A HISTORY OF WORCESTERSHIRE 



to say. Since 1678 barbel, if it existed then, has become extinct in 

 the Severn. The list is clearly not exhaustive, as no mention is made of 

 perch, ruffe, dace, roach. The Act makes it illegal to kill elvers or young 

 eels, a provision which was repealed and is now only partly re-enacted. 



It will be seen from the following list, which represents the fishes 

 of Worcestershire at the present time, that out of the thirty-five English 

 freshwater forms thirty are met within the streams of the county. There 

 is no modern record of the barbel being a Severn fish, and although 

 common in the Trent it cannot get into the upper tributaries of that 

 river in Worcestershire from the Birmingham pollutions ; the same cause 

 stops the burbot. The Crucian carp has never been introduced into the 

 county. There are no lakes, so no lacustrine fish such as the char. 



TELEOSTEANS 



ACANTHOPTERYGII 



1. Perch. Perca fluviatilhy Linn. 



Found commonly in the Severn, Teme, 

 Avon, Salwarp, and most of the brooks, but 

 not nearly in such numbers as formerly. In 

 some large pools, such as Pirton and Sharply, 

 there are a considerable quantity, but the 

 Perch must be regarded as one of the 

 forms decreasing in number in the county. 



2. Ruffe [Pope, Daddy Ruffe, Boar Pig]. 



Acerina cernua, Linn. 

 A very common, perhaps the commonest, fish 

 in the Severn and in the lower parts of all the 

 tributaries. It is steadily increasing in numbers. 



3. Miller's Thumb [Bullhead, Cull]. Cottm 



gobio, Linn. 

 Although not often seen, unless specially 

 looked for, this is a very common form in 

 most streams. It hides under stones and 

 roots in the day-time, and seems to feed 

 mostly at night. 



ANACANTHINI 



4. Flounder. Pleuronectes fiesus, Linn. 

 This fish used to ascend the Severn in 



considerable numbers, and to be very com- 

 monly taken by anglers using a worm, but 

 since the erection of the navigation weirs at 

 Tewkesbury and Gloucester, its numbers have 

 fallen off considerably, probably because it is 

 only able to surmount these obstacles at high 

 tides. There are still a good many in the 

 Teme between the mouth and Powick Weir. 



HEMIBRANCHII 



5. Three-spined Stickleback. Gastrostcus 



aculeatui, Linn. 

 Common in most of the ditches and back- 



waters, but not often noticed, as when in the 

 water they are put down as minnows or young 

 fish. Probably most of those in Worcestershire 

 are the smooth-tailed form (G. liwrus, Cuv.). 



6. Ten - spined Stickleback. Gastrosteus 



pungittus, Linn. 

 Much more local than G. aculeatus, but 

 not uncommon ; when it occurs in brooks 

 it is said to be very destructive to ova and 

 fry. 



HAPLOMI 



7. Pike [Jack]. Esox lucius, Linn. 



A very common and rapidly increasing 

 form in the Severn and all the tributaries. 

 The prohibition of freshwater netting in 

 the Severn a few years ago has led to an 

 enormous increase in the number of small 

 pike, which may now be found in almost 

 all the streams in the county. 



OSTARIOPHYSI 



8. Carp. Cyprinus carpio, Linn. 



The carp is fairly common in ponds and is 

 occasionally found in the rivers, but it can 

 nearly always be traced to some pond from 

 which it has escaped. 



9. Gudgeon. Gobio Jiuviati lis, Flem. 



A very numerous species in the Severn and 

 most of the tributaries, and one that seems 

 increasing. 



10. Roach. Leuciscus rutilus, Linn. 



A very common and increasing form in all 

 deep still waters, especially in the Avon. 



