THE FLY FISHER'S GUIDE. 77 



THE GRAINING. 



It is rather remarkable that this fish has 

 escaped the notice of all our naturalists, except 

 Mr. Pennant ; and it is not less extraordinary, 

 that it should be found only in the rivers con- 

 nected with the Mersey, in Lancashire. Mr. 

 Pennants observations on this fish, extracted 

 from his "Journey to Scotland," vol. i., p. 11, 

 are here subjoined : 



" In the Mersey, near Warrington (and in the 

 river Alt, which runs by Sephton, Lancashire, 

 into the Mersey, near Formby), a fish, called the 

 graining, is taken, which in some respects resem- 

 bles the dace ; yet it is a distinct, and perhaps 

 new species. The usual length is seven inches 

 and a half, and it is rather more slender than the 

 dace : the body is almost straight, that of the 

 other incurvated : the colour of the scales in this 

 is silvery, with a bluish cast those of the dace 

 have a yellowish or greenish tinge : the eyes, the 



