CHAPTER IX 



THE TENCH AND BAEBEL 



The tench is a handsome thick fish, of a greenish-yellow 

 colour, with a peculiarly greasy, slippery skin. His 

 form and appearance give one the idea of great richness 

 and delicacy ; and, indeed, when properly cooked, he is 

 really a very delicious fish. 



Tench are found in nearly all parts of Europe, but 

 only in lakes, marais, ponds, and weedy rivers, where 

 there is little or no current. They prefer stagnant, muddy 

 waters to any other; and during the severity of the winter, 

 like eels, they bury themselves in the mud. In the 

 hot days of summer and autumn they are to be seen 

 basking and floundering about under the large leaves of 

 the water-lily ; and ia the deep etangs in the marais in 

 Continental countries we have seen them wallowing 

 about in shoals amongst the weeds and lilies, beneath 

 the hot burning sun, apparently regardless of our boat, 

 until we could almost touch them. 



These fish spawn late in the spring, or early in the 

 summer, according to the lateness or forwardness of the 

 season, and seek the most secluded and weedy places, 

 clogged up, as it were, with vegetation, to deposit their 

 eggs, which are of a greenish colour and very small. They 

 are wondrously prolific, and increase prodigiously if un- 

 disturbed. In a female, weighing about three pounds 

 and a half, there were counted more than 297,000 eggs. 



When particularly well nurtured, and in a favourable 

 situation, the tench will occasionally attain a weight of 

 seven or eight pounds. This, however, is of rare 



183 



