182 PHYSOSTOMI. 



an angular one exists. Lateral-line slightly concave, continued to the centre of 

 the base of the caudal fin. Colours — bluish along the back, silvery-white upon 

 the sides and beneath. Dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins tipped with black : the 

 ventral and anal have merely a slight tinge of red or yellowish. 



Varieties. — Shaw described the graining, G. Lancastriensis, as differing from 

 the dace, and subsequently Yarrell and Thompson have identified examples 

 which they have captured as pertaining to Shaw's species. Yarrell in his figure 

 places the insertion of the ventral fin on a line anterior to that of the dorsal, the 

 latter being identical with what obtains in the dace, which the figure otherwise 

 resembles, and with which Yarrell's examples now in the British Museum agree. 

 Thompson's were several very small individuals taken near Leamington, where 

 the dace abounds. 



In August, 1831, Yarrell obtained a fish 6^ inches long in the Thames below 

 Woolwich, which he considered to be the Squalius dobula, and although the single 

 specimen appears to have been lost, the figure is that of a dace with the ventral 

 fin advanced as shown in the figure (but not in the example) of the graining. 

 Other varieties have been observed on the continent of Europe. 



Names. — The term dace appears to be a corruption of some older word. Dart 

 or dare due to its rapid dart-like or arrow-like motion. In Gesner's time it was 

 termed dard and if we turn to Ray (1713) we find he terms this fish dace or dare. 

 Mr. A. Walker informs me with reference to the names of fishes in Cheshire that 

 " the dace here is invariably called by the common people ' the grayling,' 1 the roach 

 being called the roach-dace," and suggests whether the name graining has arisen 

 from this. Darsen and Golenbysg, Welsh. De Serpeling, Dutch. Le Chevaine 

 Vaudoise or dard, French. 



Habits. — An elegant river fish, quick of vision, readily alarmed, and rapid in 

 its movements ; it is of a gregarious disposition and delights in clean water. It 

 is not so common as the roach, which it much resembles in its habits. The dace 

 is even found descending to the brackish tidal waters of the Thames at Hammer- 

 smith Bridge, and Yarrell appears to have secured a specimen opposite Woolwich. 

 In the winter it retires to deeper water than it frequents in summer and often 

 selects localities under shaded banks. It feeds upon worms, insects, and their 

 larvse, as well as vegetable substances. 



Means of capture. — It rises freely to the artificial fly, especially about August, 

 and when hooked makes a gallant fight : the angler should strike at once on the 

 occasion of a rise or bite. Numbers are taken bottom fishing, a worm, particularly 

 a bright red one, being used as a bait, this is extensively carried on in the Thames 

 during September or October up to January. 



Baits. — Flies, gentles, red worms, grasshoppers, paste, malt. As these fish 

 are comparatively small feeders, a large quantity of ground bait is undesirable. 



Breeding. — Commences the end of May or during the month of June, while 

 it is a very prolific fish. It deposits its eggs at the roots of aquatic plants, under 

 stones, and in the gravelly beds of rivers. It does not again regain condition 

 before the middle or end of July. 



In Devonshire "large numbers of this fish are killed by the poisonous alkaline 

 ' waste ' let off from the Countess Weir paper mills. Hundreds of them strewed 

 the banks of the river near and below the bridge on May 31st, 1866 ; and from 

 information I received on the spot, it appears to be a very rare thing that any 

 other kind of fish is killed by this ' waste.' The ' waste,' it would seem, is lighter 

 than the water, and floats and does not mix freely with it. My informant told me 

 that the other fish took advantage of this and sank to the bottom, or swam under 

 the ' waste,' for it was an exceedingly rare thing to find either roach, trout, or 

 salmon killed by it. I examined a great number of the dead fish, and found them 

 to be all dace ; I could not find a roach or perch among them " (Parfitt, Fauna of 

 Devon, p. 21). 



Uses. — Being a very bright, silvery fish, it is a good bait trolling for pike or 

 perch, especially if the water is at all thick ; while for night lines it is in demand 

 as being tenacious of life. 



As food. — Not held in any repute ; irrespective of being soft in flesh, it is full of 



