742 



THE NATURE BOOK 



the Trout is due to their feeding upon 

 immature Rudd. Around Ellesmere, in 

 Shropshire, Rudd breed in several pools. 

 They are not natives of the Thames, but 

 some hundreds of the species were turned 

 into the river a year or so ago in the 

 neighbourhood of Weybridge. 



The existence of old Rudd ponds in 

 several parts of England seems to pro^•e 

 that our forefathers reared Rudd as they 

 reared Carp, and kept them in "stews" 

 or preserves. It is probable that these 

 ancestors of ours knew some trick of 

 cookery which could make Rudd a pre- 

 sentable fish on the table. Nowadays, 

 Rudd are not esteemed as delicacies. 



Rudd spawn at about the same time of 

 the year as Roach. They feed on the 

 bottom as well as upon surface food, but 

 in frosty weather they probably dive into 

 the mud and remain inert. Rudd in the 

 Broads may be seen in bright sunshine, 

 swimming among the stems of the water- 

 lilies, though it is not always easy to 

 conceal oneself from the eyes of the fish. 

 Mr. F. G. Aflalo states that Rudd kept 

 in captivity have been known to feed on 

 small minnows, but it is very doubtful 

 whether they are predatory when living 

 in freedom. 



Rudd are the prey of Pike and Perch, 



and herons capture a few now and then 

 on the shallows. They roam in the 

 summer, and apparently travel two or 

 three times during the day around some 

 of the Broads, for troops of Rudd may be 

 seen frequently passing a given point. 

 In the Kessingland Stream I have noted 

 that Rudd and Roach swim together in 

 shoals in hot weather. 



Rudd, in my own experience, are less 

 shy than Roach, and more apt to expose 

 themselves to observation in shallow 

 waters. They are, however, fairly shrewd 

 in meres that are much frequented by 

 fishermen. The haunts of Rudd in the 

 east of England are associated in one's 

 mind with beautiful corners of quiet 

 Bi'oads, where the water-lilies expand 



their pure petals of 

 flash to and fro, 

 meadowsweet deck 

 sedge warbler's note 



white, the swallows 

 the loosestrife and 

 the bank, and the 

 is heard among the 



tall, gently waving reeds. It is pleasant 

 to recline in the boat and to watch the 

 denizens of the clear, shallow water, that 

 swim now and then within sight. And at 

 sunset, when the Broad is lit with gold and 

 crimson, one may see the big Rudd rising 

 here and there at the dancing flies that 

 touch the water with fairy feet. 



Walter M. Gallichax. 



/ 



> 5.;^ ^\ 



A KUDD MERE. 



