116 ANGLING. 



nine colder he stirs not much, bite at a flag-worm, 

 or at a green gentle : but can positively say no 

 more of the tench, he being a fish that I have not 

 often angled for; but I wish my honest scholar 

 may, and be ever fortunate when he fishes." 



The general colour of this species is a deep yel- 

 lowish brown, frequently assuming a fine golden 

 hue. Its usual length is from twelve to fourteen 

 inches, but instances are known of its reaching 

 three feet. In winter it conceals itself in mud, 

 and seems during that season to fall into a kind of 

 torpidity. Its ova are very minute, of a green 

 colour, and so numerous that nearly 300,000 have 

 been found in a single female of not more than 

 four pounds in weight. The tench is very exten- 

 sively distributed, occurring over a great portion 

 of the globe. In Scotland, however, it is only an 

 imported species. Its flesh is not much esteemed, 

 being soft, insipid, and by no means easy of diges- 

 tion. It is extremely tenacious of life. 





THE BREAM, OR CARP BREAM.* 



This fish breeds both in deep slow-running rivers, 



* Abramis brama, Cuv. 



