igl 



THE BARBEL. 



The colour of the back is a pale olive ; the Belly is fil- 

 very, and proceeds without protuberance, nearly in a 

 jilraight line j fo that, when touching the bottom, the mouth 

 at the fame time reaches the ground. The head isfloping^ 

 the fnout fomewhat pointed ; and on the fummit of the 

 rollrum there are two beards ; other two fpring from 

 the fides oi the mouth j a cireumftance from which this 

 fifh derives its name almoil: in every language. From 

 the middle of the back, which is a little arched, there 

 rifes one dorfal fin with ten rays, of which the firll is the 

 largeft. The tail is bifurcated, and between it and the 

 anus there vifes another fin fappoirted by feven rays *. 



The fleiti of the barbel feems to have been held in no 

 eftimation among the ancients : ^ufon'ms alone mentions 

 it, and, without any commendation, excepting that it 

 improved by age f . It frequents the ftill and deep parts 

 of the BritiJJj rivers, where it lives in fociety, and roots 

 like a hog among the fandy banks. The Danube is fa- 

 mous for the refort of this lifb ; it is there found in the 

 caverns of the rocks, and holes under the banks, in num- 

 bers that defy all computation. The peafants take them 

 with their hands, in quantities fufncient to load a wag- 

 gon J. Thofe in our rivers are charaftcrifed by the fame 

 tamenefs and infipidityj they are often taken with the^hand, 

 by diving : In fumme'r tliey move :\bout in queft of food 5 

 but during autumn and winter, they confine themfelves 

 to the deepeft holes. The poorer peafants alone, and that 

 from hard neceflity, are conflrained to eat them boiled with 

 a piece of bacon. They are deemed the coarfeil of all 



frcfls 



* Willough. p. 259. 



f Tibi contigit uni 



Jspirantum ex nuniero non inlaudata feneduj, 



\ Albert us. 



