FISHES 



streams in the north part according to Mr. 

 G. S. Tye. 



HAPLOMI 



7. Pike. Esox lucius, Linn. 



Common and indeed abundant in all the 

 larger streams. It occurs in many ponds and 

 canals where it has without doubt been intro- 

 duced, as for instance in the pools in Sutton 

 Park. Mr. J. Steele Elliott speaks of it as 

 abundant at the latter place. 



OSTARIOPHYSI 



8. Carp. Cyprinus carpio, Linn. 



Very rare in the Avon and not recorded 

 by Mr. G. S. Tye as occurring in the Tame 

 or Anker. According to that authority how- 

 ever it has been found in the Plants Brook 

 reservoir, and Mr. J. Steele Elliott speaks of 

 it as numerous in the pools in Sutton Park. 

 It also occurs in many other similar places in 

 the county. 



9. Crucian Carp. Cyprinus carassius, Linn. 

 Stated by Mr. G. S. Tye to be not un- 



uncommon in small cattle pits in the county. 



10. Gudgeon. Gobio fluviatilis, Flem. 

 Very numerous in all the principal streams, 



spawning in shoals in stony places where 

 there is a rapid flow of water. 



1 1 . Roach. Leuciscus rutilus, Linn. 

 Abundant in all the larger streams. It 



seeks the fibrous roots of willows on which 

 to deposit its spawn, which is consumed in 

 quantity by the broad-nosed eel, as fishermen 

 well know who take the eels in wicker put- 

 chins at such places. 



Up to the present time there is no recorded 

 occurrence of the Rudd, Leuciscus erythroph- 

 thalmus, in Warwickshire ; though as a known 

 Worcestershire fish its presence in the former 

 county might be expected. 



12. Dace. Leuciscus dobu/a, Linn. 

 Common in the Avon and its feeders. 



Though occurring in the Trent, there is no 

 record of its frequenting the Tame or Anker. 

 The fish mentioned in Yarrell's History of 

 British Fishes as having been found by Mr. 

 W. Thompson in the Learn at Leamington 

 under the name of 'graining' is nothing more 

 than a light coloured dace, such as may be 

 taken from the Stour near Stratford and from 

 the Arrow near Alcester. 



13. Chub. Leuciscus cepha/us, Linn. 

 Found in all the considerable streams as 



well as in the canals all over the county. It 



is not however mentioned by Mr. J. Steele 

 Elliott as occurring in the pools in Sutton 

 Park. 



14. Minnow. Leuciscus phoxinus, Linn. 

 Formerly very abundant in the small streams 



and brooks, though never numerous in the 

 larger streams such as the Avon, but now less 

 common everywhere. Said by Mr. G. S. Tye 

 to be ' common in many streams ' around 

 Birmingham, that is in 1886. 



15. Tench. Tinea vu/garis, Cuv. 

 Common in pools but very rare in the 



rivers, and quite unknown in the small 

 streams. 



1 6. Bream. Abramis brama, Linn. 

 Common in the Avon, frequenting the 



deep parts and keeping in shoals. More 

 abundant than formerly, but not mentioned 

 as having been taken from the Anker or 

 Tame, and is not known to appear in the 

 smaller streams generally. Its existence in 

 ponds such as those in Sutton Park must be 

 the result of introduction. 



The hybrid between this and the next 

 species, known as Pomeranian bream, Abramis 

 huggenhagi, Bloch, also occurs. More than 

 half a century since the present writer, when 

 roach fishing in the Avon near Welford, occa- 

 sionally took a small fish which seemed to 

 agree with the specific details of the present 

 fish as given in Yarrell's History of British 

 Fishes. Specimens having been taken to Mr. 

 Yarrell were stated by him to be examples of 

 the Pomeranian bream, which specific deter- 

 mination was afterwards confirmed by Dr. 

 Gunter, to whom specimens were sent. It 

 was never found in any numbers in the Avon, 

 one or two being taken in a large catch of 

 roach and other white fish either by fishermen 

 in nets or by anglers. Subsequently however 

 to the above mentioned time great numbers 

 were found in the ancient fishponds and stews 

 at Temple Grafton. As those excavations were 

 connected with a small brook, and through it 

 with the Avon, it has been suggested that 

 these small fish had been introduced into the 

 fishponds, and that individuals had escaped by 

 the brook into the Avon. It would however 

 be most unlikely that so valueless a fish would 

 be brought to the fishponds, and the supposi- 

 tion that it had ascended to them from the 

 Avon seems to be a more probable explana- 

 tion. Certain it is that it was there in abun- 

 dance and was supposed by the people of the 

 village to be the young of the carp. 



The first English specimen was obtained 

 at Dagenham, on the Thames, which river, 



185 



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