64 BRITISH SPORTING FISHES. 



their possessor in obtaining its food in its dark 

 retreats. All anglers must have noticed that 

 the barbel is most active at morning and evening, 

 and it is at these times that the best takes are 

 had. At dusk they issue forth and usually plant 

 themselves where their retreat is narrowed, and 

 there wait for anything that is washed down. 

 When light comes, they make back to their dark 

 recess, and both feed less, and are more inactive 

 than during the night. In winter, barbel stay 

 almost wholly in their dark retreats, and get into 

 very low condition. Their ordinary food consists 

 of worms, the fry of coarse fish, and minute forms 

 of aquatic life generally. An enormous number 

 of eggs are deposited in May and June, and these 

 are jealously guarded by the parents. After the 

 spawn is thrown down, both male and female 

 work assiduously in covering it with sand ; this is 

 done for protective reasons, and as the work is 

 progressing, the spawners drive away every fish 

 that dares to venture near. The eggs are hatched 

 in about a fortnight, and if the weather be warm, 

 the fry are soon able to shift for themselves. 

 The barbel sometimes attains to ten pounds in 

 weight, and one of fifteen pounds is known to 

 have been taken. The barbules on the head of 

 the fish detract somewhat from its personal ap- 

 pearance, but it is, withal, fairly handsome. The 



