Page:British Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fresh-water Fishes.djvu/105

TENCH AND ROACH River Lea on Lord Salisbury's estate at Hatfield. It turned the scale at 4 pounds. The colour apparently varies according to the age of the fish. Greenish-yellow to greenish-black, with whitish on the belly, may be given as a general colouration. At times a golden variety is encountered. The body scales are very small. This was a favourite fish in monastic days, and I have frequently caught large Tench of three to four pounds weight from ponds which were once the pride of the monks of old. Although it has a firm white

flesh it has a muddy taste, but this is said to disappear after scalding. Perhaps the monks were not so fastidious in their tastes as we are to-day, though from all accounts they did not leave much to chance where provision for their appetites was concerned.

Roach.—Rutilus rutiliis (Fig. 46). The name is derived from an old French word, the meaning and origin of which are obscure. The deep silvery body and greenish back, covered with large scales almost as large as a threepenny piece, is admirably shown off" by the lower fins of the adult being tinged with red, whilst those 87