THE BAEBEL. 263 



chiefly in the warmer latitudes of Europe. They abound 

 in the Danube and Rhine, and in most rivers which fall 

 into the Black Sea. I fear not a few in Russian and 

 Turkish waters will fall victims, before this year has 

 passed, to the villanous torpedoes. They are by no means 

 widely distributed in the waters of the United Kingdom, 

 and in this respect differ from most British fishes. I 

 believe they are not found at all in Scotland. The Thames 

 and Trent are the chief English rivers which hold them : 

 and Trent fishermen certainly carry off the palm for their 

 skill in barbel-fishing. 



Barbel are often taken when spinning for trout in the 

 Thames during April and May, and not seldom hooked 

 foul, when they exhibit amazing strength. I once hooked 

 by the tail a 6 lb. fish in Wey bridge Weir, and it took me a 

 full half-hour before I got him into the landing-net. 

 They spawn generally in May, but in late seasons not till 

 June. Under any circumstances it would be'well if barbel- 

 fishing were illegal in the Thames till July. Barbel reach 

 a weight of between 40 lbs. and 50 lbs. in some continental 

 waters; but I take it that about 15 lbs. is an outside 

 weight in either the Thames or Trent. A 10 lb. fish does 

 not fall to the lot of the most inveterate barbel-fisher 

 more than once in his lifetime. He may always be more 

 than contented with one of 8 lbs. 



Whether there are more or less barbel in the Thames 

 now than there used to be may be a question. Yarrell 

 in his time said that they were " so numerous about Shep- 

 perton and Walton that 150 lbs. weight has been taken in 

 five hours, and on one occasion 280 lbs. weight of large- 

 sized barbel was taken in one day." I suppose Yarrell 

 is speaking of the exploits of single rods. It is not 



