DACE. 353 



ABDOMINAL 



MALACOPTERYGII. CYPRIN1D&. 



THE DACE, DARE, OR DART. 



Leuciscus vulgans, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 275. 



,, ,, Dace, FLEM. Brit. An. p. 187, sp. 63. 



Cvpri/n/s leuciscus, LINN.T.US. BLOCK, pt. iii. pi. 97. 



,, Dace, PENN. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 483. 



,, ,, ,, DON. Brit. Fish. pi. 77. 



THE DACE and the Roach are somewhat allied in their 

 habits, and a little so in their appearance ; but the former 

 is not so plentiful as the latter, nor is it so generally dis- 

 persed, being comparatively more local. The Dace inhabits 

 Italy, France and Germany, and in this country is found 

 in the deep and clear water of quiet streams. Its food is 

 worms and other soft substances ; but, like the Trout, it 

 will occasionally rise at an artificial fly, and it is frequently 

 taken by fly-fishers while whipping for that fish. The 

 Dace is gregarious, swimming in shoals, and spawning in 

 June. The flesh is considered preferable to that of the 

 Roach, but is not generally in much estimation : it seldom 

 exceeds nine or ten inches in length. The Dace is fre- 

 quently used as bait for Pike in trolling, on account of its 



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