THE ROACH. I95 



the time is early and late in the day : in cold wea- 

 ther, during the middle; and in mild cloudy weather, 

 the whole of the day *. 



THE ROACHf . 



This fish is found chiefly in deep still rivers, 

 where it is often seen in large shoals. In summer, 

 it frequents shallows near the tails of fords; or lies 

 under banks among weeds, and shaded by trees or 

 herbage, especially where the water is thick. As 

 the winter approaches, these haunts are changed for 

 deep and still waters. 



The Roach is so silly a fish that it has acquired 

 the name of the Water-sheep, in contradistinction to 

 Carp, which, from its subtlety is termed the 

 River-fox. — Sound as a Roach is a proverb that 

 appears but indifferently founded. It is, however, 

 used by the French as well as by us. 



This is a handsome fish, either in the water, or 

 when immediately taken out of it. The flesh, al- 

 though reckoned very wholesome, is in little esteem, 

 from the great quantity of bones. When Roach 

 are in season, which is from Michaelmas to March, 

 their scales are very smooth; but, when they are out 

 of season, these feel like the rough side of an oyster- 

 shell. Their fins also are generally red when the 

 animals are in perfection. They spawn towards 



* Daniel iii 237. Penn. Brit. Zool. iii. 366. 



+ Synonyms Cyprinus rutilus. Linn. Roche. Will.' 



Penn. Brit. Zool. Frotiti:. vol. 3. 



2 



