THE HABITS AND HAUNTS OF FISH. 37 



matter. These fish spawn in May and the early part of June. 

 When thus ill-conditioned they are particularly rough to 

 the touch. Their ova is deposited amongst the roots of 

 weeds or upon some projecting or submerged substance 

 there may be in the bottom of the water. The length 

 of a full-sized, well-conditioned roach ranges from ten 

 to twelve inches; but, being a broad and thick-set fish, 

 the weight is greater than its length would indicate. 

 Upon some waters, a fish of this description, measuring 

 ten inches, will generally scale about three-quarters of a 

 pound. They are of marvellously slow growth, as com- 

 pared with other fish of the same order. The roach is 

 not esteemed as an article of diet. 



DACE, DAEE, OR DART.* These fish are gregarious, 

 and are common in our clear streams, especially in the 

 south. They frequent slow running waters, where they 

 feed upon the larvse of insects, worms, etc., and towards 

 September rise well at the fly, and are to be readily taken. 

 There are other species of what are designated coarse fish 

 that rise at the fly, such as the perch, chub, and pike, 

 but these are not nearly so partial to surface feeding as 

 dace. Though these fish generally prefer clear water, 

 they are found plentiful in the polluted portions of large 

 rivers. Their spawning time is April and May. Dace 

 will flourish wherever trout abound, which fish they re- 

 semble in their general habits. They seldom reach more 

 than fourteen ounces in weight. Though common to 

 running waters, they will flourish in still pools and ponds. 

 The same observation may be applied with equal truth 

 to the 



* The daces proper of our waters are of small size and are used mainly 

 for bait. The names chub, fallfish, roach and dace are often applied to 

 one and the same fish, and this custom is apt to mislead the American 

 reader of the text. The dace is a favorite fish with *he British anglers 

 as they take the fly during the fall months and iii December and 

 January. 



