196 THE BREAM. 



fins quiver, the gills open, the fish gradually turns itself on its 

 belly, and moves slowly round the vessel, till at length, completely 

 revived, it swims briskly about." 



The bream spawns about the month of May, in the same manner 

 as the carp, the female at such times being attended with three 

 or four males. One remarkable peculiarity incidental to all the 

 carp tribe, from the barbel to the minnow, during the spawning 

 time, is the appearance of a number of minute white watery ex- 

 crescences about the head, and also on the scales, making the latter 

 appear rough to the touch, but which disappear when the season 

 of reproduction is past. 



