THE ROACH. J 



is about three acres in extent, and did not exceed six feet 



in depth. The water was run off by means of a sluice. 



the bottom of the lake was fairly level and pretty firm; a 



cxop of rye grass was sown on it, which yielded an enor^ 



mous crop. For three successive seasons the same thing 



was done. Under these circumstances it is certain that 



no fish could have been by any possibility left, there being 



no water except an occasional shower of rain or a fall of 



snow for the whole of the three years referred to. After 



cutting the grass for the final time, the water was let in 



through a fine grating, and in the depth of winter. The 



water, in addition, came from a spring supplied by a well 



on the hillside, in which there were no fish. Ihus no 



roach, or indeed fish of any kind, could have found their 



way into the lake, and yet three years afterwards the place 



literally swarmed with roach. Can anybody give me an 



idea how this could have happened ? " This questions 



seems to me to be a poser. I could hardly accept the 



theory put forward by the writer of the letter just quoted ; 



he thought that probably water-fowl might have carried the 



spawn there sticking to their legs, or that the same fowl 



might have swallowed the spawn and passed it out again 



without being digested. If I might offer a theory, I should 



say, perhaps the impregnated ova or spawn is capable of 



lying on the ground or among the roots of the weeds for 



years at a stretch without vivifying into life, the same as 



the chrysalis of certain insects wiJl ; the advent of the fresh 



water into the lake forming the starting point of the swarms 



of roach that had created such surprise. 



The roach is also a member of the carp family, his speci- 

 fic name being " Cyprinus Rutilus." When in good con- 

 dition he' is a very handsome fish. Yarrell thus describes 

 him,: "The colour of the upper part is dusky green with 

 blue reflections, becoming lighter on the sides, and passing 

 into silvery white on the belly; the irides yellow, cheeks 

 and gill covers silvery white; dorsal and caudal fins pale 

 brown tinged with red ; pectoral fins orange red ; ventral 

 and anal fins bright red ; the scales are rather large^ 

 marked with consecutive and radiating lines; large, eyes, 

 the circles of which are of a gold colour and the iris red. 



