BARBEL. 



223 



rivers, and is a fish of considerable strength, swim- 

 ming with rapidity, and hving not only on worms 

 and water-insects, but occasionally preying on the 

 smaller fishes. It grows to a great size, having 

 been sometimes seen of the length of five or six, 

 and even, according to some authors, of eight, ten, 

 or twelve feet. Its more general length however 

 is from eighteen inches to two feet. It is said to 

 be of quick growth, and to arrive at a great age. 

 It is generally observed to frequent the deeper and 

 stiller parts of the rivers in which it resides, fre- 

 quently assembling in small shoals, and rooting 

 among the mud and stones at the bottom in quest 

 of worms, &c. It is sometimes either so intent on 

 this, or so careless at particular seasons, as to suffer 

 itself to be taken by the hand by divers employed 

 for that purpose. Mr. Pennant observes that in 

 summer the Barbel is chiefly in motion during the 

 night, but towards autumn, and in winter, generally 

 confines itself to the deepest holes. It is a very 

 coarse fish, and never admitted at superior tables, 

 being used only by the lower ranks : it has even 

 the reputation of being in some degree noxious ; 

 the roe in particular is said to operate as a very- 

 strong emetic and cathartic, and is sometimes 

 taken in a small quantity by the country people 

 for the purpose of common physick, but is ob- 

 served, in general, to operate rather too roughly. 

 We are assured, by Sir John Hawkins, in his edition 

 of Walton*s Complete Angler, that the flesh itself 

 is not always safe. About the month of Sep- 

 tember (says he) in the year 1754, a servant of 



