74 ART OF ANGLING. 



GUDGEON. 



THE Gudgeon is principally an inhabitant of 

 the smaller gentle rivers, especially those with 

 gravelly bottoms ; it generally measures from 

 four to six inches, with a thick roundish body. 

 Its usual colour is pale olive brown above, 

 slightly spotted with black ; the sides silvery, 

 and the belly white ; the scales are of a middle 

 size ; the fins of a pale yellowish brown, and 

 the tail of a similar colour, spotted with black ; 

 the upper jaw rather longer than the lower, and 

 furnished on each side with a shortish beard. 



The Gudgeon is observed to reside princi- 

 pally at the bottom of the streams which it fre- 

 quents, and it is usual with anglers to rake the 

 bottom at intervals, by which means these fish 

 are assembled in small shoals, expecting on the 

 raising of the mud, a supply of their favourite 

 food, such as small worms and water-insects. 



It generally spawns in May, and is observed 

 not to deposit all its eggs at once, but at dis- 

 tant periods, so that the spawning time lasts 

 near a month ; it is a very prolific species. As 

 a table-fish it is in high estimation, being of a 

 delicate flavour, and considered as not greatly 

 inferior to the Smelt. 



The Gudgeon, in the summer months, is to 

 be found in light gliding streams ; but from 



