This is a common continental fish, well known in the Thames, and not uncommon in several of the southern counties of England, but becoming rarer as we proceed northward. We have never met with it in Scotland, although it is recorded as occurring here. It is found in Lough Neagh in Ireland, under the misapplied name of roach. "The rudd," says Mr. Yarrell, "in addition to its vivid colours, is also tenacious of life,-and is on that account preferred by trollers as a bait for pike. It breeds freely without requiring any care to be bestowed upon it,—and is therefore useful as food for large perch, trout, or pike. It is said to be a much better fish to eat than the roach, but does not attain more than two pounds' weight. The food of the rudd is worms, molluscous animals and insects, with some vegetable matter; it spawns in April, or early in May, on or about aquatic plants, and the scales at this period are rough to the hand."+

The iris in this species is of an orange red colour, -from whence both its English and Latinised specific name. The cheeks and gill covers are golden yellow; the upper parts brown tinged with green and blue; the sides pale; the abdomen of a light golden yellow; and the entire surface of the body

* Leuciscus erythrothalmus, Cuv.-Cyprinus erythrothalmus, Linn. + British Fishes, vol. i. p. 362.

is pervaded by a brilliant reddish golden hue, of which the tint varies with the fall of light. The fins are of a cinnabar red colour, those of the back and tail being more inclined towards reddish brown. It is no doubt of this fish that Izaak Walton affirms there is a kind of bastard small roach, that breeds in ponds, with a very forked tail, and of a very small size, which some say is bred by the bream and right roach; and some ponds are stored with these beyond belief; and knowing men that know the difference call them rudds: they differ from the true roach as much as a herring from a pilchard." We believe that both the rudd and white bream have been by some regarded as hybrids, but we agree with Mr. Yarrell in thinking that the instances in which animals in a state of unconstrained nature seek society (sexually) beyond their own species, are extremely rare. Hybrids and permanent varieties are the result of restriction and domestication, and notwithstanding the opinion to which Sir Humphrey Davy and other wise and learned observers have lean't, "I confess my doubts of the existence of hybrid fishes."

This is another Lancashire species discovered and described by Mr. Yarrell.+ It was transmitted to that observant naturalist by Lord Derby, and occurs in certain limited localities within the town

* Leuciscus coeruleus, Yarr.

+ Linn. Trans. vol. xvii. p. 8, and British Fishes, vol. i. p. 365.

ship of Knowsley. It is hardy, tenacious of life, and spawns in May. The flesh is firm and good, somewhat resembling that of the perch. Its natural food, and the baits used in its capture, are the same as those of the carp. The largest specimens yet met with have not exceeded a pound in weight. The colour of the upper parts is slate blue, passing beneath into a silvery white,-the whole surface tinged with a metallic lustre. The irides have a tinge of straw colour,-the fins are white. Although Mr. Yarrell, in regard to this species, is certainly entitled to the credit of a first describer, yet M. Agassiz in a recent visit to this country, recognised the azurine as a well known inhabitant of some of the Swiss lakes.

THE BLEAK.

This small and active fish may be angled for with what is called a pater noster line, which consists of half a dozen of fine hooks fastened about 6 or 8 inches from each other. These may be baited with gentles, or more variously, to increase the temptation, with a gentle, a small red worm, a fly, &c. and thus several fish may be hooked at the same time. In angling for bleak the tackle must be very fine. In fresh streams they rise well at the black gnat, or any other small sad-coloured fly.

The bleak is a gregarious fish of six or seven inches in length, which inhabits most of the streams

* Leuciscus alburnus, Cuv.

in England, frequented by roach and dace. It is chiefly prized by the juvenile angler, being of an open candid nature, and easy of access by means of almost any small fly. Mr. Jesse informs us, that it is the most amusing and playful of all the species confined in the vivarium of Bushy Park. "Their

activity could not be exceeded, and it gave me much pleasure to see them, on a still summer's evening, dart at every little fly that settled on the water near them,—appearing always restless, and yet always happy." Mr. Yarrell states that the bleak is frequently found to have its intestines occupied by tape-worms, and that the name of mad bleak, is bestowed upon such as are seen occasionally swimming in an agitated and unnatural manner on the surface of the water. These peculiar movements are supposed to result from the pain produced by their internal tormentors.

The body of this species is of an elongated and narrow form, the forehead straight, and the lower jaw somewhat extended. The colour above is pale greenish or ashy-brown, tinged with blue, the sides and abdomen silvery white. The bleak is common in Europe, and is one of the species whose nacre, or silvery matter, is used in the fabrication of artificial pearls.

THE MINNOW.*

Although the sportsman of maturer years may despise this small familiar fry," we cannot altogether pass over, in our brief record of angler's

* Leuciscus phoxinus, Cuv. Cyprinus phoxinus, Linn.

M

fishes, a species which so delights the universal childhood, and which, even in after life, so usefully subserves as bait for larger prey. It is the fish by means of which almost all our youthful anglers commence their experience of the gentle art. "He is a sharp biter," says our Father Walton, " at a small worm, and in hot weather makes excellent sport for young anglers, or boys, or women that love that recreation; and in the spring they make of them excellent minnow-tansies; for being washed well in salt, and their heads and tails cut off, and their guts taken out, and not washed after, they prove excellent for that use; that is, being fried with yolks of eggs, the flower of cowslips and of primroses, and a little tansie. Thus used, they make a dainty dish of meat."

The external aspect of this beautiful little creature is no doubt familiar to all our innumerable readers. It is the smallest species of the genus found in Europe, the greatest length to which it attains seldom exceeding three inches. It makes its appearance in our streams in March, and disappears in October, passing the intermediate months below the sheltering banks, or buried beneath the gravel. It is a very gregarious species, and small shoals are to be found in almost every shallow river, especially in fine clear weather, the species seeming to delight in warmth and sunshine. The minnow usually spawns in the month of June, but its ova are often formed at an after period. It is very prolific, and during the spawning season the head becomes covered by small pale coloured tuber