THE GUDGEON. 311 



NOTE XVI. 



Small Jrp. 



THE GUDGEON. 

 (Cyprinus Oobio, or Oobio Fluviatilis.) 



" The dainty Gudgeon, loehe, the minnow, and the bleak, 

 Since they but little are, I little need to speak," 



Michael Deayton. 



" The little Gudgeon's thoughtless haste 

 Yields a brief but sweet repast." 



Translation of " Ode to Walton." 



But I cannot, like Drayton, treat the " small fry " dis- 

 respectfully, simply because of their littleness. Not only 

 are " little fish sweet/' but they are very interesting, 

 though not from a strictly angling point of view. The 

 subject of this note is a specially interesting fish, and 

 commands too the attention of no inconsiderable a body 

 of anglers, and all lovers of a "toothsome morsel/'' He 

 is, in my opinion, well worth a Note " all to himself," be 

 it long or short ; though he has not been honoured with 

 an illustration at the head of it. 



Our little friend is a true carp, with his leathery, tooth- 

 less mouth, and a " barbel " at each side of it ; and the 

 Ichthyologists have assigned him to the genus Gobio. A 



