THE CHUB, RUDD, AND BLEAK. 101 



blueish red, and separated from the lighter 

 coloured parts below by a well- defined boun- 

 dary line. Cheeks and gill-covers silvery white, 

 with a tinge of yellow ; fins pale yellowish 

 white. Fin-rays, D 9. P 17. v 10. A 11. c 19. 



In the Thames, and most of our larger 

 rivers, where deep and quiet nooks afford it a 

 congenial retreat, the chub (Leuciscus cephalus) 

 is a common fish. It is shy and recluse in its 

 habits, and loves the shelter of willows, and 

 steep banks, which throw a shade over its lurk- 

 ing-place, so as to screen it from observation. 

 The chub is too well known to need de- 

 scription. 



Common in the Thames, and most of our 

 rivers, is the rudd, or red-eye, (Leuciscus ery- 

 thropthalmuSj) remarkable for the golden coppery 

 tint of its general surface, and the red colour of 

 the iris. 



Another common species is the bleak, (Leu- 

 ciscus alburnuSj) a silvery little fish, roving in 

 shoals ; and formerly in great request, (as were 

 also the roach and dace,) for converting small 

 hollow glass beads into imitations of pearl. 

 This was effected by lining their inside with 

 the beautiful silvery pigment which gives lustre 

 to the scales of fish ; this was procured by 

 steeping the scales, first carefully cleaned of 



