THE ROACH. 35 



as bait for the pike (of which hereafter). We 

 have tried him in all ways fried, boiled, broiled, 

 water-souched each successive mode worse than 

 the last. We never tasted it, but we conceive that, 

 like Caesar and Pompey, paper-pulp flavoured 

 with mud, and roach must be very much alike 

 especially roach ; but, like " P. P.'s" phlebotomy, 

 he may do for " the poor." * 



The general weight of the roach taken in the 

 Thames is from two ounces to a pound ; but we 

 have heard of them as large as three pounds. The 

 biggest I ever took was a little over a pound 

 and a half. The roach is on the whole a game 

 fish, and capable of considerable resistance to 

 any proposal for transporting him from his native 

 element. The extraordinary fineness of the tackle 

 used renders this, in the case of a large fish, a 

 work of some difficulty ; and we do not hesitate 

 to say that a really good roach-angler is capable 

 of any other species of fishing, and if opportunity 

 offered, would excel in it. 



The generic (scientific) name of the roach is 

 " Cyprinus rutihis" It spawns, as stated, early in 

 the summer, and, like most of the family, is very 

 prolific. The fins are red (hence " fittiluf*) ; and 



* " But to bleed adventured I not, except the poor." SWIFT, 

 " Adventures of P. P., Clerk of this Parish" 



