44 BARBEL AND BREAM. 



CHAPTER VII. 



BAEBEL AND BEEAM. 



fHE Barbel, when well grown and in season, is a very 

 handsome, noble looking fish, of a golden olive-brown 

 on the back, and a silvery white belly. The scales are 

 placed in very exact order ; the fins are of a pinky 

 colour except the dorsal one which is darker, as is also the 

 tail, being tinged with purple and of a forked shape, the 

 upper part being curved over to a sharp point and very 

 strong \ with this it is able to defend itself and often to break 

 the tackle. Barbel occasionally attain a weight of eighteen 

 to twenty pounds, but these are very rare occurrences and one 

 of twelve pounds is considered very large. The head is 

 somewhat pointed, with sharp cunning eyes and four wattles 

 or barbs under the mouth from which he is supposed to take 

 -his name. The mouth is situated underneath, enabling him 

 to suck the worm from the ground ; the lips consist of a fleshy 

 substance which he can contract or protrude at pleasure, the 

 teeth being in the throat. 



They spawn in April and May ; the best months in which 

 to angle for them being July, August and September. Their 

 general haunt is in the deep part of rapid steams. At the 

 end of scouers in mill ponds, and under overhanging banks, 

 they may be seen during the summer routing up the sand 

 and gravel with their noses like pigs. Ephemera justly re- 

 marks that he is "a lazy, wallowing gentleman, and the 

 Launcelot Gobbo, of the subaqueous pantries and cellars. 

 The sound of the smacking of his lips tells you how fond 

 he is of a good morsel. He acknowledges its receipt by 

 the best music he can make, and yet what a shame it is 

 that food should be thrown away upon him. So it is, 

 however, and let him swallow good things ever so swiftly, let 



