BLEAK, Leuciscus alburnus, a small fresh-water fish of the family of cyprinidce (q.v.), of the same genus with the roach, dace, minnow, etc. See LEUCISCUS. It is seldom more than 6 or 7 in. long; in general form it resembles the dace, but is more elongated; the dorsal fin is placed further back, and the base of the anal fin is longer; the nose is pointed, the under-jaw the longest; the scales are of moderate size, and beautifully striated; the back is of an olivaeeous green color; the sides, belly, cheeks, and gill covers, shining silvery white; all the fins nearly white. The tail is forked for half its length. The II. is found iu many of the rivers of Europe. On the inner surface of the scales of the B., as of white-bait, roach, dace, etc., a silvery substance, from which they derive their beautiful luster, is found in such abundance as to he much used for making artificial pearls (q.v.), the white beads so common in ladies' head-dresses, and similar ornaments. That obtained from the scales of the B. is preferred to that of the roach and dace, but is inferior to that of the white-bait. It readily separates from the scales when they are soaked for a time in water, and settles to the bottom of the vessel. Small glass tubes are then dipped in it, and it is injected into thin holiow glass beads of the requisite forms and sizes, which are placed in a current of air to dry, and are sometimes further filled with wax.—The B. is singularly liable to be infested
by a species of tape-worm.
The B. is an inhabitant of most of the English rivers which contain roach and dace. It is a very restless, active little fish, constantly playing about the top of the water, in search of small flies and other food. A small piece of bread cast into the water beconies speedily surrounded by a shoal of them, and it is amusing to watch them darting to and fro at it with increasing pertinacity. It is not only a pretty little fish, but is, withal, delicate eating; and a dish of well-cooked 13. is scarcely inferior to gudgeons. They should be cooked in the same manner as sprats, which they rather resemble in shape and appearance. The best way to catch B. ,s to angle for them with a single gentle and a light quill-float, the bait being about a foot under water; they may be caught with very small flies, and all the more easily if the hook be pointed with a gen tle. They are so active that the angler cannot strike too quickly, and where they abound they form good preliminttry practice fur the young fly-fisher. The neighbor hood of nmning drains are very favorite resorts for B., and the angler can soon deter mine if there be any about. by casting on the water a handful of bran, when, if there be any, they will immediately rise at it.