BARBEL, DACE, AND GUDGEON. 65 



upper parts are copper-green, having a decided 

 bronze lustre ; under parts white, irides golden 

 yellow ; and the mouth a reddish flesh-colour. A 

 medial line runs along the body. In certain rivers 

 the barbel is fairly abundant, though from the 

 nature of its haunts, its distribution is somewhat 

 local. 



The dace must not be omitted from our list of 

 sporting fishes. It shuns polluted streams, as also 

 those with quickly flowing water ; and is found in 

 greatest abundance in rivers that have deep, clear 

 pools. It will rise to the fly, and in this way 

 quite good takes are often to be had when the 

 fish are feeding upon winged food. Dace more 

 than other fish love to wanton in the streams 

 which they haunt, especially in warm weather. 

 They swim in shoals, and if observed with the 

 sun upon them present quite a pretty sight. 

 Ever and anon one of them turns its silvery sides 

 uppermost, and sometimes the stream seems to 

 flash with their silver. Buckland has said : " The 

 dace has the vivacity of the bleak and the swagger 

 of the chub, and that therefore it requires some little 

 attention to catch him." This is quite true, unless 

 he is in the humour to be caught which is seldom. 

 He may easily be netted, however, but netting in 

 this connection generally savours of poaching. 

 Except roach, no fish makes such bait for pike, 



