61 



AZUKINE. 



BLUE ROACH. 



Leuciscus Cairuleus, Yarrell; Trans. Linnean Soc, vol. 17, p. 8. 



British Fishes, vol. i, p. 416. 

 Cyprinus CcBruleus, Jenyns; Manual, p. 413. 



The Azurine, or, as it is locally called, the Blue Roach, is 

 so far a scarce fish that it was unknown to naturalists until it 

 was examined by Mr. Yarrell; and so much concerning it as 

 that gentleman was able to describe was inserted in a paper 

 published in the Linnrean Transactions, as above referred to. 

 It appears, however, according to Agassiz, to be an inhabitant 

 of some of the lakes of Switzerland, and I have reason to 

 believe that I have obtained it from some other river of 

 England besides that which is mentioned by Mr. Yarrell, but 

 of which I omitted to take a note. The only foundation for 

 doubt is, that while the shape of the body and the situation 

 of the dorsal fin is the same with Mr. Yarrell's figure, the rays 

 of that fin do not exactly correspond; and after a long con- 

 veyance the colour of the back was dark umber, pale yellow 

 on the sides, and cheeks yellow. It is deemed best therefore 

 to have recourse to a coloured figure of this, which was a gift 

 from its first describer at the time when it was announced as 

 a newly-known species. Its habits are said to be much like 

 those of the Chub; and especially it is highly retentive of 

 life. 



In shape this fish resembles the Rudd; but as regards colour 

 it is distinguished by having the upper part of the head, the 

 back, and sides, a slate blue, passing into silvery below, and 

 both shining with a metallic lustre; whereas in the Rudd the 

 lower part of the body is a golden yellow. In the last-named fish 



