160 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



fin commences considerably behind the line of the ventral 

 fins; and to this section belong three other British species, 

 the Azurine, the Bleak, and the Minnow. 



The Rudd is an exceedingly handsome fish, surpassing 

 in beauty of colouring all its congeners. The general hue 

 of the body is a reddish gold, varying according to the 

 light in which it is seen; the eyes and fins are tinted 

 different shades of crimson and scarlet; the cheeks and 

 gill-covers rich yellow, as also the sides and belly, though 

 less vivid; and the upper parts of the back and head 

 greenish blue. From these peculiarities of colouring, it is 

 needless to say, the Rudd derives its name. 



It has been supposed by some authors that this fish is 

 a hybrid between the Bream or Carp and the Roach. 

 Walton seems to have held this view. " There is," he 

 says, "a kind of bastard small Roach, that breeds in 

 ponds, with a very forked tail, and of a very small size, 

 which some say is bred by the Bream and right Roach; 

 and some ponds are stored with these beyond belief; and 

 knowing men that know their difference call them Ruds : 

 they differ from the true Roach as much as does a Herring 

 from a Pilchard. And these bastard Roach are now scat- 

 tered in many rivers, but, I think, not in the Thames." 

 Elsewhere he adds, " Some say that Breams and Roaches 

 will mix their eggs and milt together ; and so there is in 

 many places a bastard breed of Breams, that never come 

 to be very large or good, but are very numerous." The 

 species here referred to were no doubt the true Rudd 



