THE ROACH. 299 



fact, not much deeper than a full-sized dace. The cut 

 at the head of this Note may be taken to represent 

 such a fish. But as he progresses towards 2 lbs., he 

 becomes almost as deep as he is long. 



The roach gastronomically is " flat, stale, and unprofit- 

 able." I hand him over, with all his flabby, woolly fibre, 

 his innumerable and strong bones, and his supremely 

 muddy flavour, to enthusiastic Christian ichthyophagists 

 and to the Jews. Indeed, " Porcis (or paucis, which will 

 do just as well) comedenda relinquo." Dame Berners 

 says, " Yf he be fatt .... thenne is he good mete ; " 

 and other authors, from her time downwards, have com- 

 mended the roach. But they do not influence me with 

 their commendations, and I am proof even against the 

 word of one of the best anglers, best sportsmen, and most 

 learned opsophagist in the kingdom, who assured me that 

 roach baked in layers in a pie-dish, with bay-leaves and a 

 little spice between them, were most excellent. I had not 

 even the enterprise to taste the dish (cold) which was on 

 his breakfast-table one morning, so definitely is my mind 

 made up on the subject. Anglers of the "working class" 

 eat them, and say they like them, but anglers, as I have 

 more than once remarked, often feel compelled to take 

 this line. I do not think their children will say the same 

 thing — at least, they won't feel the same thing — after 

 being properly and aesthetically educated by the omnipo- 

 tent School Boards. Even Walton shrinks from a roach, 

 and says, " He is a fish of no great reputation for his dainty 

 taste." 



The art of roach-fishing rightly holds a high place in 

 the angler's estimation. Any one can catch the half-bred 

 and half-starved roach of a muddy and weedy pond, and 



