280 pe6se HALIETTTICS. 



Leucisci, ok White Fish. 



Amongst the white fresh-water fish included under 

 this heading are many species of which we would fain 

 speak:* the L. rutilus (roach), whose frisky movements 

 have caused him to be considered as the fit emhlem of 

 robust health, and thus made the proverb ' sound as a 

 roach' familiar to the ear as the form of the well-known 

 subject of it is to the eyejf the L. cephalus (chub), 

 whose obese body, empty head, and inflated face, Jielped 

 the Stratford bard (who must often have pulled them out 

 of the Avon) to the simile — 



I never saw a fool lean ; the chub-faced fop 

 Shines sleek with full-cramm'd. fat of happiness ; 



the L. vulgaris (dace), which comes in for a share of 

 Walton's gentle wish — 



Let me live harmlessly, and near the brink 

 Of Trent or Avon have a dwelling-place, 

 Where I may see my quill or cork down sink, 

 With eager bite of perch, or bleak, or dace ; 



the red-eyed rudd, L. eryophthalmus ; the azurine, L. 



* Several of these small and apparently insignificant fish are 

 borne, notwithstanding their diminutive size, as heraldic badges 

 of distinction. The family De la Eoohe (whose first progenitor, 

 Adam De la Eoche, founded, as far back as about the year 1200, 

 Eoche Castle and a Benedictine priory in Pembrokeshire, and 

 gave rise to a wide-spreading posterity) is proud to bear three 

 roach naiant in pale, argent, for arms. The Piotons adopt three 

 minnows or pentis in pale, gules. While vert, three chub-fish 

 hauriant, sable, are the arms of Chubb, and borne by Lord 

 Dormer of Wenge, on one of his quarterings. 



t Moule gives a much more probable explanation of the phrase, 

 which he derives from the legend of St. Boohe, who was fabled 

 to cure, on proper importunity, those afilioted with any grievous 

 plague, restoring them to perfect health. ' Sound as a roche,' then, 

 seems to be a metonymy for ' sound as one of St. Eoche's patients.' 



