144 NATURALISTS CABINET. 



Simplicity When in season. 



is deep but thin, and the back elevated; the side- 

 line bends much on the middle towards the belly, 

 and the tail is a little forked. 



This fish is found chiefly in deep still rivers, 

 where it is often seen in large shoals. In summer, 

 it frequents shallows near the tails of fords ; or 

 lies under banks among weeds, and shaded by 

 trees or herbage, especially where the water is 

 thick. As the winter approaches, these haunts 

 are changed for deep and si ill waters. 



The roach is so silly a fish that it has acquired 

 the name of the water-sheep, in contradistinc- 

 tion to the carp, which from its subtilty is term- 

 ed the water-fox. " Sound as a roach," is a pro- 

 verb that appears but indifferently founded. It 

 is, however, used by the French as well as by 

 us. 



The flesh of this fish, though reckoned very 

 wholesome, is in little esteem, from the great 

 quantity of bones. The roe, which is green and 

 boils rod, is remarkably good. Roach are in 

 season from Michaelmas to March, their scales 

 are then very smooth ; but when they are out of 

 season, these feel like the rough side of an oys- 

 ter-shell. Their fins are generally red, when the 

 animals are in perfection. They spawn towards 

 the latter end of May, producing, it is said, above 

 54,000 ova, and for three weeks after are un- 

 tvholesome. They begin to recover in July, but 

 it is Michaelmas before they are eatable. They 

 are said to be best in February or March. These 



