190 THE BREAM. 



The Bream. 



There are two species of bream ; the carp bream, and the white 

 bream. The former is the larger kind of the two, sometimes 

 attaining the weight of eight pounds, whilst the latter rarely ex- 

 ceeds one pound. Both species are of a remarkably deep body, 

 rising much higher in the back and deeper in the belly than the 

 common carp, the body being flat and compressed ; the head is 

 also remarkably small, and the back fin short, but considerably 

 elevated, whilst the anal fin is unusually large. 



The two kinds of bream differ but little from each other in 

 general form, except that in the white bream the dorsal fin com- 

 mences rather nearer the head, and is altogether placed farther 

 forward ; the head and also the eyes are larger, and the sides 

 are' of a white colour, which in the common bream are yellow. 

 The general colour of the white bream is a bluish silvery hue, 

 whereas the carp bream is distinguished by the golden cast like the 

 common carp, which acquires a deeper tint as the fish increases iu 

 bulk. 



The common or carp bream is usually found in large ponds or 

 lakes, though it is occasionally to be met with in -some of our 

 rivers ; but they prosper best in ponds where, according to Walton, 

 if they like the water, they will not only grow to be very large, 

 but will become as fat as hogs. It is not, however, a fish that 

 has ever been held in very high estimation for its edible qualities, 

 amongst our own countrymen, though it seems to have borne a far 

 better character with our French neighbours, or at any rate it did 

 so in honest Izaak's time, who quoted the French proverb, " He 

 who has breams in his pond may bid his friends welcome." And 

 he adds, that " it is noted the best part of a bream is his belly 

 and head." 



The white bream, which is also known as the bream flat, is it 

 appears restricted to a very limited locality. Both species are 

 found in the Trent, and it seems it was by comparing specimens 

 of the two kinds together, the difference was first detected, and 

 which is but a very recent discovery. This species is also found 



