THE AZURINE. 127 



is pervaded by a brilliant reddish golden hue, of 

 which the tint varies with the fall of light. The 

 fins are of a cinnabar red colour, those of the back 

 and tail being more inclined towards reddish brown. 

 It is no doubt of this fish that Izaak Walton af- 

 firms " there is 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 the difference call them rudds : they differ 

 from the true roach as much as a herring from a 

 pilchard." We believe that both the rudd and 

 white bream have been by some regarded as hybrids, 

 but we agree with Mr. Yarrell in thinking that 

 the instances in which animals in a state of un- 

 constrained nature seek society (sexually) beyond 

 their own species, are extremely rare. Hybrids and 

 permanent varieties are the result of restriction and 

 domestication, and notwithstanding the opinion to 

 which Sir Humphrey Davy and other wise and 

 learned observers have leaivt, " I confess my doubts 

 of the existence of hybrid fishes. 1 '' 



THE AZURINE, OR BLUE ROACH.* 



This is another Lancashire species discovered 

 and described by Mr. Yarrell. ( It was transmitted 

 to that observant naturalist by Lord Derby, and 

 occurs in certain limited localities within the town- 



* Leuciscus cceruleus, Yarr. 



t Linn. Trans, vol. xvii. p. 8, and British Fisties, vol. i. p. 365. 



