Insects. 1083 



slightest jav makes the captive flounce and struggle. On being laid down, the tench 

 often remains motionless for full a minute, and then begins apparently to perceive the 

 fraud practised upon it. The fisherman then, if he ' marked ' more than one tench 

 when the shoal dispersed, proceeds to search for it. If not, he endeavours to start ano- 

 ther, by striking his pole against the side or bottom of the boat — several are generally 

 close at hand. The concussion moves other fish, when the same manoeuvres are re- 

 peated. In this way I have seen fifteen or sixteen good-sized table tench taken in a 

 short space of time. And in the course of a favourable day one fisherman will easily 

 secure five or six dozen. 



" Here, it should be observed, that the * run,' as it is termed, of a tench is different 

 to that of a bream or a rud ; it is not straight or extended, but short, varying, and 

 devious, something like the knight's move at chess : very often the fish halts within 

 five or six yards of the place he started from. The advantages of this plan over bow- 

 nets are great, when requisite adroitness is obtained. In the first place, a good-sized 

 fish is more easily followed and taken than a small one ; in the second, the disadvan- 

 tages of bad neighbourhood are done away with, for, although the marsh-men are ge- 

 nerally an honest set, yet bow-nets are sometimes examined before the owner arrives. 

 In Norfolk, tench are estimated rather by measurement than weight ; fourteen to se- 

 venteen inches is thought the length of a good table fish ; one under twelve is deemed 

 only fit for store. The growth of fish varies greatly in different countries; and I think 

 Boccius, whose recent work on fish-ponds contains valuable information, exceeds the 

 mark for England, when he speaks of tench averaging four pounds and a half, in emp- 

 tying a piece of water. Four pounds would here be reckoned a very large tench." — 

 p. 143. 



" The Bream (Abramis brama) is found on all the broads in immense shoals. 

 When preparing to spawn, they roll about like miniature porpoises; the water is dis- 

 coloured by their working — here a nose appears, and there a back fin, whilst at inter- 

 vals a plunge of affright amongst the multitude shows that large pike are busy. The 

 pike follows in the wake of these shoals — as in Africa the lion hangs upon the out- 

 skirts of the countless herds of spring-boks and other antelopes, or as the wolf prowls 

 upon the flank of a disordered and retreating army. It is a positive nuisance from its 

 numbers in many places. If a bow-net is set for tench, bream crowd in ere they ar- 

 rive, and exclude them. In perch fishing they consume the angler's best worms, tire 

 his patience, and soil his fingers. Does not grow to the size in Norfolk which it at- 

 tains in the Irish lakes, the Trent, Dagenham breach in Essex, and other localities. 

 A bream of five pounds is here considered a very large one." — p. 146. 



Capture of Colias Edusa on Barham Downs. Having heard that one or two of 

 these beautiful butterflies had been seen in this neighbourhood, I went on the 9th 

 instant in search of them ; and although it was a very unfavourable day (a stiff breeze 

 blowing from the west), I saw six, three of which I succeeded in capturing. On the 

 19th I again went after them, and caught three more. To-day (the 21st) I have again 

 been out, and have caught eight more in the same place where I found the others. Of 

 the whole number taken, five are females and nine males. Their early appearance 

 perhaps prognosticates an abundant season. Notwithstanding the unfavourable sea- 

 son which we have hitherto had, I have taken six specimens of Pieris Crataegi, two of 



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