Page:VCH Bedfordshire 1.djvu/140

 A HISTORY OF BEDFORDSHIRE but have not since been met with. A crucian carp was taken some years ago by Mr. F. Newbery in the eel trap at Milton Mill. From the following list it will be seen that there are only eighteen different forms of freshwater fishes which may be considered indigenous to the county. TELEOSTEANS ACANTHOPTERYGII 1. Perch. Perca fluviatilis, Linn. Plentiful in the Ouse in all parts, especially near the places where the water lily abounds. It attains a weight of 4 lb. and upwards. One was taken at Willington in 1900 weighing 2 lb. 10 oz. ; one at Clapham in the same year of 3^ lb. ; one taken by Mr. P. Addington with an artificial minnow from under Tempsford Bridge weighing lb.; and one was caught in Southill Lake a few years ago by my son weighing 4^ lb. Three were taken by Mr. George at Tempsford about 1882 in the course of an hour, weigh- ing 2 lb., l lb. and z lb. ; and I took three at Clapham in 1899 in less than half an hour in one spot, each weighing close upon 2 lb. 2. Ruff (commonly Pope). Acerina cernua, Linn. Locally, Joey Ruff. Usually found at the bottom of the river up to about 5 inches in length. 3. Miller's Thumb or Bullhead. Cottus gobio, Linn. Found under stones in the gravelly parts of the river and in small streams that are not sluggish. HEMIBRANCHII 4. Three-spined Stickleback. Gastrosteus acu- leatus, Linn. Davis's History of Luton. 5. Ten-spined Stickleback. Gastrosteus pungi- tius, Linn. These are more frequently found in the various brooks and ponds rather than in the rivers. HAPLOMI 6. Pike (commonly Jack). Esox lucius, Linn. This fish is abundant in all parts of the Ouse and in various lakes in the county, and grows to a large size. The largest I have seen taken from the Ouse weighed 28^ lb., and was caught at Kempston many years ago by the late Mr. W. Bailey, surgeon, of Bed- ford. The head of a pike of 36 lb. was in the possession of the late Mr. C. Palgrave of Bedford, and the fish was said to have been left on the meadows near Bedford after a heavy flood and there captured. One of 21^ lb. was taken at Clapham in the Ouse in 1893, and I took one in the Ouse at Oak- ley in February, 1878, a female fish measur- ing 40 inches in length and weighing 20 lb. A pike of 30 lb., taken at Luton Hoo by H.R.H. the then Princess of Wales, now Queen Alexandra, is preserved in the ' fish house ' there ; also one taken by Mr. Forbes in 1875, length 47^ inches, weight 36 lb. In August, 1894, there was an accidental influx of sewage from the sewage farm at Luton into the lake, which killed a great number of pike. There is a photograph showing about sixty pike killed at the time, all very large fish. About 500 in all were destroyed. At Southill Lake in June, 1897, when the lake was accidentally run off, a female pike 46^ inches long, and weighing 32^ lb., and a male 45 inches long weighing 26 lb., were taken and presented to Mr. J. Steele-Elliott, who has them preserved. OSTARIOPHYSI 7. Gudgeon. Gobio fuviatilis, Flem. Found in all parts of the shallow gravelly bed of the river up to about 5 inches in length. 8. Chub. Leuciscus cepbah/s, Linn. Found commonly in the deep pools in the Ouse near the rapid parts of the stream, and weighing up to nearly 6 lb. One was taken by myself a few years ago at Milton Mill of 5| lb., and one of 5^ lb. taken at Blunham about 1882 is in the possession of Mr. George of Tempsford. They are frequently taken with the fly or minnow up to 3 and 4 lb. The chub appears to preserve its ' habitat ' to a great extent, and keeps constantly to its selected parts of the river. 9. Roach. Leuciscus rutilus, Linn. A very common and gregarious fish in all parts of the river. One 3 lb. 6 oz., taken at Luton Hoo about 1891, and another 2 lb. 10 oz., caught about the same time, are pre- 00