204 THE GUDGEON. 



The Gudgeon. 



The Gudgeon resembles the barbel in its habits, never rising at 

 flies on the surface, but feeding entirely at the bottom, searching 

 amongst the gravel for food ; but being of a diminutive form, the 

 gudgeon is unable to endure the force of the current the barbel so 

 much delights in, and is therefore generally to be found in the 

 shallows at the sides of the river, as well to avoid the full force of 

 the stream, as to escape the merciless enemies he would be ex- 

 posed to, were he to venture into the deeper waters ; being far too 

 highly esteemed by perch, trout, and pike, to venture without dan- 

 ger near any of their haunts. Nor is this fish lightly esteemed 

 on land, being a sweet flavoured little fellow, and very wholesome 

 wherewithal, and is consequently recommended to invalids, as 

 being remarkably easy of digestion. 



There is something particularly elegant in the form of these 

 little fishes. Their slender yet rounded proportions, and bright 

 pearly sides, ornamented with minute black spots, which are inter- 

 spersed with those of lighter colour, and produce altogether a very 

 pleasing effect; the fins also, particularly the dorsal and caudal 

 which are of a pale brown ground, are also very prettily set off 

 with dark spots. The tail fin is neatly formed and deeply forked; 

 the head, like the barbel, is of a long form with a projecting upper 

 jaw, which is ornamented with a couple of barbules, the eyes are re- 

 markably bright, the irides being of an orange red, and the pupils 

 large and black, and are placed high up on the side of the head. 

 The gudgeon however is only entitled to rank among the little 

 fishes, as he seldom attains the length of eight inches ; the more 

 common size being about five or six. 



Like most of the cyprinidee gudgeons are gregarious, swim- 

 ming and feeding in shoals ; and being greedy feeders as well as 

 bold biters, and not easily frightened away by the presence of the 

 angler, great numbers may be taken at the same standing. In 

 fact if you bait the ground, or even disturb it with a rake or pole 



