DACE. 
763 
to Mela, in the River Obi 0 . In Scandinavia it is evi- 
dently a northern and eastern fish, being' rare in Den- 
mark. In the north of Sweden it is common in all 
the large rivers and lakes connected with the Baltic, 
from the Muonio to the Dal elf inclusive. In these 
regions it is found especially in the large lakes and 
also in the rivers, penetrating into Lapland as far as 
the rivers afford it a passage. In the Tornea Elf it 
is unknown above Kengis Force; but Widegren says 
that it ascends from this river into the Muonio, in 68° 
N. lat. In Lycksele Lappmark it is taken in quantities. 
Its most common provincial name in the north is the 
one given above. In Dalecarlia it is known as the 
Straffing, and in the neighbourhood of Gefle as the 
Veling. It is also common in the large rivers and 
lakes of Wermland and in Lake Wener, where it is 
called Staffing. South of the River Gotha we have 
personally no information of its occurrence in Sweden. 
Of the other Swedish names for this species we will 
mention Skall-id, Skalljer , and Acfrag. In the island- 
belt of Stockholm Sundevall found the Dace to be 
very rare, though, according to Ekstrom, it occurs, 
but is not very common, among the islands oft’ the 
coast of Sbdermanland*. In Norway, according to Col- 
lett, the Dace is common in the south. It is dispersed 
throughout Finland, and in Russian Karelen was taken 
by Malmgren in the River Kem, near the White Sea. 
In Denmark, where it was not known with certainty 
by Kroyer, it occurs, according to Eeddersen, in the 
Nips, a river of south-western Jutland. 
The Dace, like the Ide and Chub, is partial to 
running water, and in spring ascends from the lakes 
and the Baltic island-belts into the rivers to breed. It 
is more easily overpowered by the current, however, 
than the others, and therefore prefers quiet streams 0 . 
It passes the winter in the depths of large lakes, or in 
deep water among the islands on the Baltic coast. 
Early in the spring, soon after the ice has broken up, 
the Dace assemble in large shoals, begin to ascend the 
rivers, and commence spawning in May on a sandy 
bottom, as a rule eight or ten days after their arrival. 
On the completion of the spawning, they usually re- 
main at most a, fortnight longer, and then desert the 
spawning-place. In the Klar Elf, however, the Dace, it 
is stated, remains all the year round. It is one of the 
less prolific Cyprinoids, the female containing a com- 
paratively small number of rather large eggs. Fatio 
counted about 17,400 ova, about 2 mm. in diameter, 
in a female 27 cm. long. 
The Dace is a timid fish, and takes to flight at 
the least noise. Its movements in the Avater are very 
rapid and active, and it often leaps over the net. It 
is tenacious of life, young Dace being therefore excellent 
live bait, especially as their skin is bright and lustrous. 
The flesh is white, not very bony, and of good flavour. 
Still, OAving to its insignificant size, the Dace is in little 
request, and it is only in localities Avhere it is plenti- 
ful, and Avhere for the time being other fish is scarce, 
that this species is used as food. 
The Dace is taken in the seine during the Avhole 
summer, Avhere this method of fishing is employed for 
other species; but only solitary specimens are caught 
in this manner. It is principally taken 1) in gill-nets, 
which are set in quiet bends and long Avindings of the 
streams, such places being favourite haunts of the Dace 
on bright and warm summer days, 2) with trammel- 
nets, Avhich are used at the same time of year in shalloAV 
and Aveedy inlets of the lakes, 3) in traps (see above, 
pp. 32 and 33), which are set during the spawning- 
season at places that the fish must pass, the narroAvest 
channels and those easiest to close being selected for 
this purpose. (Ekstrom, Smitt.) 
a Pallas (1. c., p. 314) applies to liis Gyprinus lacustris the Finnish name of Kortsa, which, according to Mela, belongs to the 
Dace. Thus, according to Pallas, the Dace is common throughout Western Siberia and especially plentiful in Lake Baikal. The Cyprinus 
Grislagine of Pallas is, according to Grimm, a variety of Roach. 
6 Unless Ekstr6m’s description of the Dace in the Vet.-Alcad. Handl. for 1830 referred principally to the Ide. 
c Lilljeborg was told, however, that “the Dace can surmount rapids with a fairly strong current”. 
