146 



THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



THE ROACH. 



( LviiciscHs rutihis *.) 



The Roach — or, as it is technically named, the " Red 

 Dace," from the scarlet colour of the fins — is a great 

 favourite with London anglers, who, at any time betA\'e('n 

 August and May, may be seen perched, regardless of 

 safety, upon projecting trees, bridge-buttresses, and, in- 

 deed, every other accessible ' coigne of vantage ' betA\ ecn 

 Battersea Fields and Walton on Thames, or clustering 

 on the Imndred-and-one lock-gates with which the pretty 

 River Lea is intersected almost to its source. From these 

 perilous eminences they contemplate — and we may pre- 

 sume are also contemplated by — the intelligent Lcvcis- 

 f.ini, which, notwithstanding, seldom fail to find their wjiy, 

 in greater or less numbers, into the cockney's baskc;t. The 

 Londoners, in fact, bear away the palm from all eom- 

 '" Lriirixriia, a Daci', Gr. ; riilihis, red, Lat. 



