THE CHAR. 77 



seed, of an orange colour, and are deposited in very con- 

 siderable quantities. 



These fish have been known to attain a weight of more 

 than six pounds. Their flesh is difficult of digestion, and 

 is said to have killed Henry I., who was very fond of them. 



The lamprey is very tenacious of life, and will live 

 nearly as long out of water as an eel. He is to be found 

 in lakes and ponds during the winter, and in rivers dnring 

 the summer. He frequents some of the English waters, 

 and is to be found in most parts of France. Those of the 

 Loire and the Seine are held in the highest estimation. 



There are several kinds of lamprey. That called 

 " seven-eyes" is the most common now in the waters of 

 England; but this is not the fish that killed the king. 

 Writers on fishing are in the habit of attributing this 

 exploit to the small lamprey which is at present to be 

 found in England; but this is a mistake, for the larger 

 species which seems to be banished from our island, was 

 the true regicide. 



(ZTfiar. 



The CHAR is a fish which, from his being confined to 

 the lakes in the north of England and Scotland, is not 

 familiar to sportsmen generally; and indeed very little 

 seems to be known about him at all. 



He is a handsome fish, spotted like the trout, and attains 

 a very fair size Walton says fifteen or sixteen inches in 

 length and is of an admirable flavour. His habits are 

 enveloped in considerable obscurity, and his admitted 

 rarity renders him an object of comparatively little interest 

 to the brethren of the angle. 



Epicures attach a high value to this fish; and " potted 

 char" is constantly advertised in the newspapers as a 



