THE BREAM. 73 



CHAPTER III. 

 B T TOM-F1SHIN G continued. 



THE BREAM THE CARP THE TENCH THE BBL THB PERCH 

 PATERNOSTERINO, ETC. 



THE BREAM (Cyprinu* branui). 



OF this lubberly carp there are two kinds known to 

 anglers the carp or golden bream and the bream-flat or 

 silver bream. The former is by far the best fish both for 

 size and quality, the latter being of no particular value for 

 the table, and not reaching any great size, seldom ex- 

 ceeding one pound. The bream is very widely distributed, 

 and is found alike in rivers, ponds, and lakes. In rivers 

 it prefers quiet, deep holes, with a loamy or sandy bottom. 

 The deepest holes in ponds are likewise those preferred. 

 The bream spawns about the latter end of May, and takes 

 some time to recover condition. Bream are gregarious, 

 swimming in large shoals, and, when inclined to feed, vast 

 numbers of them may be taken ; as, although somewhat of 

 a nibbler, yet if time is given to him, the bream will 

 almost always take the bait in the end. If the angler does 

 not know, but is desirous to find out the whereabouts of a 

 bream haunt in the river, let him watch the likely spots 

 early and late, and he will see one every now and then 

 prime or rise up like a large roach ; but, from some 

 peculiarity, the bream, when it does this, almost always 

 leaves a large bubble on the surface, which the roach does 



