THE LOACH. 207 



The Loach. 



The loach, which rarely exceeds four or five inches in length, 

 can scarcely be said to be an angler's fish, except so far as he fur- 

 nishes a bait for some of the larger kinds. It shelters itself among 

 loose gravelly stones in small limpid streams ; and in such places 

 it may be caught either with a small worm or with the cadis. 



Loaches though of so diminutive a size, are yet held in very 

 high estimation, being considered very wholesome food where they 

 can be obtained in a sufficient quantity, and the flavour is said to 

 be very superior. Mr. Yarrell states, that in some parts of Europe 

 they are thought so highly of as to be often transported with 

 considerable trouble from the streams they naturally inhabit to the 

 waters of the wealthy ; and Linnaeus informs us that Frederick 

 the First, king of Sweden was at the pains of having them 

 brought from Germany to be naturalized in his own country. Dr, 

 Brookes also states that loaches, like oysters, are often swallowed 

 raw and alive by way of a restorative, being more efficacious in 

 that state than after undergoing the more agreeable process of 

 cookery. 



Though very prolific, the loach is far from plentiful ; and as it 

 usually inhabits the same waters as the trout, the latter are very 

 destructive to them. They spawn early in the spring. They are 

 particularly remarkable for having no less than six barbules, four 

 on the upper lip, and two under the chin. They are sometimes 

 kept in glass globes, where they soon become remarkably tame, 

 but they seldom do well unless fhe bottom is strewed with sand. 

 I once kept several in some small tubs sunk in the ground, 

 together with minnows and sticklebacks. The latter soon grew 

 so bold, that they would take such fast hold of a worm tied by the 

 middle to a single horsehair as to allow themselves to be lifted 

 from one tub to another without relaxing their hold, which they 

 would retain as tenaciously when thus transported as before. The 

 loaches, as well as the minnows, I could also, when they had taken 

 firm hold of the worms, throw from one pool to another, though 



