A HISTORY OF BUCKINGHAMSHIRE 



TELEOSTEANS 



ACANTHOPTERYGII 

 I. Perch. Perca fluviati/is, Linn. 



These are among the most highly esteemed 

 of the fish found in the Thames, the Colne 

 and the Thame. They are most plentiful in 

 the first named river, but do not attain the 

 large weights which were not uncommon 

 some twenty years ago. The writer was 

 acquainted with two anglers, both dead now, 

 who had caught several perch weighing 3 

 Ib. in the Thames bordering Buckingham- 

 shire. At the present day a fish of 2 Ib. 

 is considered a remarkably fine specimen. 

 For edible purposes the perch of the Thames 

 take a high rank, and are considered by some 

 superior to Thames trout. There would 

 without doubt be ten times as many perch in 

 the Thames as there are if the numbers of 

 swans and tame ducks which are allowed to 

 be on the river during the spawning sea- 

 son could be materially reduced. Perch de- 

 posit their spawn on weeds and very near the 

 surface, where it lies an easy prey to water- 

 fowl. In the spawning season ducks may be 

 seen working up and down the banks of the 

 river devouring every ribbon of spawn which 

 has been deposited, and it is surprising under 

 the circumstances that perch have not been 

 wholly exterminated. 



2. Ruffe (Pope). Acerina cernua, Linn. 

 This fish is fairly common in the Thames. 



It is not specially fished for on account of its 

 small size, though it is a sweet little fish on 

 the table. 



3. Miller's Thumb (Bullhead). Cottus gebio, 



Linn. 



Wherever there is a clear flowing brook, 

 and in some parts of the Thames and its 

 larger tributaries, these fish are found. 



HEMIBRANCHII 



4. Three-spined Stickleback. Gastresteus acu- 



ieatus, Linn. 



This is a common fish in all the waters of 

 the county, particularly in the stagnant por- 

 tions of them. It is an extremely harmful 

 fish to have in rivers, and should be destroyed 

 wherever possible, as it feeds largely on the 

 fry of other fish. The writer has seen it 

 clear a globe full of bleak fry in the course of 

 a few minutes. 



5. Ten-spined Stickleback. Gastrosteus pungi- 



tius, Linn. 



This little fish is found in the county. 

 An instance was recorded in The Field on 



31 January, 1902, when the Rev. J. P. 

 Langley of Olney, north Bucks, stated that 

 he had captured a specimen and kept it in his 

 aquarium for some time. 



HAPLOMI 



6. Pike (Jack). Esox /ucius, Linn. 



The pike fishing in Buckinghamshire is 

 among the best in the kingdom, the Thames 

 yielding annually a very fair number of large 

 fish. Since trailing was abolished by the 

 Conservators at the request of the fishery 

 preservation associations pike have certainly 

 increased in numbers, but their average size 

 is not nearly so great as it was a quarter of a 

 century ago. In the Colne and Thame pike 

 are less numerous than in the Thames. 



OSTARIOPHYSI 



7. Carp. Cyprinus carpio, Linn. 



The Thames contains a few of these fish 

 which are caught occasionally. It is believed 

 that they have found their way into the river 

 by escaping from ponds and lakes during 

 floods. They are found in several private 

 sheets of water in the county, and grow to a 

 considerable size. 



8. Gudgeon. Gob'to fluviatilis, Flem. 



The Thames, particularly the portion in 

 Buckinghamshire, has long been noted for its 

 gudgeon fishing. It is practically the only 

 river where this little fish is systematically 

 angled for from punts. It is feared that 

 owing to over-fishing, and the injury done to 

 the eggs of the fish by the steam traffic, the 

 gudgeon has seriously decreased in num- 

 bers. Certainly not nearly so many are now 

 caught as was the case ten or fifteen years ago. 

 Thames gudgeon run to a large size, and are 

 highly esteemed as breakfast fish at Thames- 

 side hotels. 



9. Roach. Leuciscus rutilus. Linn. 



The roach of the Colne run to a consider- 

 able size, and are somewhat finer in their 

 proportions than those in the Thames. In 

 many ponds and lakes, and in the Thames, 

 Colne and Thame the fish are plentiful, and 

 many thousands are taken out by anglers in 

 the course of the year. Like all other Thames 

 fish they are strictly preserved during the 

 spawning season. 



10. Rudd. Leuciscus erythrophthalmus. Linn. 



It is doubtful whether any of these fish are 

 still to be found in the Thames, but they are 



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