PRACTICAL LESSONS IN THE GENTLE CRAFT. 513 



looked upon as likely habitats for the "flat, unwieldy 

 bream," but it does not follow that there he will be 

 invariably found, for some of the largest fish of this tribe 

 are taken in the Thames immediately in the boil and rapid 

 water of a heavy weir fall. The river just mentioned, the 

 Thames, holds plenty of bream at certain places, and there 

 can be little doubt that the fish attain a very large size. I 

 have taken them myself close upon 6 Ibs., and I have heard 

 of them being landed considerably heavier. Halliford, 

 Shepperton, Weybridge and Penton Hook, of the higher 

 sections, and Teddington and Kingston of the lower parts 

 of the river, are all famous bream waters. The Mole again, 

 from its rise to the point where it empties itself into the 

 Thames, nearly opposite Hampton Court Palace, and the 

 Wey, are both celebrated for their abundant supply, while 

 the Medway, at many of its stations, gives the bottom fisher 

 plenty of sport with large specimens of this class. Then 

 further afield, the Ouse, throughout its entire length, is full 

 of them ; and the Yare, and the contiguous " broads " of 

 Norfolk literally swarm with bream ; while the Trent, at 

 some places, produces large supplies for the Birmingham and 

 Sheffield Angler's delectation. Close home, the Lea holds 

 a few fish in its waters, but they are rarely angled for 

 properly, and hence rarely caught ; three fish, however, may 

 be seen at Mr. Benningfield's house, the Crown, at Brox- 

 bourne, which were taken by Mr. Bradlaugh at Carthagena 

 Weir fruits of philosophy and good angling combined ; 

 these three specimen fish weighing together 21 Ibs. Then, 

 quite recently, a gentleman, whose name I at the moment 

 forget, but who is, or was, attached to the Conservancy 

 Board of the Lea, caught a splendid bream close upon 9 Ibs. ; 

 so that it proves that if they are not as plentiful as black- 

 berries in this river, they run large at any rate. The Surrey 



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