THE CAKP FAMILY. ll?7 



out their three hours' e3dstence otct their native stream. 

 ^Vhipping for Bleak used to be a fevourite amusement 

 with our aiic-c-srcrs. and even -with the classical anglers of 

 ancient mnes : — 



•• Qui? non ei Tiriirs valri solatia Tfc xj 



Bt the Toung Waltonians ci the present dar, however. 

 Bleak-catching is voted infra dig., and xhe little £5h is 

 seldom molested unles for the pur]>?se of OEdr. 



Another pralific cause of the destruction of Bleak Li5 

 mudi dimicdihed of late vears. viz, the manufiictnre of 

 '•' patent pearls."" as thev irere called, in -wiiich the Bleak's 

 scales played a prominent part. On tlie inner s^nrfece of 

 these is found a silvery pigment, to irhidi they owe their 

 brilliant metaDic Insure; and ibis coloming-matter ■«ras 

 universally used in ihe bead-trade for imparting a pearly 

 tini to their wares. So greai -rraj at one time rhe de- 

 mand, when the iksMon of weaiinj imitation ie:.rl5 was at 

 its height, that the price of a qaart-meastire of seniles varied 

 fiom one guinea to five. At one factory alone^ in Paris, 

 10,000 pearls were iss tied per weA ; and when it is con- 

 si dtared tiiat each pound of scales cost the liTes of 4000 

 fish, and that this pound only produced four ounces :f pig- 

 ment, some estimate of the destruction effiected amongst the 

 Bleak may be formed. The Thames fishermen gave them- 

 selves no trwible beyond strittiin^ off these valuable ap- 

 pendages, thzowing away the fish when scaled. Boadi 

 and Daoe, and some other sT>eeies. also ntmished a colour- 



