

 bright and tolerably rapid. 



These fish are gregarious, and, in favourable waters and 

 well-adapted positions, are to be found in very large 

 shoals. They are found to inhabit all suitable waters in 

 nearly every part of Europe, and are very numerous in 

 the Pas-de-Calais, and many other parts of France. 



Early in the summer the dace casts its spawn, and is 

 very prolific. He multiplies with enormous rapidity ; and 

 the rather so, that he is enabled to avoid numerous ene- 

 mies both on land and in the water, from the remarkable 

 rapidity with which he swims. This fish deposits an 

 immense quantity of eggs of a dirty whitish colour, and 

 feeds freely on worms, gnats, and flies. Other bait, how- 

 ever, will tempt him, as we shall show in the proper 

 place. 



The angler may enjoy first-rate sport with the dace, 

 because he is bold and dashing, and for his size a very 

 strong fish ; he fights hard, and dies game. The cook, 

 perhaps, would rather not be troubled with him ; but as 

 he does not seem to be in much request, no, not even 

 with bream-eaters, receipts for cooking him are scarcely 

 necessary : and yet, when fresh and fried nicely in butter, 

 he is a capital addition to the breakfast-table. 



F 



