CHAPTER XI. 



THE GUDGEON. 



THE gudgeon (Gobio fluviatilis) belongs strictly to a sub-genus of the 

 Cyprinidse family, and differs from the barbel chiefly by reason of the 

 absence of the bony spine to be found in the dorsal fin of the latter. 

 The full characteristics are as follow : Body elongated in shape, very 

 nearly resembling that of the barbel; length of head as 1 to 5 in 

 proportion to total length of body ; depth of body less than length of 

 head ; upper jaw longest, as in all fish taking their food from the 

 bottom. Soft, toothless, leathery mouth. Throat-teeth in two rows on 

 each side, numbering three and five each, sometimes varying, however ; 

 shape of teeth, tapering and curved at tips ; scales not large ; one barb 

 at each side of mouth ; deeply forked tail fin, double air bladder. Colour : 

 upper part of head, back, and sides generally olive brown, spotted with 

 black, sometimes much lighter, however, according to season and soil ; 

 belly white ; pectoral, ventral, and anal fins nearly white, tinged with 

 brown ; back fin and tail mottled brown. The fins' rays are almost 

 invariably as follows : Dorsal 9, pectoral 15, anal 7, ventral 8, caudal 

 19. The gudgeon spawn in April or May amongst stones and other 

 comparatively clean debris in shallow water. I have never caught 

 a gudgeon above lOin. in length. The one I took of that size was from 

 the Colne. Pennant, however, speaks of one which was taken near 

 TJxbridge weighing a pound. It is said, but with what degree of truth I 

 am unable to state, that male gudgeon ave outnumbered to the extent of 

 six to one by the weaker sex. The fish is very prolific. The food of 

 the gudgeon is various, and is obtained from amongst the stones and 

 gravel on which it is continually found hovering. Fresh- water crustaceans 

 and other animalcules are the chief sustenance of the little fish, and the 

 bloodworm is caviare both as a bait and ordinary every-day food when 

 obtainable. Gudgeon, when kept in an aquarium, should be fed on these 



