BARBEL — GUDGEON— ROA CH 



35 1 



abandoned for sandy or gravelly shallows during the rest of the year. The stone- 

 gudgeon (67. uranoscopus), which has fairly large scales, and the dorsal fin in a 

 line with the pelvic pair, resembles the common species in its receding mouth and two 

 barbels. It inhabits the tributaries of the Danube, and some of those of the upper 

 Vistula, and is generally of a lighter colour than the common gudgeon, with cross- 

 bands instead of spots on its back, and one or two rows of spots on its tins. 



Another genus is typified by the roach {Leuciscus rutilus), one i 'I' 

 the best known fish of central and northern Europe. Early in May 

 every year shoals of roach leave Loch Lomond and ascend the tributaries for 

 breeding purposes. The migration lasts for two or three days, and during its 

 continuance no trout are ever caught by the angler owing to their gorging 

 themselves with roach-roe. The same thing occurs in many other lakes, and in the 



Roach. 



^ yflasaS^ g^--":- 





* -»■- 



THE GUDGEON. 



opinion of some anglers the females go first in separate shoals, the males 

 following after the former have shed their spawn in order to effect its impregnation. 

 Water-rats and herons, kingfishers, and other fish-eating birds prey upon roach 

 voraciously at this period. Roach are gregarious, and may often be found among 

 a shoal of barbel, especially if the latter be small ; the most compact shoals are, 

 however, met with during the winter, when they are in the best condition. 



No species is more popular amongst float-fishers, but a river-roach, like that of 

 the Thames, Colne, or Trent, is not to be caught by any tyro. " He has." writes Mr. 

 Stanley, " his times and seasons, his offs and ons, and the generally capriciousness 

 of the scaly tribes, being subject to all kinds of atmospheric and terrestrial 

 influences, which affect both the time and manner of his taking the bait. 

 Moreover, roach of a much-fished river, like the Thames, are highly educated and 

 are pretty wide awake to the fisherman's proceedings — the fixing of the punt, the 



