299 



BARBEL'^ AND BREAM? 



Barbel and bream, though not so intimately associated as 

 carp and tench, are yet linked together by many common ties 

 in the domain of angling ; one of their principal similar cha- 

 racteristics being that they are usually fished for, at any rate 

 so far as rivers are concerned, in the same place, with the same 

 tackle, and the same baits. The barbel, however, so far as my 

 experience goes, is never found in anything but running water. 

 The bream, on the contrary, thrives best in large open lakes 

 and in slow rivers alternating with broads or lagoon-like reaches. 



Although from an angler's point of view infinitely less wary 

 and difficult to capture than the carp, the barbel, both in its 

 natural state and in confinement, is the shyest and most untame- 

 able of all our fish, except perhaps the roach, exhibiting a degree 

 of reserve and intolerance of observation rarely met with. In 

 the spring, however, when the fish seek the gravelly shallows 

 to spawn, they become very lively, and at this season may 

 frequently be seen tumbling and rolling about, with their bodies 

 half out of the water, like a shoal of porpoises. Amongst some 

 specimens kept in a vivarium, it was observed that, when they 

 fancied no one was looking, they would plunge and rub them- 

 selves against the brickwork, and otherwise show considerable 

 signs of playfulness. 



Barbel are numerous in many parts of the world, but their 

 natural habitat appears to be the warmer parts of Europe, and 

 it is stated by Cuvier that in localities favourable to them they 

 will grow lo feet long. They are plentiful in the Danube, the 



1 Barius vulgaris. ' Abramis trama. 



