CHUB. 859 



" cause themselves to be landed on an ait in the river, from 

 the banks of which, under the shelter of the willows, with a 

 long rod, a short line, and a lively cockchafer, they often 

 have good sport." The insect used as bait, whatever it 

 happens to be, whether large moth or cockchafer, hangs 

 pendent from the point of the rod, just touching the water ; 

 and by repeatedly but gently tapping the butt-end of the 

 rod, the bait is moved in a manner exactly resembling the 

 struggles of a living insect that had by accident fallen into 

 the water. 



Mr. Jesse says of the Chub, detained with other fish 

 where their actions could be noticed, that they were always 

 restless and shy, but could never resist a cockchafer when 

 thrown to them. 



The Chub spawns about the end of April or the begin- 

 ning of May, but does not acquire a large size ; five pounds' 

 weight is the most that I can find recorded. It is considered 

 a coarse fish, and broiling with the scales on is one of the 

 best modes of preparing it for table. 



The length of the head compared to the length of the 

 head and body to the end of the fleshy portion of the tail is 

 as one to four ; the depth of the body rather greater than 

 the length of the head ; the mouth large ; the head wide 

 or chubby ; the nostrils in a circular depression, one-third 

 nearer the eye tlian the end of the nose ; the diameter of the 

 eye equal to one-fifth of the length of the whole head : the 

 scales on the body large ; the number forming the lateral 

 line forty-four, with an oblique line of six scales above it to 

 the base of the dorsal fin, and of three scales below it to the 

 origin of the ventral fin ; the lateral line descending by a 

 gentle curve till even with the end of the pectoral fin-rays, 

 then straight to its end. 



The dorsal fin commences half-way between the point of 



