BARBEL. 19 



believe we lire able to trace it in another direction, and to 

 the loftiest stations in the kingdom. In the "Pictorial History 

 of England," (vol. ii, p. 254,) there are representations of a 

 repast, in the reign of Edward the Third, where a fish is 

 introduced, that I suppose to be a Perch; but in such a 

 manner as if it were intended to be eaten raw. In one of 

 these engravings a king is present; but only one of the 

 company holds a knife. He seems to be the carver; and there 

 is not a fork to be seen — that instrument being of much later 

 invention. In our own day it has been the custom in the west 

 of England to eat some kind of fish with the help of the fingers 

 only, — the only plate being a piece of bread. 



The usual length of this fish is about fifteen inches, but Mr. 

 Jenyns assigns to it two and three feet. Where however the 

 practice of fishing is so general, few individuals can escape so 

 as to reach their utmost size. The form is moderately length- 

 ened, rather narrow at the back, but not greatly compressed 

 at the sides. Body clothed with scales of moderate size; lips 

 fleshy, gape not wide, inferior, lower jaw shortest; no teeth, 

 except the usual pharyngeal teeth of this family. A pair of 

 conspicuous barbs above the upper lip, and one at each corner 

 of the mouth, from which it obtains its name. Eye rather small. 

 Lateral line along the middle of the side. Dorsal fin above 

 the ventrals, at about the middle of the length, having ten rays, 

 of which the second is the stoutest, and serrated; hindmost rays 

 shortest. Anal fin narrow, with seven rays. Tail forked. 

 Colour on the back greenish brown, or bluish; the sides inclined 

 to yellow, below white. Eye yellow; dorsal fin brown tinged 

 with red, as is the tail; anal fin and ventrals reddish. 



