AND OF STILL WATERS. 89 



many swallowed alive." Whether this belief 

 has scientific sanction is not added ; but it 

 is on record that Mdme. de Genlis, one day out 

 fishing with some companions, on being accused 

 by them of being a " fine Paris lady," sud- 

 denly seized a freshly-caught gudgeon, and 

 swallowed it alive, exclaiming, " This will show 

 whether I am a fine Paris lady ! " We can 

 only hope that her friends were sufficiently con- 

 vinced. 



Gudgeon are pretty widely distributed over 

 Europe ; and in most of the rivers of England 

 and Ireland are found in abundance. In 

 Scotland it is not known, and only of recent 

 years has it been found in Cornwall or the 

 western portion of Devonshire. In France it is 

 immensely esteemed for the table, two francs 

 and upwards a pound being given for it in the 

 country towns. Mr. Manley says that Thames 

 fishermen can always get for gudgeon a half- 

 penny apiece at the waterside hotels on the 

 Upper Thames, where the experience of riparians 

 has taught them to appreciate the edible charms 

 of gobio. The best gudgeon for eating are 



