CARP AND TENCH. 97 



mud, or under roots, hollows and weeds, and at 

 this time they are hardly ever to be taken with a 

 bait. In the summer the former species frequently 

 lie sucking in the weeds, in a sort of lazy state, 

 each suck making a very distinct and unmistakable 

 noise. When not sucking or basking, Carp usually 

 swim about in shoals near the surface of the water, 

 returning to the bottom to feed. 



The Tench spawns, with some variations, about 

 the middle of June, or according to Willoughby, 

 when wheat is in blossom ; Carp usually com- 

 mencing a little earlier, according to the temperature 

 of the water and forwardness of the season. They 

 deposit their spawn upon and amongst weeds, and 

 are supposed to continue the process for a longer 

 period than any other fresh-water fish, indeed 

 sometimes throughout the entire summer. 



Although by no means rarely found in rivers, 

 Carp and Tench are very rarely caught there, and 

 then, according to my experience, it is not when 

 they are being fished for. Indeed fishing for 

 either of these species is at the best but uncertain 

 work, and in the case of rivers usually wholly 

 unprofitable. 



