FISHES 



produced very remarkable trout, remarkable, that is to say, having 

 regard to the size of the little stream. The fish, which have a high 

 reputation among owners of trout streams, have been sent to various 

 parts of the kingdom, and many have been turned into the Thames. 



It is a matter to be proud of that Buckinghamshire produces, so far 

 as it is a riparian county, some of the finest river trout of Great Britain ; 

 for those found in the Thames are far superior to those bred in any other 

 home river, and to find their rivals or superiors we have to go to the 

 great rivers of the antipodes which have been stocked by eggs sent out 

 from England and Scotland, or to some of our great lakes. Another 

 feature of the county connected with fish life is the large barbel which 

 are found in the Thames. These fish are, on the other hand, almost 

 absent from the Ouse ; we say ' almost ' because they have only been 

 introduced there within living memory and are still scarce. But the 

 slow flowing river produces huge shoals of bream, which are wanting 

 in most parts of the Thames, and are only found in any quantities in the 

 lower waters. Some have been introduced in the neighbourhood of 

 Henley, and there are indications of an increase in the upper Thames. 

 Now and again one is caught by an angler not fishing specially for them. 



Next to the Thames the most important river in Buckinghamshire 

 is its tributary the Colne, which produces exceptionally large roach, dace 

 and chub, and beautifully marked trout, all being noted for the excel- 

 lence of their condition. The feeding for fish in the Colne is, as a 

 matter of fact, somewhat superior to that in the Thames ; but pollutions 

 from paper mills and other sources have unfortunately much injured this 

 fine tributary river. 



Tench are comparatively common in the Thames, but are not often 

 caught by the angler. Now and again carp are taken, but these are 

 probably scarce. They are more of a lake than a river fish, both they and 

 the tench usually attaining considerable size. The rainbow trout (Salmo 

 irideus] has been placed in the Thames and in a few private sheets of 

 water ; in these latter it flourishes exceedingly well, grows rapidly and is 

 excellent on the table. What its future will be so far as the Thames is 

 concerned it is impossible at present to say. In many rivers where it 

 has been placed it has forthwith disappeared, but the experiments with 

 it have not been carried out on a large scale. Owing to its being a rapid 

 grower and enormous eater it sometimes travels in search of food far 

 from the place where it was turned in, and like the brown trout of some 

 rivers it gradually drops down to the sea. There is such a large quantity 

 of food in Buckinghamshire's chief river that we may hope this very 

 beautiful fish will be satisfied with Father Thames's commissariat, and 

 remain with us. The fish is a native of the United States, and is closely 

 related to the steelhead salmon. It may be known by its being for the 

 most part a silvery fish covered with a very large number of small spots, 

 while along its lateral line is a broad translucent rose-coloured band. 



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