36 THE DACE. 



this colour furnishes the readiest means of dis- 

 tinguishing it from its cousin the dace, hereafter to 

 be described, whose fins are white, or nearly so. 



We have mentioned "gentles" as the usual and 

 best bait for roach. These may be bought at any 

 tackle-shop, or from any fisherman ; but it may be 

 well to remark, that gentles are not all alike. There 

 are gentles and gentles. Not ex quovis cadavere 

 are the maggots on which the roach delighteth 

 to feed taken. "The sun," "kissing carrion," 

 may breed "maggots in a dead dog," but the 

 roach turns up his nose at them. Gentles are born 

 in bullock's liver, and when nearly full-grown 

 cradled in bran, which scours and sweetens them. 

 Sam, an intelligent young man who acts as my 

 fisherman, tells me they taste " sweetish : " I have 

 never tried them. 



THE DACE. 



The dace (fCyprinus leucisctts"} is not only a 

 near relation, but a companion and associate, of 

 the roach. Their habits and food are the same, 

 and it is very rarely that a good roach-swim does 

 not afford dace, and vice versa. We think, but 

 we are not sure, that the dace affects a somewhat 

 higher level in the water than the roach : the gud- 



