BREAM, a name given more especially to the Carp-Bream, but applied to several other kinds of fish. It is more especially adopted to designate the species of the genus Abramis, belonging to the division of Abdominal Ma/ueopterygii and the family Cyprinida.. The chief distinguishing characters of this genus consist in the deep and compressed form of the body ; the great convexity of the dorsal and abdominal line ; the base of the dorsal fin being short, placed behind the line of the ventmls ; the long anal fin ; and the absence of either strong horny rays or barbules.
A. Brame, the Bream or Carp-Bream, may be known by its yellowish white colour, which becomes yellowish-brown by age. The irides are of a golden yellow, the cheeks and gill-covers silver-white ; fins light coloured, the pectoral and ventral fins tinged with red ; the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins tinged with brown. The Bream is an inhabitant of many of the lakes and rivers of the continent of Europe generally as far north as Norway and Sweden. It thrives best in this country in large pieces of water or in the deep and most quiet parts of rivers that run slowly. It occurs near London in the Mole and the 3ledway, also in the Regent's Canal. Bloch states that the number of ova in the female is 130,000. The flesh of the Bream is generally considered insipid, although, on account of the sport it affords the angler, it is a good deal sought after.
A. blicca, the White Bream or Bream-Flat, differs from the Carp Bream of the same size, in having the head larger and the fleshy portion of the tail deeper. The number of the rays in the
pectoral and anal fins differs considerably from those of the Carp Bream. The pectoral fin of the White Bream has three rays and the anal fin five rays less in number than the Carp-Bream. The general colour of the sides is silvery-bluish white, without any of the yellow-golden lustre observable in the last species. The irides slivery white, tinged with pink. This fish has never been taken of so large size as the Carp-Bream. It has been described by Bloch, who says it is very common on the continent. It is also found in most of the lakes in Sweden. In England it is not generally known. Mr.
Jenyns has recorded its presence in the Cam, and Dr. Lankester took it in large numbers in a piece of water at Campsall near Doncaster. Mr. Lubbock has also taken it near Norwich. It varies very much in its characters, but is undoubtedly a distinct species.
A. Buggenhagii, the Pomeranian Bream. This species of Bream is at once distinguished from the preceding by the greater thickness of its body, by the scales being larger in proportion to its size, the anal fin being shorter, and having& smaller number of rays. Bloch records it as being common in Swedish Pomerania. It is even more rare in England than the last ppecies. (Yarrell, British Fishes.)