BONY FISHES. 339 



now, however, it is quite common, and is found to live in ponds 

 even when the surface of the water is thickly covered with ice. 



The Tench especially delights in muddy banks of ponds, 

 where the weeds grow thickly. Roget gives an account of a tench 

 that had been taken out of a pond almost filled up with stones and 

 rubbish, and which had actually grown into the shape of the hole 

 where it had been confined, evidently for many years. The 

 weight of that fish was eleven pounds nine ounces. Four hun- 

 dred tench and as many perch were also taken out of the same 

 pond. This fish is even more tenacious of life than the carp. 



The Roach is very common in most rivers of England, 

 and is generally spread over the temperate parts of Europe. It 

 is by no means a large fish, rarely exceeding two pounds in weight, 

 and but seldom attaining that size. These fish usually live in 

 small shoals, and pass from one part of the river to another. 



The Roach is not unlike the Dace, but may be easily dis- 

 tinguished by its bright red ventral fins, those of the dace being 

 silvery white. It is rather a favorite with anglers, as it bites or 

 rather nibbles at the bait in such a dainty and delicate manner, 

 that the disappointed fisherman not unfrequently finds the bait 

 gone without the movement of his float betraying the theft. A 

 quick eye and a dexterous hand are required for this sport. The 

 float is so balanced as barely to appear above the surface of the 

 water, for, unlike the perch, that dashes at the bait and boldly 

 jerks the float at once under water, the Roach does little more 

 than swim under the bait as far as it can, and then just gives a 

 gentle nibble, repeating the process until the bait has entirely left 

 the hook. 



The Dace is usually found wherever the roach resides, 

 and, like that fish, swims in 

 shoals. It makes an excellent 

 bait for trolling, as the silvery •^*^^^®''" 

 whiteness of its scales renders _. _ 



Tne Dace. 



it a conspicuous object, and 



serves to attract the pike. It seldom exceeds nine or ten inches 



in lenzth 



