94 BRITISH FISH AND FISHERIES. 



eggs in the gravel. Though very shy, they 

 are said to be extremely sportive, darting with 

 the .utmost ease up the most rapid current, 

 Worms, the larvae of insects, and small fishes, 

 are their ordinary food, and they love to lurk 

 among weeds, digging in the mud with their * 

 nose, probably in quest of prey. On the 

 approach of winter they seek the deeper parts 

 of the river, and shelter themselves in holes 

 under the bank, or the wood-work of locks, 

 dams, or weirs, and similar situations. In 

 severely cold weather, they sink into a state of 

 partial torpidity, and may be captured by 

 means of a landing-net, without attempting to 

 escape. 



The colour of the barbel above is olive 

 brown, passing into yellowish green on the 

 sides ; the gill-covers are tinged with bronze, 

 the fins of the lower parts are flesh colour. 



Among the smaller fishes of our sandy ; or 

 gravelly streams and rivers, we may notice that 

 pretty little fish the gudgeon, which, were its 

 size equal to the delicacy of its flesh, would be 

 in considerable request. As it is, numbers are 

 taken in nets by the Thames fishermen, and 

 kept alive in well-boats for sale. They may 

 also be frequently seen alive in stone or leaden 

 tanks in the shops of the fishmongers. 



