124 FEESH-WATEB AQUABIA. 



out of the water and were on the floor, apparently quite dead. 

 However, I replaced them in the temporary aquarium, and 

 one of them recovered: the other died. The former I kept 

 for three yeai's and then I gave it, together with a gold-fish, 

 to one of my sisters, under whose care it lived for about five 

 years longer. The hardy gold-fish was the first to die. The 

 Dace lived altogether about eight years in captivity, and 

 during this time it grew from l^in. to 6in. or 7in. in length, 

 and became so tame that it would take a fly from the fingers. 

 The aquarium in which Dace are kept should be covered, for 

 they are great jumpers. They will live upon vermicelli, a fly 

 or two being given to them now and then as a treat. Dace 

 are generally found in clear, deep water, and may be caught 

 with a hand-net or fly, or by " bottom-fishing." 



The general appearance of the Dace is very graceful. The 

 depth of its body equals the length of its head. Its colour 

 on the back is brownish-green, on the sides silvery, and on 

 the under-part of the body nearly white. The dorsal and 

 tail fins are brownish-green ; the ventral and the pectoral are 

 slightly pink, and the anal fin is white, tinged with green. 

 The tail fin is rather deeply forked. The Dace does not 

 often exceed 9in. in length or fib. in weight. 



The Eudd {Leuciscus erythrophthahnus) (Fig. 94) when 

 young will live very well in an aquarium. It is decidedly a 

 handsome fish, handsomer than the roach, with which it is 

 often confounded. I do not know whether Rudd sleep more 

 than other fish, but whenever I take a light into my study at 

 night they are the fish which seem more certain to be asleep 

 than any of the others. It is rather a curious and interesting 

 sight to see a large and weU-stocked tank which has for some 

 tirtie been in a state of darkness suddenly lighted up. Many 

 of the fish will be seen resting on the sand at the bottom of 

 the water. They appear perfectly motionless, but gradually 

 rise under the influence of the light and begin to swim slowly 

 and seemingly sleepily about. Rudd are found in great 

 numbers in Norfolk. When kept in an aquarium they may 

 be fed upon vermicelli. 



The body of the Rudd is shaped very like that of the roach. 



