THE BARBEL. 131 



Description. 



used (which should be with one on the hook to 

 swim a foot from the ground), in case of a bite, 

 strike immediately. A large carp upon taking 

 the bait, directly steers for the opposite side of 

 the pond or river. 



THE BARBEL. 



THIS fish, which is a native of all the south- 

 ern countries of Europe, is distinguished from 

 the other species of carp, by the projection of 

 the upper jaw beyond the lower, and by the 

 barbs or wattles at the mouth, from which it de- 

 rives its name in almost every language. In 

 form it very much resembles the pike. The 

 head is oblong, and terminates in a point. The 

 upper lip is strong, and the fish can project or 

 contract it at pleasure. The four beards are at- 

 tached to the upper jaw ; the two situated near 

 the end of it are shorter than the others. . The 

 scales are of a pale gold colour, edged with 

 black ; they adhere very firmly to the skin, and 

 according to Richter they exceed five thousand 

 in number. The colour of the back is a pale 

 olive, the belly is silvery, and proceeds without 

 protuberance nearly in a straight line, so that 

 when it reaches the bottom, the mouth at the 

 same time touches the ground. The back 

 is a little arched, from the middle of it rises 

 one dorsal fin with ten rays, of which the first is 

 R 2 



