THB IDE. 221 



fins, and washed him very clean, then chine or split him through 

 the middle as a salt fish is usually cut, then give him three or four 

 scotches on the back with your knife, and broil him on charcoal or 

 wood-coal that are free from smoke, and all the time he is broiling 

 baste him with the best sweet butter, and a good store of salt 

 mixed with it ; and to this add a little tyme cut exceedingly small, 

 or bruised into butter. The cheven thus dressed has the watry 

 taste taken away for which so many except against him." 



The Ide. 



There is a species of carp somewhat resembling the chub, an 

 excellent engraving of which may be found in the first volume of 

 Mr. Yarrell's work on British Fishes, under the name of "the 

 Ide," being the Leuciscus idus of Cuvier. It is found chiefly in 

 the large rocky lakes of the Northern parts of the European con- 

 tinent, though, according to Mr. Stewart, one of these fish was 

 taken at the mouth of the river Nith, by the late Dr. Walker. It 

 is said to be a well flavoured fish ; its food the same as most other 

 of the carp species, the head resembles that of the chub, with a 

 remarkably blunt muzzle, the gape of the mouth wide for one of 

 the carp tribe, the irides of a straw colour, the pupils black. The 

 body is of a round bulky form like that of a grey mullet; the 

 scales are very large. The upper part of the body and the head 

 are of a dull bluish black, assuming a grey tint at the sides, grow- 

 ing gradually paler as it descends towards the belly, which is 

 white. The laterel line is curved in its descent from the upper 

 edge of the gill cover to the centre of the body, from whence it 

 runs straight to the tail. 



