THE BAKBEL. 49 



fish that introduced me to old Izaak ? I trow it was ; and 

 well de I remember, although so many years have passed 

 away, how from that chub I devoured the work to the end. 



THE BARBEL (Cyprinus barbus). 



So named from the barbs or wattles that depend from 

 the sides of the mouth. It is a coarse, watery, flavourless, 

 bony fish, and of little value for the table, unless it be 

 used as stock for fish-soup. Albeit I have seen fishermen 

 eat them, first, however, splitting them down the back 

 and taking out the backbone. Barbel spawn in May or 

 June, and get into condition a"bout the end of July; 

 before which time, therefore, they ought to be spared by 

 the angler. Bottom-fishing commences on the Thames in 

 June, and numbers of barbel are often caught in that 

 month in a gravid state. I have seen them captured at 

 that time, when the spawn and milt was running from 

 them at the slightest pressure. They ought not to be 

 .fished for, for another month at least. The barbel is 

 gregarious, and is a widely distributed fish, being found 

 in abundance in many of the Continental rivers. It 

 abounds also in the Crimea. With us it is seldom found 

 to reach above sixteen pounds in weight ; but one of 

 twelve pounds, though not very uncommon, is not taken 

 every day. The barbel, from the size of its fins and its 

 powerful muscles, affords great sport, that sport being 

 much enhanced by the very fine tackle which is often em- 

 ployed in his capture ; and a day's good barbel-fishing 

 with fine float tackle, when the barbel are biting freely, is 

 not to be despised, for you may sometimes have fish of 

 eight, ten, and even twelve pounds weight, upon the finest 

 possible hook and tackle. 



There are two means employed for barbel-fishing by 

 float-fishing and by a stationary bait kept in its place by 







