Page:VCH Worcestershire 1.djvu/174

A HISTORY OF WORCESTERSHIRE used to describe the fish found in the brooks in the county, and which does not as a rule migrate. So restricted, S. fario may be said to be a common form in some of the brooks and tributaries, but unfortunately decreasing in numbers. Few trout are now found in the Worcestershire part of the Severn itself, except sterile specimens that have turned cannibals, dropped down from some of the streams, and taken up their abode usually under one of the weirs. Originally all, or nearly all, the streams and brooks in the county held trout, and probably nothing else, but the coarse fish are yearly driving the trout higher and higher up the streams in which they still are found. In some cases hybrid forms appear as trout. Yearling trout have been obtained from a distance, turned down, and bred with the native fish, but it is doubtful if the result is satisfactory. The quality of the Worcester- shire trout varies greatly ; a trout from the Teme itself is hardly ever in first-rate con- dition, while trout from its tributaries are at the same time in splendid order. 24. Grayling. Thymallus vexillifer, Linn. The grayling is found in some numbers in the Teme and its tributaries, but is not now seen, except a chance specimen, in the Severn itself in Worcestershire. In some of the smaller streams which are suited to it the grayling does more than hold its own, and increases faster than the trout. 25. Allice Shad [Twaite, Shad]. Clupea ahsa, Linn. This fish, which was never very common, as only stragglers run so far up the river, has become very rare since the erection of the navigation weirs, but is still taken in some numbers in the river below Gloucester. It ascends the river at the end of April and May, but seems unable to pass up a fish ladder, and unless the tide is high enough to take the fish over the weir it now never passes up. 26. Twaite [Shad, Twaite Shad]. Clupea fintOy Linn. This fish used to be caught in the Severn and Teme in very large numbers every year. It ascends in small shoals to spawn in May and June. Like the shad it rarely if ever passes through a fish pass, and only comes up if there is a high tide and a freshet. The shoals hardly ever contain more than a dozen fish, but the number of these shoals used to be very large. They take a bait greedily and give most excellent sport with a rod and line. APODES 27. Eel. Anguilla vulgaris, Turt. The commonest fish in the Severn and its tributaries. The adult fish descend the river from June to Christmas on every freshet, and are caught in large numbers in fixed traps at weirs and in large nets. They run to a large size ; over 3 lb. is not uncommon, but the average would be about | lb. The male eels are called ' stick eels.' The young eels, ' elvers,' ascend the rivers in March, April and May in enormous numbers, usually only on the spring tide, and in greater numbers if the wind is from one quarter — south-west. CYCLOSTOMES 28. Lamprey [Lamprey Eel]. Petromyzon marinus, Linn. This form ascends the rivers to spawn in May and June, but in decreasing numbers, probably because the localities fit for spawn- ing are becoming fewer. The most fre- quented places at present are on the lower Teme, where some may be seen every year. On the Severn the fish are only taken at the weirs on their way up to the Teme. The fish work in pairs, and make a cavity in the river bed, where the spawn is deposited. The size of the stones they will remove is almost incredible. Having spawned they drop back into the deep water and are not seen again. 29. Lampern. Petromyzon fluviati In, Linn. This form ascends the rivers in very large numbers in any freshet from September to March. It is found at all the weirs on the Severn and Teme, and is taken in wicker baskets, called ' wheels,' laid on the weirs, into which they force themselves. They spawn about March. A few years ago they were taken in large numbers for bait for cod, but this trade has now fallen off. 30. Pride [Lamprey, Vamprey]. Petromyzon bronchia Us, Linn. This form never exceeds four or five inches, and is mainly used as a bait for chub ; it may be found in the rivers all the year round. In the autumn freshets numbers of so-called pride are taken in the eel nets, obviously descending to the sea, and it seems doubtful if these are not either a distinct species or the young of one of the two other species. 136