Page:VCH Staffordshire 1.djvu/168

 A HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE is said to exude for this purpose. 1 The parti- cular nest just described resembled very greatly a diminutive copy of the play-bowers of the Australian bower-birds, but unlike them was well roofed in above. The large short-spined stickleback (G. bra- chycentrus, Cuv.), regarded by GUnther as a separate species and by White and others as a variety only of G. acultatus, has been recorded from Stow Pool near Lichfield by Thompson in his Natural History of Ireland. In July, 1 836, Thompson obtained from Stow Pool the largest example of this fish which had come under his notice, and gives this place as the only English habitat known to him. Up to the present I have not met with this fish myself in Staffordshire, but have taken it in company with the common stickleback in Leicestershire and have kept it in aquaria. Unfortunately all my specimens proved to be females, and as they were unprovided with nests the ova were devoured by the other sticklebacks as soon as deposited. There is little doubt but for the solicitude bestowed on the developing eggs and young fry by the male fish the voracity of the stickleback would long ago have led to its own annihilation. Amongst the many names by which the common stickleback is known locally are robin applied to the male in his breeding dress, jack-sharp and jack-bannock. 6. Ten-spined Stickleback. Gastrosteus pungi- tius, Linn. Generally distributed, but not so abundant as the common stickleback. This is more slender in form than the last-named and less brilliantly coloured, being olive green on the back and white on the sides and belly. The fins and frequently the whole body are suf- fused with a yellowish tinge. The under- side is generally marked with little black spots, which in the male predominate to such a degree that it is not inaptly called the ' tinker ' by boys. HAPLOMI 7. Pike or Jack. Esox lucius, Linn. Common and of large size. Several of 20 Ib. weight have been taken near Burton, and fish of 30 Ib. and over have been re- corded from the Trent. OSTARIOPHYSI 8. Carp. Cyprinw carpio, Linn. In the large pools and ponds of the county 1 GUnther, quoting Coste, in Introduction to the Study of Fishes (1880), p. 506. and in the Trent carp of 1 5 (Plot) and even of 1 9^ Ib. have been recorded (Garner). 9. Crucian Carp. Cyprinus carassius, Linn. Naturalized in ponds in the county, as are also its varieties, the gold carp (C. auratus, Linn.) and the Prussian carp (C. gibe/io, Bloch). 10. Barbel. Barbus vu/garis, Fleming. Common in the Trent and the lower part of the Dove, and attaining a large size. There are several noted haunts of the barbel near Burton, and when fhe water is clear the fish may be seen rooting like swine in the mud of the deep holes. 11. Gudgeon. Goblo fluviatilis, Fleming. 12. Roach. Leuciscus rutilus, Linn. In rivers and meres : very common. In Aqualate Mere the hybrid between this fish and the bream (Abramh brama. Linn.), known as the Pomeranian bream (A. buggenhagii, Bloch) exists, and an interesting account of its capture there is given by the Rev. W. Hough- ton in his British Freshwater Fishes. 13. Chub. Leuciscus cepha/us, Linn. 14. Dace. Leuciscus dobula y Linn. Day Leuciscus vulgaris. 15. Rudd or Red-eye. Leuciscus erythrophthal- mus y Linn. 1 6. Minnow. Leuciscus pboxinus, Linn. Locally called ' pink,' from the bright tints it assumes in the breeding season. 17. Tench. Tinea vulgaris, Cuv. In pools and meres. 1 8. Bream. Abramis brama. Linn. In rivers and meres. Up to 7 Ib. in weight (Garner). 19. White Bream or Bream Flat. Abramis b/icca, Bloch. This fish is included in the Staffordshire lists on the authority of the late Mr. Edwin Brown, who wrote : ' Bailey, the angler of Nottingham, says this fish is mixed up with the preceding in the Trent.' 20. Bleak. Alburnus lucidus, Heck, et Kner. 21. Loach. Nemachilus barbatu/us, Linn. 22. Spined Loach. Cobitis taenia, Linn. This fish, generally considered somewhat rare, is common in the Trent, but is fre- quently confused with small individuals of the last species. The presence of the small 134