Body very deep, but narrow and flat, tail fin very forked, anal fin long, with 23 to 29 rays; the colour of the adult fish is bronze-brown, with blackish tins. Very common in quiet, deep waters in Britain and Ireland (except Wales, Northern Scotland and Western England). It goes about in shoals, grubbing in the mud for vegetable matter, worms and shellfish. The young are silvery, and easily mistaken for Silver Bream. The heaviest rod-caught specimen weighed 13½ lbs.*
*up to 1958. |