THE BREAM AND THE ROACH. 579 



immediately flock to the place, and a worm suspended amid the turbid 

 water is eagerly snapped at by them. The fishermen usually take 

 them in nets, and keep them alive in well-boats. They are largely 

 purchased as baits for trolling. The flesh of the Gudgeon is partic- 



The Gudgeon [Gohio fluviatilis). 



ularly delicate, and, although its length rarely exceeds seven inches, 

 yet, from the ease with which numbers can be obtained, it forms a dish 

 by no means to be despised. 



The Bream is mostly found in large lakes or in slowly-running 

 rivers, the lakes of Cumberland being favorite resorts of this fish. 

 Although the flesh of the Bream is not held in any great estimation, 

 being poorly flavored and very full of bones, so that, in spite of the 

 great depth of its body, there is scarcely sufficient flesh to repay the 

 trouble of cooking, still, the fish was formerly in much repute as a 

 delicacy ; so that either the fish seems to have deteriorated or the 

 present generation to have become more fastidious. Spring and au- 

 tumn furnish the best Bream, and the flesh can be dried, something 

 like that of the cod-fish. 



The color of the Bream is yellowish white, except the cheeks and 

 gill-covers, which have a silvery lustre without any tinge of yellow. 

 Sometimes the Bream attains a considerable size, reaching a weight of 

 twelve or fourteen pounds* 



The last of the three is the Roach, a fish especially dear to scientific 

 anglers on account of its capricious habits and the delicate skill requir- 

 ed to form a successful roach-fisher. 



An angler accomplished in this art will catch Roach where one with- 

 out special experience would not have a chance of a bite, and will suc- 

 ceed in his beloved sport through almost every season of the year, the 

 winter months being the favorites. So capricious are these fish, and 

 so sensitive to the least change of weather, that a single hour will 

 suffice to put them off" their feed, and the angler may suddenly be 

 checked in the midst of his sport by an adverse breeze or change in 

 the temperature. 



Roach are gregarious fish, swimming in shoals and keeping tolerably 



