A HISTORY OF LEICESTERSHIRE 19. Common Bream. Abramls brama, Linn. Locally, Yellow Bream. Generally distributed in the Soar and Trent, and Harley said : ' Abundant in the Soar at Aylestone, also at Barrow.' Two bream were taken in Thrus- sington Mill waters on 1 8 July, 1892, one of them, caught by Mr. T. Condon, weighing 5 Ib. 5 oz., the other, caught by Mr. W. Cross, weighing 4-lb. 3$ oz. 20. White Bream. Abramis blicca, Bloch. Locally, Bream-flat. Occurs .in the Soar and Trent, and Harley reported it as abundant in the Soar at Aylestone, and also at Barrow. 2 1 . Bleak. Alburnus lucldus, Hack, and Kner. Widely diffused, according to Harley. The late Rev. C. H. Wood told me that before the flood-works altered the condition of things, there used to be un- commonly fine bleak in the Leicester waters. He used to whip for them, and took one once which measured 7 in. 22. Loach. Ncmachilus barbatulus, Linn. Locally, Bearded Loach, Stone-Loach, Tommy Loach. 1 Generally distributed, and Harley recorded it from the rivers Anker, Sence, Smite, Soar, Trent, and Wreak. In the Gentleman's Magazine, December, 1798, an interesting and curious description is given by J. Throsby, of what was evidently one of the pre- sent species, which was taken from the mud left on the bank of the River Soar at the Bath Gardens. 23. Spined Loach. Cobltls taenia, Linn. Locally, Groundling. Occurs sparingly in some few streams. Harley wrote : ' Inhabits the Soar, Trent and Wreake.' I took a specimen in a small stream at Aylestone on 14 April, 1883. MALACOPTERYGII 24. Salmon. Salmo salar, Linn. Harley stated that this species occurred in the Soar about Kegworth and near Loughborough, and also that it had been taken at Zouch Mills, near Loughborough. At the present day, however, it must be regarded as rare, although I heard of one taken at RatclifFe Lock in 1883 which was said to have weighed 26 Ib. The Leicester Daily Post, of 21 February, 1884, recorded under the heading ' Unseasonable Salmon,' that some men were fined for taking a salmon on 19 January, 1884, which they explained they had seen in the stream at Dishley pursued by a mob of men and boys. The Rev. C. H. Wood reported that a salmon had been taken from Mr. Farnham's brook at Quorn, and the latter being written to for parti- culars, replied on 19 January, 1891, saying that the salmon in question, a female, was caught on 22 November, 1880, and weighed 22^ Ib. It had been stuffed, and was in his possession. Mr. Farnham 1 Leicestinhirt Provirbi. added that at the time there were e'.even others in the same small pool, but he had only seen one that winter. The late Dr. Macaulay afterwards reported the above capture to me, but gave the date as II December, 1880, and the weight as 23^ Ib. 25. Common Trout. Salmo fario, Linn. Locally, Brook Trout. Sparingly distributed in the county. At Bradgate, where it is strictly preserved, it is abundant and attains a fair size. Thornton Reservoir was, however, at one time, so I am informed by Mr. G. Lillingston John- son, of Ulverscroft, ' the best bit of still-water trout- fishing in England,' a fact corroborated by Mr. J. Garle Browne, of Leamington, who says : 'A trout-lake, unrivalled for the great average weight of the fish.' His diary (kindly forwarded to me) records the taking by him of many trout of 3 Ib. and 4 Ib. weight. One was taken on 1 1 August, 1859, of 4lb. 13 oz. ; and another on 16 August, of 4 Ib. 9 oz. On I September, 1860, he took eight fish, the total weight of which was 3olb. 4oz. On I 3 May, 1 86 1 , he caught a fish of 4^ Ib. ; on 1 6 May, one of 4 Ib. I o oz. ; and in five consecutive days 13 to 17 May, 1 86 1 he killed twenty-seven fish, only eight of which were under 3 Ib., and only two of these just under 2 Ib., the largest being 4lb. looz., and the whole twenty-seven fish making the remark- able aggregate weight of 87 Ib. ! The finest fish, however, ki'led by Mr. Browne was one, on 19 August, 1859, which weighed 6 Ib. I oz. The flesh of these trout is reported to have been of an apricot colour, and of a singular excellence in flavour. The glories of Thornton have, however, departed probably for ever. First came a fungoid growth of the nature of Sapnlegnia ferax, and then by some means or another perch were introduced. Mr. W. J. Horn, writing in 1886, records a trout of 5 Ib. taken by rod and line in the Eye Brook above Allexton. In 1887 some trout were introduced by the Ang- ling Society into the River Soar near Aylestone, and on 16 March, 1888, the second instalment of 530 yearling trout was introduced, being purchased from the Marquis of Exeter's fishery, and Mr. W. T. Silk, the manager, who has kindly given me much infor- mation, writes that they ' were a cross between S.faiio and S.ferox, and grow to a large size, and are very game.' The late Rev. C. H. Wood mentioned having seen trout taken by the late Rev. Ed. Smallwood at Thornton Reservoir, sometime about 1868, which scaled close upon 6 Ib., and the Leicester Daily Mercury, of 20 June, 1890, reports the capture of a trout by Mr. J. Norton, in the Anstey Brook, which measured 24 in. and weighed 5 Ib. The late Dr. Macaulay wrote to me in 1892 : ' Mr. C. E. de Trafford has introduced Loch Leven trout at Hothorpe, and has set up hatching and breed- ing ponds. In August, 1891, I saw thousands of trout in these preserves, and by permission of Mr. de Trafford I filled my creel with ten brace of beauties from the brook.' 26. Grayling. Thymallas vexillifer, Linn. Harley wrote : ' Appears to be limited to the Soar and its confluence with the Trent,' but I have no knowledge of it, and doubt its occurrence IIO
