PLATE LXVII. 
The Roach is abundant in almost every river throughout the tem- 
perate parts of Europe. It is a fish that is known to delight in clear 
and deep waters in the most retired situations, and in particular pre- 
fers those still waters that have a sandy, or gravelly bottom. 
In the river Thames the finest Roach are caught about the middle 
of May, or early in June, when those fish come up in shoals from the 
sea to deposit their spawn in the higher parts of the river. At that 
season we have obtained them from the Thames fishermen of a large 
size and in excellent perfection for the table. Bloch, treating on the 
Roach found in Prussia, observes, that it seldom attains in that country 
to a large size, its greatest weight not exceeding a pound, or a pound 
and a half. We have Roach in England much larger than this. Sir 
John Hawkins, in his annotations on old Walton the angler, re- 
marks, that on the 15th of September 1754, he caught a Roach at 
Hampton that measured fourteen inches and an eighth from the eye 
to the fork, and in weight wanted but an ounce of two pounds ; and 
this even, though of a vast size, proves inconsiderable compared with 
the largest recorded by Mr. Pennant, the weight of which was five 
pounds *. 
Phis fish subsists on herbs, worms, See. The eggs are greenish, 
and become red by boiling. The dorsal fin in the specimen we have 
figured contains ten rays: pectoral thirteen: ventral nine : anal twelve; 
and caudal twenty-two. 
* “ In a list of fish sold in the London markets, with the greatest weight of each, com- 
municated to us by an intelligent fishmonger, is mentioned one whose weight was h ve 
pounds.” Penn. Brit . ZooL T. 3. p. 366. 
