Fresh-Water Fishes Of Europe

Page 1

THE

Fresh -WATER Fishes OF

Europe

I

r\

LKUCISCUS AULA, VARIETY BASAK (UICCKEL). .1

Rnoch of Dolniafia.

{Ser p. 144.)

LKUCISCUS AULA, VARIETY RUBELLA (boNAFARTE). A llnnrh nf the Smith of F.urypr. {Srr U3J ,,.

LEUCISCUS VULGARIS, \AltIETV CIIALVB.KUS (IIELKEL). A Dacp found

in

AaMrin.

(See p.

IC.i.)

o 'V II

I-:

Fresh-water Fishes

Europe A

Genera,

History of their

and

7 H.

Stnietiire,

Species,

Habits,

Distribution.

.^4'

SEELEY,

G.

F.R.S.,

F.G.S.. F.Z.S., F.L.S., F.R.G.S.,

'ROFESSOll OF GEOGllAPHV IN

KIXg's COLLEGE, LONDON; FOREIGN COERF.SrONDENT OF THE FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT OF THE GEOLOGISCHE REICHSANSTALT OF VIENNA.

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA K. K.

Tr//

CAS SELL LOXDOX,

&

;

ILLUSTRATIONS.

214

COMPANY,

PA BIS,

XEir YORK

^

c?-

1S8G.

[all RIGHTS RESERVED.]

Limited

MELBDCIiXE.

PREFACE of Europe are sysSuch an undertaking has been rendered comparatively easy by the valuable special memoirs which have been published upon the Fishes of the several Euro-

In

this

Volume the

Fresh-water

tematically deseribed for the

Fishes

time.

first

pean countries.

The

classification of Dr. Uiinther has

been generally followed

;

from this distinguished writer in minor matters, it would have been impossible to have brought the Fishes of Europe into intelligible order without

and,

although we have often ventured to

differ

Museum.

To

investigate

the

the aid of his Catalogue of the Fishes in the British that

great

work readers may

refer

who would

nomenclature of the species described. Grreat Britain and Ireland we have conother works. Pennant's " British Zoology," Yarrell's

For the Fishes of sulted,

among

"British Fishes," Couch's " Fishes of the British Isles," Houghton's

"British Fresh-water Fishes," Day's " British Fishes," and memoirs in the various publications of the Linnsean

and Zoological

Societies.

Buckland's "Natural History of British Fishes," and his Fishery

among works of a we may mention Mr. St. John's " Tour in Sutherlandshire," Mr. Eussel's work on the Salmon, and the " Prose Halieutics " of the Rev. Dr. Badham. The method of description has been in general that used by Heckel and Kner in their " Siisswasserfische der Ostreichischen Monarchic," upon which we have moulded the descriptions of Eeports, have been frequently referred to, while

more

special

character

external characters of the Fishes described.

authors

we have been indebted

onl}^

in

Among a less

other Grerman

degree

to

Von

" Siisswasserfische von Mitteleuropa," and Giinther's " Fische des Neckars " the former invaluable for its critical dis-

Siebold's

;

crimination of species, the latter rich in anatomical observations.

Benecke's " Fische, Fischerei, und Fischzucht, in Ost- und Westpreussen," has also been consulted.

Tin-;

VI

For

the

FRESII-WA'I'EK FISHKS OF FrUoPK.

Fnince

of

Fislics

Donees de

la

fnrnislied

information of

" Poissons des

lihmcluird's

France," and Moreau's

"

Poissons de

la

Eanx

France," have

tlu; greatest value. For the Fishes of volume of Fatio's work has been our chief guide. The Fishes of Spain, though described in some special catalogues, like that of Machado, dealing with the Fishes of the Guadalquivir, are best known from the writings of Steindaclmer, originally published by the Academy of Sciences at Vienna. Italian Fishes have been well catalogued and described by Bonaparte, in his "Fauna Italica " by Canestrini, in his " Prospetto critico dei Pesci d'Acqua dolce d'ltalia," and other memoirs and works and in the cataloo-ue of Gig-lioli. On Scandinavian Fishes the more important modern writers are Collett, who has given us " Norges Fiske " and Lilljeborg, who has written " Sveriges ocli Norges Fiskar." Many valuable notes will be found in Llo3^d's

Switzerland the

first

;

;

;

" Scandinavian Adventures."

The

Fishes are Nordmann,

chief authorities on Russian

the

described

Fishes

in

Demidoff's

who

"

Voyage dans la Russie and Hunting in Russian

" Grimm's " Fishing and Kessler's memoirs in the " Bulletin de la Societe Imperiale des Naturalistes de Moscou." Besides these works, many

Meridionale

Waters

;

"

;

general treatises

like the

" Histoire Naturelle des Poissons "

Cuvier and Valenciennes, and

many volumes

by

of travel, like those of

Russigger and Filippi, have yielded information which has helped our history.

Shortcomings of omission of some a work of this kind,

that the fabric of the work will give a of our

own

species,

may be remedied

country, and

may

almost inevitable in

hereafter.

new

But we

trust

interest to the Fishes

influence British peoples to a thrifty

cultivation of the roving wealth which swims, little heeded, in our

forms of fresh-water the folk

fish life

who breed and

—a cultivation

which rewards upon the Fresh-water

like that

care for, and feed

Fishes of Continental Europe.

H. G. Seeley. TJie

Vine, Sevenonks.

ISM Ffhrvary.

1886.

,

— —

—

—

—

CONTENTS. CHAPTER

I.

PAGE

INTRODUCTION.

— Characters

used in Classification of Fishes— The Forms of Fresh-water Fishes The Structui-e of the Fins and the Fin Formvdse The Scales Organs of the Senses— The Mouth The 0])erculum and Gill-arches The Skeleton Air-bladder Digestive Organs Reproductive Organs Growth Geographical Distribution— Table showing Range of Species Table showing Classification of Fishes described

The Orders

of Fresh-water Fishes

—

—

— —

—

—

CHAPTER

—

—

—

—

1

II.

FRESH- WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII.

FAMILY PERCID^ — Genus Perca

—

—

Genus Percarina The River Perch The Bass Acerina The Ruff or Pope Acerina schrsetzer Acerina Genus rossica Genus Lucioperca The Pike-Perch The Pike-Perch of the Volga AspRO The Zingel—The Apron— The Streber—FAMILY COTTID^— Genus Cottus The Miller's Thumb— Cottus poecilopus Father Lasher FAMILY GOBIID^ Genus Gobius Species of Goby -The Polewig— FAMILY BLENNIID^- Genus Blennius— FAMILY ATHERINIDJE-Genus Atherina The Sand Smelt— FAMILY MUGILID^— Genus MuGiL The The Grey MixUet- FAMILY GASTEROSTEIDiE— Genus Gasterosteus Percarina demidoffii

—

:

— Genus

—

:

:

— —

—

:

:

:

—

—

:

:

:

Sticklebacks

.--.._.

CHAPTER

:

-

-

-

-

23

III.

FRESH-WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER ANACANTHINI.

FAMILY GADID^ — Genus Lota — Fresh-water Representatives of Burbot—FAMILY PLEURONECTID^— The Flounder—The Sole

CHAPTER

the

Cod Family

— The 8

IV.

PKESH-WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER PHYSOSTOIII.

FAMILY SILURID^-Genus Silurus—FAMILY CYPRINID^— Genus Carp

:

AuLOPYGE

Aulopyge

:

The Ctprinus Genus Carassius The Crucian Carp — Goldfish — The Barbus The Barbels of Central Europe and Spain Genus Genus Gobio The Gudgeon —Gobio uranoscopus

and Hybrids

Its Varieties

Carassius bucephalus— Genus hiigelii

:

:

:

-

:

CHAPTER

-

-

90

V.

FRESH-WATEK FISHES OF THE ORDER PHYSOSTOMI

(continued).

GliOUP LEUCISCINA— Genus Leuciscus The Rudd, and its varieties—The Ide— Leuciscus aula— L. adspersus— The Roach— L. pigus— L. friesii— The Chub— The Dace— L. illyricus :

L. pictus

— L. svallize— L. iikliva — L. tiu'skyi —L.

—

—

microlepis L. tenellus L. muticellus— The hispanicus— L. arcasii— L. alburnoides— L. macrolepidotus-L. arrigonis L. Icnmiingii -L. heckelii— L. pyrenaicus L. polylepis— Genus Paraphoxinus— Genus Tinca

—

Minnow— L.

—

The Tench— Genus Chondrostoma

— C.

polylejiis-C. willkommii

:

C.

-

------

nasus— C. phoxinus— C. genei ^

CHAPTER

Abrami-^

:

:

knerii— C. rysela .

\l.

fresh-water fishes op the order PHYSOSTOMI

GROUP RHODEINA— Genus Rhodeus

—C.

{cuntinucd).

The Bittcrling— GROUP AP.RAMIDINA— Genus The Bream— A. vimhu -A. elongatus—A. 4;)allerus— A. sapu— A. leuckartii- A. :

133

—

THE FRESH-WATEK FISHES OF

viii

ET^ROl'E.

bjorkna— Hybrids— A. biiniiictatus~A. fasciatus— Genus Asi'iis A. lapax— ClKNUS AlburNis: A. lucidus— A. albuniellus— A. nicnto— A. cbalcoides— Genu.s LEOCAsnus L. delineatus-GENUS Pelecus P. cultratus-GROUP COBITIDINA-Gexus Misgurnus M. The Loach -Genus Cobitis The Sinuous Loach fossilis— Genus Nemachii.us :

:

:

:

-

:

:

CHAPTER VIL kresh-watek fishes of the order I'HVsusToMi

(cuntinueU).

FAMILY CLUPEID^— Genus Clupea Shad— Twaite Shad— "Whitebait— Black :

Caspian Hen-ing

-

-

-

Sea Herring-

-

CHAPTER

VIII.

FRESH-WATER KISHE8 OF THE ORDER PHYSUSTOMI

(continued).

FAMILY SALMONID^— Genus Salmo Salmon— Salmon

Fisheries— Sabnon Disease. Trout Gillaroo— Salmo hardinii Sewin— S. argenteus S. venernensis— S. mistops— S. nigripinnis River Trout— S. ausonii Galway Sea Trout S. autiunS. microlepis S. obtusirostris nalis— S. lemanus S. carpio S. rappii S. dentex S. spectabilis— S. marsiglii S. lacustris Loch Leven Trout— Orkney Trout— S. polyosteus— Grey Trout- Salmon S. schiffermiilleri :

:

—

—

—

—

— — —

—

Trout— Great Lake Trout— S.

—

—

—

bailloni

— S. genivittatus— CHAPTER

S.

— —

-----

labrax

-.'li."!

IX.

fresh-water fishes of THE ORDER PHYSOSToiu

(continued).

— The Charr Tribe Salmo salvelinus— umbla — colli— S. willughbii— rutilus — carbonperisii— killinensis— nivalis — alpinus — — — L. leucichthys — Gents losses — Genus Luciotrutta hucho arius— S. grayi

FAMILY SALMONID^

(concluded)

:

S.

S.

S.

S.

S.

S.

S.

S.

:

S.

S.

:

OsMERUS Smelt— Genus Coregonus: Species with the upper jaw prolonged— Species with the snout obliciuely truncated Species with the snout vertically truncated— Po wan— Species with the mandible longer than the snout— PoUan—Vendace— Genus Thymallus Grayling Thymallus microlepis :

—

.._----------:

—

CHAPTER

317

X.

FKESH-WATER fishes of the order PHYSOSTOIU

(co)tiiudid).

FAMILY ESOCID^E — Genus Esox Pike-FAMILY UMBRID.E— Genus Umbra— Umbra Cyprinodon calaritanus krameri— FAMILY CYPRINODONTID.E— Genus Cyprinodon — C. ibericus— Genus Fundulus Fundvdus hisjianicus — FAMILY MUR.EXID.E Genus :

:

:

Anguilla

:

Common Eel— Broad

nosed

Eel— Dalmatian

CHAPTER

3<)0

Eel

XI.

KRESH-WATEK fishes of the order GANOIDEl.

FAMILY ACIPENSERID^— Genus stellatus—A. schypa Sturgeon— A. hu.so

Acipenser Acipenser glaber— Sterlet— A. gmelini— A. A. giildenstiidtii-A. naccarii— A. nardoi— A. heckclii— A. nasu.s— The :

"^^^

-

CHAPTER

XII.

-

fri;sh-wateu fishes of the sub-ci.ass cyclostomata.

Genus Petromy/.on

General

:

Lamprey -Lampern— Mud Lamprey,

or Pride

-I"iO

4:U

Inde.x

Index to Specific Names

.

Index to Common Names

.

-

-

.

-

-

-

-

140

-

H3

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Leuciscus aula, var, hasak— Leuciscus aoia, var. rubella— Letjciscus vulgaris, vae. CHALTBa;us

...--.. -----

Scale of Gobhis Scale of Leuciscus

-----

Teeth of Salmon Skeleton of Perch

-

.

-

-

-

-

Skull of Percli with the Operculum removed, to show the Bones of the Head, the Branchial Arches, and the Branchi-ostegal Rays Vertebra of Hen-insr Air-bladder of Carp Internal Anatomy of Carp . Internal Anatomy of Carji -

-

-

-

-

-

-

---------

Perca fluviatilis Percarina demidoffii Acerina cernna Acerina schrsetzer Lucioperca sandra Lucioperca volgensis

-

Aspro zingel Aspro vulgaris

-

-

.

-

-

-

.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

.

_

.

.

-

-

-

-

front

Cottus gobio, var. ferrugineus Head of Cottus ferrugineus, seen from the front Cottus poecilopus Gobius martensii -

.

---------

-

-

-

-

Scale of Gobiiis martensii Blennius vulgaris Gasterosteus aculentus

-

-

.

-

-

----.--.--. -----

Gasterosteus aculeatus, var. brachycentrus

Lota vulgaris Silurus glanis

-

-

-

-

.

Cyprinus carpio Cyprinus acuminatus Cyprinus hungaricus Cyprinus hungaricus Cyprinus carpio (var. hungaricus). Pharyngeal Teeth Cyprinus regina Carpio kollai-ii Pharyngeal Teeth of Carpio kollarii -

-

-

-

-

-----

-

-

-

.

-

-

.

-------.---. -------.--_ -----

Carassius vulgaris Carassius moles Carassius gibelio

Pharyngeal Teeth of Carassius gibelio Carassius oblongus Pharyngeal Teeth of Barbus vulgaris Barbxis vulgaris

Barbus plebejxTS Barbus plebejus Barbus caninus Barbus petenyi Aulopyge hiigelii Cfemale) Under side of the Head of Aulopyge -

-

-

.

.

Pharyngeal Teeth of Aulopyge hiigelii Gobio fluviatilis Head of Gobio fluviatilis, seen from above Pharyngeal Teeth of Gobio fluviatilis Gobio uranoscopus Head of Gobio uranoscopus, seen fi-om above Leuciscus erythroi)hthalmus Pharyngeal Teeth of Leuciscus erythrophtbal-

-

-

-

-

-

.

mus Leuciscus erytbrophtba.lmus, var. dergle Leticiscus erythrophthalmus, var. iilotizza

Leuciscus erythrophthalmus, var. scardafa Leuciscus scardffa Leuciscus erythrojAthalmus, var. macrophthal-

mus

-

Cottus gobio Head of Cottus gobio, seeu from the front Cottus gobio, var. microstomus . Head of Cottus microstomus, seen from the .

-----------

:

j

Fronti.

Auloiiyge hiigelii Lateral line and skin, showiug pigment spots Aulopyge hii?elii (male)

-

-

-

-

-----

hiiselii

-

Leuciscus idus

Pharyngeal Teeth of Leviciscus idus Leuciscus aula Pharyngeal Teeth of Leuciscus aula Leuciscus adspersus Leuciscus rutilus

-

-

-----

Leuciscus rutilus, var. pausingeri Leuciscus pigus Pharyngeal Teeth of Leuciscus pigus Head of Leuciscus i>igus, seen from below Leuciscus pigus, var. virgo Leuciscus friesii Head of Leuciscus friesii, seen from above Pharyngeal Teeth of Leuciscus cephalus Leuciscus cephalus Leuciscus cephalus, var. cavedanus Leuciscus cephalus, var. albus Leuciscus vulgaris Heads of Leuciscus vulgaris Leuciscus vulgaris, var. rostratus Leuciscus illyricns Large scale of Leuciscus illyricus Leuciscus svallize Leuciscus ukliva Leuciscus turskyi Leuciscus microlepis Leuciscus tenellus Leuciscus muticellus Pharyngeal Teeth of Leuciscus muticellus Leuciscus muticellus, var. savignyi Leuciscus phoxinus Pharyngeal Teeth of Leuciscus phoxinus . Paraphoxinus alepidotus Pharyngeal Teeth of Paraphoxinus alepidotus Tinea vulgaris Pharyngeal Teeth of Tinea vnlg.iris Chondrostoma nasus Head of Chondrostoma nasus, seen from lielow -

-

-

-

-

-----

-

-

.

-

-

-

.

.

.

-----

-

-

-

-

-

-

.

---------

-

-

-

-

.

-

-

.

-

-

.

.

.

-

-

-

TlIK FRESH- \VATP:K FISHES

oF EUROPE.

PAGE Pharyngeal Teeth of Chondrostoma nasus Chondrostoina phoxinus Head of Chondrostoma phoxinus, from below Chondrostoina genei Head of Chondrostoma geuei, seen from below -

-

•

-

-

-

-

-

208

-

-

-

-

-

.

Misguruus fossilis Nemachilns barbatulus

-

Head

•

-

•

-

.

.

-

-

Salmo

210 211 214

-

-

-

-

.

-

.

-

....

Salmo obtusirostris Vomer of Salmo obtusirostris Vomer palatines and maxillary arch

of

-

225 225 227

230 231 232 233 2.35

236 237 238 'Ml

24t 249 252 254 257 268 286 287

287 291

296 298

-

-

-

-

-

.

-

-

-

-

-

-

Umbra krameri Head of Umbra krameri, Scale of Umbra krameri Anguilla vulgaris Anguilla eurystoma Acipenser glaber

seen from abo .

-

-

-

....

Acipenser ruthenus Acipenser ruthenus, showing the Cranial Scutes on the upper side of the Head Acii)enser ruthenus, showing the under side of the Head, Mouth, Barbels, Pores, etc. Acipenser ruthenus, var. gmelini Acipenser gmelini. Head seen from above Acipenser gmelini. Head seen from below Acipenser stellatus Acipenser stellatus. Head seen from above Acipenser stellatus. Head seen from beneath Acipenser giildenstiidtii, var. schypa Acipenser schypa, Head seen from above Acipenser schypa. Head seen from below Acipenser giildenstiidtii Acipenser guldenstiidtii. Head seen from above Acipenser guldenstiidtii, Head seen from below Upper surface of Head of Acipenser naccarii Upper surface of Head of Acipenser naccarii var nardoi Acipenser heckelii Head of Acipenser heckelii, seen from above Head of Aciijenser heckelii, seen from below Head of Acipenser nasus, seen from above Head of Acipenser nasus, seen from below Acipenser sturio Head of Acipenser sturio, seen from above Head of Acipenser sturio, seen from below Acipenser huso Head of Acipenser huso, seen from above Head of Acipenser huso, seen from below Petromyzon mariuus Head of Petromyzon marinus, seen from below

223

Salmo

obtusirostris

Salmo fario, var. ausonii Salmo carpio Salmo dentex Salma speotabilis Salmo marsiglii Front view of Vomer of Salmo marsiglii Salmo lacustris Front view of Vomer of Salmo lacustris Salmo lacustris, var. schittermiilleri Front view of Vomer of Salmo schiffcrmlillori Salmo genivittatus Salmo salvelinus

329

222

267 salar

322

-

Upper surface of Head of Acipenser glaber, showing Dermal Scutes Under side of Head of Acipenser glaber, showing Mouth and Barbels, and Pores on the under side of the Rostrum

243

.

PAGE

Salmo umbla Salmo hucho Coregonus lavaretus Coregonus wartmanni Coregonus hiemaUs Thymallus vulgaris Esox lucius

215 217 218 220

241

salar of

208

246

Cobitis taania Cobitis taenia, var. elongata Clupe.i alosa, with caudal scales

Salmo

-

202

203

•

...

199 201

-

....

Aspius rapax Pharyngeal Teeth of Asimus rapax Pharyngeal Teeth of Albiirnus lucidus Alburnus lucidus Alburnus lucidus. var. breviceps Alburnus alburnellus Alburnus alburnellus, var. fracchia Alburnus mento Leucaspius delineatus Leucaspius delineatus Pelecus cultratus Pharyngeal Teeth of Pelecus cultratus

198 199

Chondrostoma soetta Chondrostoma knerii Head of Chondrostoma knerii, seen from below Khodeus amarus Pharyn^'eal Teeth of Rhodeus amarus Abramis brama Pharyngeal Teeth of Abramis brama Abramis brama, var. vetula Abramis vimba Abramis elongatus Abramis ballerus Abramis sapa Abramis leuckartii, hybrid between Leuciscus rutilus and Abramis brama Abramis (blicca) bjorkna Pharyngeal Teeth of Abramis (blicca) bjorkna Abramis bjorkna, var. laskyr Abrimis bipunctatus -

197 198

300 302 302 304 304 305 305 315 318

-

....

Petromyzon fluviatilis Petromyzon fluviatilis, Head seen from below Petromyzon br.nnchialis Petromyzon branchiali.s, Head seen from below Larval form of Petromyzon brauchialis, fornierlj' .

known

as Animoc(etcs

.

.

.

THE

FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE. CHAPTER

I.

INTRODUCTION.

—

—

Characters used in Classification of Fishes The Forms of of Fresh-water Fi.shcs Fresh-water Fishes The Structure of the Fins and the Fin FormuLe The Scales— Org-ans Air-bladder of the Senses— The ]\Iouth The Operculum and Gill-arches ^The Skeleton Repi-oductive Organs Growth Geograpliical Distribution Table Digestive Organs showing Range of Species Table showing Classification of Fishes described.

The Orders

—

—

—

—

—

We

commonly understand by Fresh-water Fishes such

and

lakes.

o£

—

—

—

The majority

—

—

—

as live in rivers^ ponds,

these species are incapable of existing in salt

water, and rarely travel far in the stream

water which

or

a mig-ration to the sea, like an

autumn

holiday,

Among- such migratory

condition of existence.

is

more or

a

fishes the

the circumstance that leads

many Trout

difficulty,

us to believe that the constitution

While, on the other hand, the presence

somewhat

of a fish is

in brackish

marine

fishes,

About the mouths

some countries, it

probable

may

to

again

always

spawn; and

way far up the waters, they occasionally become any case may be mentioned as fishes found in fresh waters

Among

such are certain of the

Flounder, and, in some localities, the Plaice and Sole in

and

their

during their wanderings.

these types that

it

it

of rivers there are

which come into the shallow and sheltered places

some of them make

acclimatised, and in

elastic,

waters of the Baltic Sea of

that after a fish has once become a denizen of fresh waters,

as

Yet

conditions of existence.

Perch, Pike, Roach, and other familiar fresh-water types, makes

life.

seas offer

and Eels.

pass the whole of their lives in fresh water

capable of accommodating itself to more restricted

return to a salt-water

but

less necessary

European

familiar examples in the Sturgeon, Salmon, migratory Trout,

home.

their

is

Other species are hardier, and not only endure sea-water without

species

of

;

Atherina and Grey Mullet.

would h? impossible to describe them

flat fishes, like

the Whitebait

all

;

the and,

So numerous are without appearing

anxious to augment the province of Fresh-water Fishes at the expense of their

marine relations. 1

Nevertheless,

it is

impossible to ignore the existence of such

THE FRESHAVATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

2

exemplify one of the ways

fishes in our rivers, because they

in

which fresh-

water species of marine genera origiuate.

Groups of Fresh-wateii Fishes.

may

Fresh-water Fishes the Fish class

The

is

be referred to five of the great groups into wliich

divided.

spiny-finned order,

named Acanthopterygii, is represented by the Perch the Goby family, the Blennies, and the

family, the Cottidae or Bull-heads,

may

Sticklebacks, while the Grey Mullets and ittherines

be associated with

them.

The second

termed Pharyngognathi,

order,

in

which the

fins

spiny

are

and the lower pharyngeal bones united together, has no representative

in

the

which there are no bony rays

in

the

known

as

the

fresh waters of Europe.

The Burbot

order, Anacanthini,

third

vertical

fins, ;

in

the

has but one representative in

while

the

Pleuronectidte

or

Cod

Fishes

Flat

family,

represented

are

by the

Flounder, Plaice, and Sole, which are otherwise marine.

The fourth by a duct,

order, Physostomi, has the air-bladder

opening into the throat

so that the fishes are easily able to adapt themselves to varying pres-

sure in the water; and this persistence of the pneumatic duct probably accounts for the circumstance that

of

Europe of eight

by

far the larger

Among them

referable to this order.

families,

the

number

of fresh-water fishes are

are representatives in the fresh waters

represented

Siluridse,

by the Wels, the

Cyprinidae, which includes the Carp tribe. Barbels, Gudgeons, Roach, Dace,

Rudd, Minnow, Tench, Bream, and a miiltitude of others whose Continental names have yet to become familiar. The Clupeidse or Herrings are represented to

by

species of

Shad and the Whitebait.

us from Salmon, Trout

and Charr, not

of Coregonus, the Smelt, and the Grayling. tative of the Esocidae.

Umbra

to

The Salmon idee

are

known

mention the various species

The Pike

represents the Umbridaj

is ;

the only representhe Cyprinodontidse

have some Continental representatives; and there are in Europe two or three species of Eels in the family Anguillidae.

The Ganoid order

of fishes

is

represented by the Sturgeons, which form

the family Acipenseridie.

And

the remarkable group of Lampreys, which are comprised in the order

Cyclostomata, constitute the family Petromyzontidae. Classfkication.

The

dilTerences of

enumerated excmiiliry

structure llic

which characterise the types of

varia])ility of

lish

organisation.

fishes here

The nature

of the

PRINCIPLES OF CLASSIFICATIOX.

bony spines

as consisting of

fins,

or soft-jointed branched rays,

pneumatic duct to the air-bladder

The persistence

The

an ordinal group.

sufficient to constitute

3

is

a difference

is

obliteration or persistence of the

an important character in

of a cartilag-inous condition of the skeleton,

And

the body, similarly characterises the Sturgeons.

classification.

with bony plates on

the lower condition in

the Lampreys, in which the vertebral column remains cartilaginous, and without sub-divisions into distinct vertebral parts,

But

grade of structure.

as to present a multitude of

so

since

every

be taken to represent another

types, which are

must be described

fish

may

these Oi'ders also vary in minor details of structure,

in

known

genus and

its

as

And

genera.

species,

becomes

it

necessary to dwell upon the nature of the characters on which classification is

made.

For there are rarely broad lines of demarcation in Nature

such exist, lived

we may

upon the

and

;

if

reasonably believe that intermediate types have formerly

earth,

and become

fossilised

during

history.

g-eological

its

Hence, whenever an assemblage of species can be united by common characters,

and similarly separated from other

which may comprise one tinguish genera

ai'e

compared together

be of a varying nature.

will be seen to

thirteen or fourteen spines in the scales

on the upper

fishes,

species or a hundred.

first

in

they constitute a genus,

Thus the Perch genus has about

dorsal fin,

and has the head

scales.

When we

from

free

from some South

it

American Perches, which form the genus Percichthys, in the first dorsal fin are reduced to nine or ten,

with

dis-

the following descriptions, they

These characters separate

part.

which

If the characters

which the spines

in

and the head

covered

is

turn to the Marine Perches, which form the genus

Labrax, no difference in

the

number

of spines

is

but the tongue,

found,

which was smooth in Perca and Percichthys, has become toothed,

like the

palatine bones.

The It

is

species of a

genus are distinguished by characters of another kind.

often difficult to say where a variety ends and a species begins.

are local races of

many

fishes

geography which from time

to time affect the distribution of life

have become isolated from the rest of the

low

plains, in cold

or rapid

torrents,

mountain lakes or

varieties distinguished

or Coregonus shows

by

and

racterise, that

in shallow

a

size,

on the earth,

on table-lands or

in sluggish waters

form, colour, and certain internal and external

is

A

genus

like

Salmo

remarkable vitality under varied conditions in the ;

but these variations

so slightly differentiate it

swamps,

and proportions of the body.

evolution of specific characters small,

race, so as to live

and thus, differently circumstanced, have developed into

differences in the organs

so

There

which, under the changed conditions of physical

open

to

are, for the

most part,

from each other the forms they cha-

us either to recognise that there

is

no

clear

THE FRESH- WATEi;

4

and

distinction between sncli varieties

group the

cation and

have

in

common

Charr, but

we

UF EFKOrE.

FISIIE8

by

them

Thns there

would

and

with

chang-in*^

ag^e, it

many

kinds of

same way, the al^sorb a lar^e

Fish characters

of types which have usually lieen re^jjarded as species.

beiui^ so variable,

to

are

tog'other, and, in the

g-radations between the Trout wliich do not migrate,

number

a definite demar-

gome character which they

taking-

as the basis for a species.

mig-ht easily ^roup

make

species, or to

varieties togjether,

l)ecomes necessary for us briefly

examine them, so that their nature and value may be observed

in living

fishes.

Fish Form. There

is

less variety in the aspect of

assemblage which inhabits the

sea.

fresh-water fishes than in the larg-er

There are none of the marvellous modifi-

cations of snout, such as distinguish the Sword-fish and the Saw-fish

which are seen

of the singular conditions of fin fins

of Flying Fishes.

several fishes in

marine types.

Nor

;

are the fins ever modified into a sucker,

There

are

none

crawling Gurnards, or the

in

as in

no such singularly-expanded fresh-water

Europe as the Rays, no globular expansible spiny globe-fish

like the

Diodons, or armoured box-fish like Ostracion, or Ribbon Fish, or Sea-horses, or Sun-fish.*

And

even the most singular inhabitants of rivers are

come up from the

sea, like

exclude these genera, fresh-water fishes fish

form, which

is

tapering towards the

may

be said

compressed from side to tail,

fishes

Lampreys, Eels, Sturgeon, and Flounders.

with the caudal

fin

all

side,

If

we

to possess the typical

widest behind the head,

evenly lobed, the other

fins well

The parts

of the

region or back, sides, and abdomen.

The

developed, and the body, in most cases, covered with scales. bod}' are described as the dorsal

which

proportions of the body furnish important characters in distinguishing genera

and

species.

length of the

These are stated fish,

to its length.

and

length of the head to the

in the relation of the

in the proportions of depth

The abdomen may be rounded

and thickness of the body

or form a shai'p edge.

The

relative positions of the fins also furnish distinctive characters.

Tjie

Fresh-water fishes nearly

all

Fins.

have two pairs of

fins,

which

as corresponding to the limbs of terrestrial animals (Fig.

-J).

may

be regarded

The

pair at the

hinder margins of the head are termed pectoral

fins.

The

and usually placed farther back, are the ventral

tins.

Besides these, a fish has

at least three other limbs, which are vertical.

on the median other.

More

line of the back,

There are one or two dorsal

but when there are two, one

or less opposite to the dorsal * Sop Article " Fishos," in "

fin,

Ca^^sr^ll's

pair beneath them,

is

tins

placed behind the

but always behind the vent, Natuiiil IIist(n-y."

is

STRUCTT'KE OF THE FINS. the anal

which

fin,

median

in the inferior

is

composition of

In the embryo

sometimes pointed, sometimes trnncate. are not differentiated

These

fin.

fish these vertical fins

other, but extend as a continuous fringe rouiid

from each

the hinder part of the body, and in a few fresh-water condition

retained throughout

is

The rays which form the

finally,

vary greatly in

fins

and form, being sometimes rounded,

skeletons,

their

And,

line of the body.

the fish terminates posteriorly in the caudal size,

5

like eels, this

fishes,

life.

types

finsai'e of three

simjde bony spines

first,

:

;

secondly, softer spines, which are jointed in the upper part; thirdly, soft rays,

which are not only jointed

in the

The rays which

in a fringe.

and articulated

upper part, but sub-divide so as to terminate

project above the body are jointed at their bases

which extend between the ex-

to internal portions of the fins,

tremities of the spinous processes of the vertebrae, especially on the dorsal side.

In the Acanthopterygian group the

first

The number

developed spines in front.

less

written

1 J).

13

—

D.

^15, 2

the

to fifteen spines in

1

— 2/13 —

first

dorsal

two spines followed by thirteen

fin

has

formula

is

written

— A. 2/8 —

fin is

P. 14,

commonly vary

in the

number

in a

any way unusual.

fish

fin

of rays in

is

Hn, one or fins

have

the

anal

that,

rays

in

the

the ventral

fin

has one spiny

soft

is

V.

some or

as

Perch,

The formula

1/5.

its

of the

In each genus the species

C. 17. all

of the fins, but the

In describing a

fins.

fins

be thirteen

so

nine

or

formula

its

may

The other

way,

or

counted, and

in the second dorsal

similar

In this

9.

and anil

state the form, positions, in

is

signifying that there

and

fin,

and of the caudal

variable are the dorsal

is

:

two spinous rays and eight

ray and five soft rays, so that pectoral

14-

to fourteen soft rays.

and expressed

their rays counted

of rays in a fin

more

Thus, in the Perch, the formula of the dorsal

written in a formula.

and

dorsal fin consists of spiny rays,

the second dorsal usually consists of soft- jointed rays, with one or two

fish,

and frequently the length of the In the Salmon tribe there

it

fins,

is

when

the length

which

a second dorsal fin

is

contains no rays, but consisting of fatty substances,

is

known

most

necessary to

as the

adipose

fin.

When They

a fish

is

deprived of

its

fins

therefore maintain the animal in

it

floats

with the abdomen upward.

its vertical position,

and are organs of

motion. Scales.'

There are two

p.rincipal

types of scales

the ctenoid scale, in which the free margin

whole exposed surface,

is

among

1).

:

first,

and sometimes the

serrated or spiny; and, secondly, the cijcloid scale, in

which the margin shows no serrations, though rays (Fig.

fresh-water fishes

of the scale,

it

may

be marked with delicate

Ctenoid scales are well seen in the Perch and Po])e, while the

THE FKE8H- WATER

(i

OF EUROPE.

I'ISIIKS

cycloid type characterises Cypriiioid fishes, Sahnon, and the majority of fresh-

The

water forms.

scales exhibit their simplest

which they are remarkably thin, and consist of a

The

preserve their forms distinct.

They

skin without overlapping.

often vary in size on different parts of the

are delicate and easily detached, while in other fishes

At times they

body.

and firmly adherent to the skin.

their substance is strong-,

^^^.-^^^^ /

%,

I'sually the fins are free from scales, but in

}

,<^

extend

''

Fig.

on to the bases of the

1.— SCALE OF

from the shoulder to the

position

variable,

is

dorsal contour, while in others

it

The

may

development

its

is

and

to the

known

as the

fishes runs parallel

to the

is

covered

have no

fishes

mucus

fish

(Fig. 2).

The Sturgeon

scales at all.

The from

^ a

\

^'7 %''./

with bony scutes, which, however, do .

Fig.

.

,

not overlap, and differ in scales in fishes

The number

2.

SCALE

Ol'

LEUCISCIS.

size.

with a bony skeleton are arranged

of scales in the lateral

verse rows in most cases.

line

The number

gives the of

counted from the beginning of the dorsal as to follow the free borders of a

below the

a rule, the

canal, the secretion

This

'

The

As

sometimes imperfectly developed,

on the lower jaw, and above and below the eye.

few

is

abdomen.

prolonged on to the head, and opens by pores

A

This

be different in individuals of the same species.

which lubricates the body of the is

less

of per-

form from the others, and may be

in

lateral line is

perforations on the scales are the outlet for the

canal

row

generally a

is

tail.

many

in

parallel

somewhat

scales of the lateral line differ

either smaller or larger.

scales

extending along the middle of the side of the

f orated scales

Its

lateral line.

some types

and may more or

fins,

There

completely cover the head.

„,ii'^*

fish,

and

number

the different species, so that sometimes the scales are embedded in

in

•'.

which

sint^le layer of cells,

scales overlap each other in the majority of

that only the posterior margins are exposed; but the size and

fishes, so

vary

development in the Eel, in

line

lateral line are written in the

of

scales lin

in transverse series.

number in

of

these trans-

a transverse

series

downward and backward,

scab's.

is

so

The numbers above and

form of a fraction.

Some

fishes are

stated to shed their scales periodically.

Sexsory Ougaxs.

The

size of the eye

is

third, fifth, seventh, or ])osition

diameter

in the is

head

is

distinctive of

some other defined

many

fraction

species.

Its size

is

stated as a

of the length of the head.

by measuring the number

distant from the snout and from the other eye.

of times its

There

is

Its

own

some-

thing resembling an eyelid in the Salmon tribe, and in the Shad there are

JAWS AND TEETH OF two

eyelids^

which are anterior and

rather than the eyelids of

The of

FISHES.

7

posterior, like the

eyehd of birds

tliird

mammals.

remarkable for having- a single opening in the middle

nostrils are

the upper part of the head in

Lamprey

the

two openings on each

are double, and have

but

;

most

in

They

side.

they

fishes

are placed

between

the eye and the snout, and sometimes the two openings are different in

size,

and one may have a slight tubular prolongation.

On

the under side of the snout sensitive tentacles are developed in the

mouth

Sturgeon, and similar organs surround the or

may

occur at

its

in Cobitis, Barbels, Silurus,

Tench and some other

angles, as in the

fishes.

The Mouth. The mouth

is

the upper or lower jaw

upper jaw

may

its cleft

distinguishing

long enough to of

be the longer.

and

extends back,

this,

Lampreys

beneath the eyes.

side to side, as well as in the lips

be

in

Sometimes the snout is many species. make the mouth inferior, as in some species

Coregonus; though the Sturg-eon

The

may

an important character

is

may

are no teeth in the

most singular

is

"'°'

in

g!^^J^^^"

mouth, which

its

suctorial.

The teeth

Lampreys, but usually bony when they

mouth

mouth from

are exceptional in opening the

mouth being

be thick and fleshy, or absent.

Sturgeons, horny in

in fishes of the

are absent in exist.

which there may be one, two, always stated numerically

it is

or three.

in a

formula

There

Carp family, but the pharyngeal

bones are well developed and carry teeth, which are arranged in parallel of

either

the

with the distance to

the inferior and backward position of is

When

very short the cleft of the mouth

is

oblique, or even vertical,

which

Sometimes the jaws are unequal, and

often terminal.

This character

— thus,

5'4

—

is

4*5,

series,

so important that

which means

five

teeth in the long- row, and four in the short inner row on each side.

The

teeth are often remarkably developed (Fig. 3), and

may

be present not

only upon the pre-maxillary and maxillary bones, and mandible, but also upon the vomer, palatine, and pterygoid bones, and upon the tongue.

There are

often teeth of different sizes in the same jaw, as in the lower jaw of the Pike.

They

are frequently fine, dense,

the teeth

The jaws

may are

be

in

and

villiform, as in the Perch.

a double row,

as in the

Occasionally

upper jaw of the Flounder.

sometimes protractile.

The Opeuculum and Gill-Aeches. The bones which form the

gill-covers, or are connected

apparatus, furnish important distinctive characters

for

with the branchial

genera and species.

THK KKESII-WATEK FISHKS OF

8

The

bony

g-ill-cover consists typically of four thin

expanded hindermost

which

plate^

which proloni^s the

secondly, a

an

lono;'

thirdly, the inter-

and,

;

elongated vertically, and extends in front

fourth, the pre-oj)erculum, which

is

of the other opercular elements.

The

arch,

;

;

sub-operculum forward

the

of

line

First, there is

plates.

the operculum

named the sub-oiierculum

plate beneath the operculum,

operculum,

named

is

KT'HOPK.

gill-cover

which connects the lower jaw with the

is

united with the suspensory

bone being-

skull, the opercular

united to the hyo-mandibular bone, and the inter-operculum has a ligamentous

A

union with the suspensory arch, as well as with the lower jaw. gill,

which possessed respiratory functions

functions in the adult,

is

in the

embryo, but has These

attached to the operculum.

moditied

lost

those

known

gills are

/--^

'^^ ''^^^^-SKELETON" ?/, maxillary bone Pre-niaxillary bone ?i, pectoral fin ;;,!/', vertebral column ;

f,

;

;

;

i,

mandible ventral

They do not

as pseudobrancliia'.

complete

supported by the

branchial

and form a

sort

substances,

which might otherwise

number

branchi-ostegal

gill-rakers

palatine ar^-li dorsal fins

fc, ?,

;

;

c,

cranium

ÂŤi,

anal fin;

;

./',

ii,

fishes,

arches

;

most bony

;

and when

and other parts of the head. fishes

rays,

be

of net to filter tlie water

carrried

The

have four

and the

In the Sturgeon there

fish.

placed behind the

orljit,

into the pharynx.

which

is

known

degree

is

from

into the gill-cavity. of

development of

on the branchial arches furnish important characters

the species of

inter-oporculnm caudal flu.

u',

The branchial arches commonly develop protuberances, which

gills.

are called gill-rakers,

of

;

exist in all fresh-water

present, carry aerated Ijlood to the eye gills are

ti,

;

flu

in

solid

The the

defining

an external opening to a canal

as a spiracle.

These spiracles lead

In Ijampreys there are a numl)er of successive respira-

tory sacs, each opening externally by a short duct, and internally into a canal,

which communicates Ill

most

fishes

in front

the water

the gill-openings.

is

with the back of the throat, termed the pharynx. taken in through the mouth, and passed out by

;

BONES OF THE HEAD.

Skeletox

(Fig.

-i).

Bony fishes, or Teleostet, have the elements of They comprise all the fishes here described, except The

skull (Fig". 5)

is

formed upon the same

the skeleton well ossified. Sturg-eous and Lampreys.

g-eneral plan as the skull in

any

other vertebrate animal, the essential difference consisting in the development of the suspensory arch for the lower jaw, to the skull,

by the hyo-mandibular bone united

and the quadrate bone which articulates with the lower jaw;

and these bones, with some other

less

important elements, support the oper-

ElUH WITH THE OPERCULUM KFMOYED, TO SHOW THE JiOXl IE BKANCHIAL ARCHES, AND THE RRANCHI-OSTEGAL KAYS. 1,

Frontal

or THE HEAD,

3, post-frontal 4, epiotio 6, basi-occipital 2, pre-frontal 5, supra-occipital 7, ex-occipital 9, vomer 10, para-sphenoid 11, nasal 12, ali- sphenoid 13, orLiito-spiienoid 15, jjetrosal 17, pre-maxillary; 18, maxillary 22, meta19, deutary and articular elements of mandible 20, hyo-maudibulur 21, qiiadiate IJterygoid; 23, pterygoid; 24, ento-pterygoid symplectic; 27, operculum; 28, pre-oper25, palatine; 26, culum ; 29, suli-operculum ; 30, inter-opercvxlnm behind the gill-rakers 31, stylo-hjal 32, epi-hval, coratohyal, and basi-hjal 33, glosso-byal 34, brauchi-ostegul rays ; 35, bones of the branchial arches ; 36, uro-hyal. ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

:

culum, which

is

j)eculiar to

tinctive fish character;

development in bony arch

is

given

There are

off

fishes.

fishes,

on each

consisting of median pieces, from which a jointed

five branchial arches (Fig. 5),

but the

fifth is

many genera armed with

The other branchial arches

as the pharyngeal bone.

The outermost

also a dis-

is

side.

of supporting a gill, becomes in

•|)ieces.

The branchial apparatus

and the hyoid, or tongue-bone, attains a remarkable

is

modified, and instead teeth,

and

is

known

consist of three or four

the epi-branchial, the middle

])!ece

is

the cerato-

THE FHESH-WATEU FISHES OF EUROPE.

10

branchial, and, below this

It

The uppermost segments

the hypo-branchial.

is

known

of the fourth branchial arch are

upper pharyngeal bones.

as the

remarkable that among' the Sturgeons, in which the head consists of

is

an enormously thick mass of cartilage, of similar texture to that which makes the rest of the Sturgeon^'s skeleton, the superficial dermal scutes upon the

head are arranged so as to correspond in position with the bones which roof

bony

in the brain-case of

And

fishes.

in describing the

shall find it necessary to pre-suppose a familiarity

skull, so far as

is

the head, which

the head there at its outer

implied in knowing the nomenclature of the upper bones of for

margins a bone on each

supra-occipital thei'e

side, called

a pair of bones,

is

paii',

known

as the

Thus, at the back ot

animals.

all

a single bone in the median line,

to these, another is

same

essentially the

is

is

Sturgeon group we

with the structure of the

known

named

and

supra-occipital,

the epiotic.

In front

of th^

as the parietals, and, external

squamosals.

In front of the parietak

the pair of frontal bones, more or less separated in front by the ethmoid

bone or bones.

External to the frontal bones, so as to form the margins for

the orbit of the eye, are post-frontal bones behind and pre-frontal bones in

which

front,

All

have

fishes

these elements

Sturgeon, and

there

common

in

developed

well

ai-e

are

represent the nasal bones,

with other cold-blooded vertebrata. the dermal

in

other ossifications,

some

of

head-plates

the

of

which may possibly

though the nasal apertures have no pre-maxillary

bones bounding them in front, as in the majority of vertebrata.

The

vertebral

column

is

divided into an anterior, or thoracic portion, and a

The number of

posterior, or caudal portion. species,

and

vertebrae varies in

therefore, usually counted.

is,

(Fig. 6), has a

and

genei'a

Each vertebra

bi-concave body, with the remains of the

primitive cartilage, called the notochord, filling the spaces

between the cups.

and

in fishes of

An

arch above protects the spinal cord,

deep body

is

prolonged to a great height.

Ribs are attached to the vertebrae in the abdominal region,

and these often possess complex accessory pro-

cesses (Fig. 0).

The caudal region has

%;^ Fig.

3-?,

rib

G.— YEKTEniiA OF ;

nppcndnge of

i-/f(,

a lower arch to each vertebrae,

corresponding to the upper neural ^ion

of

thc

Sharks and tached to

tail

the

it,

as

is

commonly

sturgeon, but

may

arch.

directed

the

The termiuaupward, as in

bony processes

symmetrical development, so as to make an evenly-lobed, or homocercal

The is

full

structure of the bones of

interest

in

at-

be seen in the Salmon, attain a fin.

which support the pectoral and ventral

their correspondence with the similar arches of

fins

land

INTERNAL ANATOMY vertebrates, bvit

we

shall

11

have no occasion to discuss these points

European

in

fresh- water fishes.

Air-Bladder. There sidered

is

to

Europe.

no air-bladder in the Lampreys, and the organ cannot be con-

show a respiratory function It

is

any

in

commonly placed below the

the fresh-water

of

vertebral

column

fishes

of

in the abdo-

minal cavity, and in most cases tapers

in

front

k^

and behind.

In an early stage of existence the

air-bladder communicates

with the intestine by a duct,

which

is

genera as the

-AIR-HLAUDEK OF

fish attains

In the Carp tribe the air-bladder

maturity.

structed so as to form anterior and posterior divisions (Fig. tribe it consists of

CAllP.

many

in

obliterated

two

and

is

in the

con-

Loach

which are contained in bony capsules

parallel portions,

In the Sturgeon

at the sides of the anterior vertebrae.

7),

it

is

thick,

and con-

sists of several layers.

Digestive Organs

Sometimes the intestine difficult to separate

and

brancliite or gills

intestine.

simple, as

in

the Lamprey, in which

the parts which are usually

Fig. '//,

is

(Figs. 8, 9).

;

i;,

8.

— INTEKXAL

heart ;/, liver

;

making

is

ANATOMY OF CAKP.

t))i, !'?(',

air-bladder;

In the Sturgeons the intestine

the secretion from the liver and the pancreas, valve, like that seen in Sharks.

it

named esophagus, stomach,

The form

c(,

is

intestinal canal

;

ÂŤ,

urethra.

complicated, and

receives

and terminates in a

of the

stomach

varies,

spiral

sometimes

a blind sac, and sometimes being an expanded part of the intestine,

situate at an angular

bend

in its course.

frequently carries a fringe of appendages, are greatly developed in the

Salmon

tribe,

Behind the stomach, the intestine

known

as pyloric appendages,

and vary

in

number

which

in the different

THK

12

The

species.

and

some

in

I'in-:SII-AVATKI^

may

liver

OF EUROPE.

FISIIKS

be simple or lobed

;

usually includes a if-all-bladder,

it

a g-ood deal of

fishes contains

The

org^an placed near to the stomach.

The

t'at.

spleen

a dark red

is

intestine terminates in a pore,

which

frequently includes the outlets for the urinary bladder and the reproductive or<>'ans (Fip;-. 8).

REL'itourcTivE Ok(;axs.

The sexes sionally

of fishes are always

met with

The

ovii)arous.

in

distinct; thoug-h licrniaphrodites are occa-

some groups.

full-grown, and they usually occcui)y a

In the Smelt there

is

largt'

is

Some

0).

commonly

<

r

iishes

i^ill^

;

c,

is

have an external ovi-

The eggs

of great length in the Bitterling, R/iodeus amanis.

Fis;

bnuiohia;

are

portion of the abdominal cavity.

heart

;

ci,

9

— I^TI UN

\n\iom\

\i

iutestiiial caiiul

;

o,

ovaries

oi ;

(

n,

^kv

vent

;

o',

Ofidiict

;

<(',

uriuary outlet.

They vary much

globular, but oval in the Lampreys.

the same individual in different periods of

are

-'

j^2%V::7f-

If,

tishes

an internal oviduct, but commonly the eggs are dis-

charged into the abdominal cavity (Fig. duct, which

European fiesh-water

All

ovaries and milt are frequently mature long before the fish

life

and

in different

in

size

species.

in

In

the Eels they are microscopic; the Sticklebacks have large eggs for their size,

but

among

the largest eggs of our fresh-water fishes are those of the Salmon.

Sometimes the eggs are deposited on plants

them

in

;

the Bitterling

said to deposit

is

the shells of living bivalve Mollusca, while other fishes, like the

Salmon, cover the eggs with gravel, and Sticklebacks construct nests better protection.

Among

for their

the Cyprinoid fishes hybrids are constantly met

with, and they are probably not

uncommon

in the

Salmon

tribe.

At the In-eeding season many fishes put on brilliant colours, which are lost when the spawn is deposited, and some, like most Cy))rinoids, develop small tuliercles upon the scales in both sexes, or in the male only. The Eels, though eonnnonly accounted fresh-water

fishes,

spawn

in

the sea.

(jiuowTii.

The \\\\X.

i)roi;ortions of the

relativelv smaller,

body change with growth, the head usually becom-

and the

li^^

be(

ilied.

(hat

GEOGRAPHICAL DLSTRIBUTION. when forked iu The Lampreys

may become

the young,

The

which

when the

size of a fresh-water fish varies

are

abounds.

small It

in

one

in the old

may

thickened, as in some species of Trout, and the

importance of

the

fishes

number

The odour

dages appears also to vary with the food.

varieties

where more suitable food

when

induce, for

and many

of

the

which usually

may become

animals take to eating mollusca, the stomach

feed on small

lish.

three or four years

fish is

food,

its

present to estimate

impossible at

is

with

become large

locality

changes which varieties of food

to

rounded

ti'iineated or

pass through a sort of metamorphosis, by wliieh changes equi-

valent to a generic modification take place old.

13

pyloric appen-

of fish

would seem

depend on the food, and some insects possess a power of stimulating

growth

in

the fishes which

eat

them, which

is

out of proportion to the

weight of the insects eaten.

Geographical Distribution. Numerical statements of the distribution of species necessarily vary with the size of the species, and, therefore, species are scarcely so instructive in illustrating

geographical

distribution

as

Thus, excluding types

genera.

Grey Mullets, Atherine, Flounders,

like the Bass,

are about forty-one

genera of fresh-water

Plaice,

fishes in

and

Soles, there

Europe, and of these,

twenty-five, Perca, Acerina, Cottus, Gasterosteus, Lota, Cyprinus, Carassius,

Earbus, Gobio, Leueiscus, Tinea, Abramis, Alburnixs, Misgurnns, Nemachilus,

Salmo, Osmerus, Coreg'onus, Thymallus,

Cobitis, Clupea,

Acipenser, and

Petromyzon, are

which, however, no genus

is

The Acanthopterygian

represented

in

the

Esox,

British

Anguilla, Islands,

to

limited.

fishes are

not so numerous in Great Britain as on

the Continent, and are best represented in Austria, Prussia, and Germany.

Austria and

Russia have largest

fish

table,

Both countries

fauna.

Sturgeons, Salmon, Herrings, and Cyprinoid

fishes.

By means

which gives the geographical range of the principal

are

of the

species,

rich

in

annexed

with their

popular names in the chief European countries, a better idea of the distribution of the fishes will be gained

statement.

than can possibly be conveyed

For further details we must refer

about two hundred and

A kilogramme

The centimetre

is

body

iu

any analytical

of the work,

where

fifty fishes are described.

Weights and measurements system.

to the

is

3"2

of fishes are frequently given in the metric

pounds avoirdnpois.

about four-tenths of an inch.

A

metre

is

39'37 inches.

14

p

o

THE FRESir-WATKK FISHES

tiF

EUROPE.

TABLE OF GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.

MO

S.

M I

II

]5

1

S H S d 2 <!

W O O o

O Si:

1(5

r/)

THE

FliE-Sll-WATEl: EI.SIIES

OF EUliorE.

TABLE

ยง2^ OH

Lachsforel

(JF

CIEOGKArillUAJ. DISTRIliUTlON.

17

THE FHKSII-WATEK FISHES OF

18

II

O S

-I

Si

9^ D^

2

t^

S'^

H

ft

E£

^

M

p..

EriiOPE.

:

)

)

19

CLASSIFICATION OF THE FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE. Giving the Orders, FdinUics, Goiern, Species, und principal Varieties.

ORDER— ACANTHOPTERYGII. Perca

BLEXNIID.'E:

Blennius

PERCIBJE:

(Artedi)

vulgaris (Pollini (Artedi)

Var. alpestris (Blauchardi Jluviatilis (Liimseus)

Labrax

ATIIERIXID.E

(Cvivier)

Atherina

hqnis (Lacepede)

Percarina dsTfiidoffi-i

AcERiNA

(Nordmaiin)

(Nordmann)

(Cuvier)

&

LuciOPEECA

(Artedi)

capita (Cuvier)

schrcetzer (Linnsens)

rossica (Cuvier

MFGILID.E:

MuGiL

cernua (Linnaeus)

(Artedi)

lacustris (Bonaparte)

cephalus (Cuvier)

V.)

chelo (CuA'ier)

septentrionalis (Giintlior)

(Cuviev)

sandra (Cuvier)

GASTEROSTEID^E

:

volgensis (Pallas)

Gasterosteus

AsPRO -

(Cuvier)

aculeatus (Linnaeus)

zingel (Linnaeus)

vulgaris (C.

&

pungitins (Limueus

V.)

ORDER^ANACANTHINI.

streber (Siebnld)

GADID.E:

COTTID^E:

Lota

CoTTUS

(Artedi)

(Cuvier)

(Artedi)

vulgaris (Cuvier) gohio (Linnaeus)

Var. iinicrostomus (Heckel) Ya,r. ferrugineus

(Heekel & Kner)

poecilopus (Heckel)

GoBius

:

flesus (Linnaeus)

scorpius (Linnaeus)

GOBI1 1). 12

PLEURONECTIIhE Pleuronectes

italicus (Giiuther)

platessa (Linnaeus) :

Solea

(Artedi)

(Cuvier)

vulgaris (Cuvier)

inartensii (Gimther)

Var. avernensis (Cauestrini)

YnT. panizzce (Canestrini) Var. punctatissmius Canestrini)

ORDER— PHYSOSTOMI. slLURIDAi:

(

semihmaris (Heckel) minntus

(Liniia'us)

SiLURUS

(Linua;us)

gluiiis (Linnseus)

)

THK FRESH- WATER FISHES OF

20

CyPRINIDJE:

CypRiNUS

El'ROPE.

Leuciscus

(continued)

Var. rubella (Bonaparte)

(Artetli)

carplo (Liimseus)

Var. basak (Heckel)

Var. acuminatiis (Heckel)

ndspersus (Heckel)

Var. hungaricns (Heckel)

rutilus (Linnaeus)

Var. regina (Bonaparte)

Var. pausingeri (Heckel)

Var. hollarii, hybrid

pigus (Lacepede) Var. virgo (Heckel)

Carassius

(Nilsson)

Var. roseus (Bonaparte)

vulgaris (Nilssou) friesii

Var. tnoles (Agassiz)

Var. gibelio (Nilsson)

Var. cavedanus (Bonaparte)

Var. humilis (Heckel)

Var. albus (Bonaparte)

Var. ohlongus (Heckel

& Kner)

auratus (Linnaeus)

vulgaris (Fleming)

Var. lancastriensis (Yarrell)

bucephalus (Heckel)

Barbus

(Nordmann)

cephalus (Liuuaeus)

Var. bearnensis (Blanchard)

Var. btirdigalensis

(Curier)

(Valenciennes

vulgaris (Fleming) plebejus (Valenciennes)

Var. chalybceus (Heckel

caninus (Cuvier)

Var. rodens (Agassiz)

petenyi (Heckel)

Var. ro stratus (Heckel)

cotniza (Steiudachner)

illyricus (Heckel

&Kuer)

& Kner) & Kner) (Heckel & Kner)

pictus (Heckel

bocagei (Steiudachner)

svallize

sclateri (Giiuther)

uJcliva (Heckel)

chalybeahis (Pallas) albaniciis (Steiudachner)

tursTcyi (Heckel)

microlepis (Heckel)

Hybrids

tenellus (Heckel)

AuLOPYGE hilgelii

muticellus (Bonaparte)

(Heckel)

(Heckel)

Var. savignyi (Bouapai-te)

phoxinus (Liimaeus)

GOBIO

(Cuvier)

hispanicus (Steiudaclmer)

Jiuviatilis (Rondeletius)

arcasii (Steindacliner)

uranoscopus (Agassiz)

alburnoides (Steiudachner) viacrolepidotus (Steiudachner)

Leuciscus

(CuA-ier)

arragonis (Steiudachner)

erythrojMhahnus Linnaeus) (

Var.

clergle

(Heckel

&

Kner)

Var. scardafa (Bonaparte)

Y ar. ploiizza

(Heckel

& Kuer) & K.)

lemmingii (Steiudachner) heckelii

(Nordmann)

pyrenaicus (Giiuther) pohjlepis

(

Steiudachner

Var. Tnacrophthalmvs (H. idns (Linnajus)

Paraphoxinus

Var. orfus (Linnaeus) Var. tniniatus (Heckel

(Blceker)

alepidotus (Heckel)

& Kner)

crouticus

(

Steindachnei')

Var. lapponicus (Giiuther) borysthenicus (Kessler)

aula (Bonaparte)

TiNCA

(Cuvier)

vulgaris (Cuvier)

)

)^

)

CLASSIFICATION.

Chondrostoma

21

Leucaspius

(Agassiz)

nasus (LinuaBus)

(Heckel)

delineatus (Heckel)

Var. ccerulescens (Blancliard) Var. auratus (Scliaefer)

Pelecus

(Agassiz)

cultratus (Linnaeus)

Var. dremcei (Blauchard)

Var. rhodanensis (Blauchard)

MiSGURNUs

(Lacepede)

fossilis (Linuaius)

phoxinus (Heckel)

Nemachilus (Van

genei (Bonaparte)

Hasselt)

barbatulus (Liuuseus)

soetta (Bouaparte)

knerii (Heckel)

CoBiTis (Artedi)

Var. meigii (Steiiidaclmcr) rysela (Agassiz)

liyl)rid

tenoea (Liuuseus)

Var. elongata (Heckel

&

Kuei-

polylepis (Steiiidacliner)

teillkommii (Steindacliiier)

CirrEIB.E:

Clupea

Hybrid

Rhodeus

(Cuvier)

alosa (Liuuaeus)

(Agassiz)

finta (Cuvier)

anicirus (Block)

pontica (Eichwald)

Abramis brama

(Cuvier)

Whitebait

(Cuvier)

^iALMOXID^E:

Var. vetula (Heckel)

Salmo

Var. gehini (Blauchard)

vhnba (Linuseus)

(Artedi)

salar (Liuuseus)

elongatus (Agassiz)

Trout

hallerus (Liuua3us)

stoviachicxis (Giiuther)

sapa (Pallas)

hardinii (Giiuther)

leuckartii (Heckel)

camhricus (Douovau)

bjijrkna (Liunajus)

argenteus (Cuvier

Var. laskyr (Fallas)

venernensis (Giiuther)

Hybrid abramorutilus bipunctatus (Heckel

Val.)

mistops (Giiuther)

(Hollaudi-e)

nigripinnis (Guuther)

& Kuer)

obtusirostris

fascicdus (Nordmaun)

Aspius

&

(

Heckel

tnicrolepis (Giiuther)

fario (Linnaeus)

(Agassiz)

ausonii (Liuuseus)

rapux (Agassiz)

gallivensis (Giiuther)

Alburnus

(Heckel)

lucidus (Heckel

&

autuninalis (Pallas) Kiier)

lemanus (Cavier)

& Kueri (Heckel & Kuer)

Var. lacustris (Heckel

carpio (Liuuseus)

Var. breviceps

rappii (Giiuther)

Var. fabrecei (Blauchard

dentex (Heckel)

Var. mirandella (Blaucliard)

spectabilis (Cuv.

arburnellus (Martens)

marsiglii (Heckel)

Yar.fracchia (Heckel

&

Hybrid Tiiento

(

Guldeustadt)

Val.)

lacustris (Willugliljy) schijfermillleri

(Agassiz)

rhalcoidc^

Kuer)

&

(

Val.

levenensis (Walker)

orcadensis

(

Guutlier

rilK

Salmo

:

)

)

:

FKESII-WATKi; FISIIKS OF KFJidl'F.

Thymallus

[continued).

^Cuvier)

vulgaris (Linnaius)

jiolyosteus (Giinther)

&

V.)

brachijpoma (Giintlier)

Var. cBliani (C.

trutta (Liunseus)

microlepis (Steindaehner

ferox (Cuvier

&

Val.'i

bailloni (Cuvier

&

:

Val.)

(Heckel

(jenivittatus

ESOCID.'E

I

& Kuerl

Esox

(Artedi)

lucius (Linnaius)

labrax (Pallas) salvcliui or

Charr

mlvelinus (Liunaeus wnibla (Liima3iis)

rMBlilD.E:

Umbra

(Kramer)

crameri (Midler)

aljnnus ^Ijiimyeus) nivalis (Giiutl.ier) Icillinensiii (Giintlu'r)

perisii (Giintlier)

CYl'IilXODONTIJ)^ :

Cyprinodon

(Laccpede)

chalaritanus (Bonelli)

coin (Giinther)

Yiir.fasciatus

willughbyi (Giiutlier)

ibericus (Valenciennes)

rutilus (Nilsson)

carbonarius (Strom)

FuNDULUS

(Lacepede)

hisjyaniciis (Valenciennes)

(jrayi (Giinther)

Imcho (Linnanis) losses (Giinther)

LuciOTRUTTA

(Giinther)

leucichthys (Giildenstadt)

OsMEEUS

MUR^HXID.li

Anguilla

(Cuvier)

vulgaris (Turt(m)

Var. latirostris (Risso)

eurystoma (Heckel (Artedi)

epei-lanus (Liunseus)

COREGONUS

(Artedi)

& Kuer)

ORDER— GANOIDEI. AciPENSER

(Artedi)

oxyrhynchus (Linna;us)

glaber (Marsil)

lloydii (Giinther)

ruihenus (Linnajus)

laveretus (Linnsens)

Var. gmelinl {Fh'/Angcv SuiiwkcV)

lapponicus (Giinther)

stellatus (Pallas)

yracilis (Giinther)

schypa (Guldenstiidt)

widegreni (Malmgren)

gilldinstddtii (Brandt

hlemalis (Jurine)

nnccarii (Bonaparte)

warttnanni (Bloch)

Var. nardoi (Heckel)

clupeoicles (Lacei)ede)

heckeli (Fitziuger)

vuixillaris (Giinther)

nasus (Heckel)

Var. humilis (Giinther)

sturio (Linnseus)

Var. megalops (Giinther)

huso (Liuuifius)

albula (Linnaeus)

Var. norivegica (Giinther) Var. 7narcemda (Giinther)

Yar.finnica (Giinther)

ORDER— CYCLOSTOMATA. rUTltOMYZUXTID.l-:

Petromyzon

(Artedi)

vimba (Linnseus

marinus (Linnseus)

pollan (Thompson)

jluviatilus (Linnseus)

vande!^ius (Ricliardson)

&

branohiaUs (Liunwus)

Ratz)

23

CHAPTER

II.

FRESH- WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER ACANTHOPTERYGII.

FAMILY PERCID.E— Genus

The Eiver Perch— The Bass- Genus Percarina The liufE or Pope Aoerina schri.etzer Acerina The Pike-Perch The Pike- Perch of the Volga Genus AspRo: The Zingel—The Apron— The StreT)er— FAMILY COTTIDiE— Genus Cottus The Miller's Thumb— Cottus pcjecilopus— Father Lasher— FAMILY GOBIID^— Genus GoBius: Species of Goby— The Polcwig— FAMILY BLEXNIID^E— Genus Blennius— FAMILY ATHERINIDi^— Genus Atherina The Sand Smelt -FAMILY MUGILID.E —Genus Mugil The Grey Mullet— FAMILY GASTEROSTEID.E— Genus Gasterosteus The Sticklebacks. Perca

:

:

Percarina Demidoffii— Genus Acerina

rossica— Genus

— —

—

:

—

Lucioperca:

:

:

:

:

PERCID^.

Family: GrENUS

The Perch genera of

the type

is

fishes,

the

of

which agree

PerCR

:

in

(ArTEDI).

group Percina^ a

about eighteen

tribe oE

having an oblong and elevated form of body,

denticulated opercular bones, and ctenoid scales, with two dorsal

tinguished by a

Perch

is

number

which

of spines,

The

found in rivers and lakes.

is

dis-

fins,

The

constant in each species.

variety Perca flavescens ranges over

the United States and Canada, and the Canadian variety, Pe7-ca gracilis,

The number

probably only a variation of that type. dorsal fin

nearest

is

greater in Perca than in the marine Bass {Lahrax), which

a genus

ally,

which

alike

lives

mucus

pores extends

Perca 1

barbels

from the head

to

— The

is

the

teeth

—

River Perch. 9

7 72, transverse

---

^

1^—18.

(Fig. 10) is sub-ovate in body, three to four times as long as

above the ventral

longer or a

is its

in

V. 1/5—6, P. 11—17, C. 17,

high, and moderately compressed from side to side.

is

and

the mouth, and the lateral line of

fiuviatilis (Linn.eus).

Scales: lateral line 54

operculum,

rivers

of

to the caudal fin.

D. 13—10, 2 D. 1—2/13—15, A. 2/8—9,

The Perch

mouths

The Perch family have the

seas of the northern parts of the world.

simple and conical, have no

in

is

of spines in the first

fins.

The length

nearly equal to the

little

placed from

shorter.

one

to one

Its greatest height occurs

of the head, to the

extremity of tbe

height of the body, but

The eye

varies in

and a third times

relative its

size

may

be a

with

age,

little

and

own diameter behind and

THE FRKSII-WATER FISHES OF EFKOPE.

24

above the extremity of the snout, which

the vomer and palatine bones both carry similar teeth.

and

fleshy,

and

is

The

smooth, like the middle of the palate.

branehiosteg-al rays on each

side

these are attached

;

Both

occupied by the jaws.

is

jaws are evenly covered with broad bands of teeth, like short

tong-ue

large

is

There are seven the

to

hyoid bones,

Four

termed cerato-hyals and epi-hyals, and are seen below the operculum. branchial arches, which support the arches consist of an

gills,

and

bristles,

These

are attached to the skull.

upper part, termed epi-branchial, and a lower eerato-

branchial portion.

Both bones

termed

which are directed towards the mouth, and defend the

g-ill-rakers,

entrance

of

the branchial clefts.

to

Fig. 10.

outer side of

the branchial

The

— I'KiaA

epi-branchial and

the

arch carry bony processes,

arc attached to irrooves on the

"-ills

FLVviATiLis

(LI^^•.^a•s).

The

cerato-branchial bones.

g'ills

are

comb-shaped, and greatly developed in the young animal.

The

The margins

opercular bones g-ive characters which define the species.

of the pre-opercular bone form a right angle or an obtuse angle, the upper or vertical part of

more coarsely is

generally

on

its

one

strongest

two other

tends farther

and

lai-gest.

fish.

operculum.

and the lower edge

serrations.

The opercular bone in

;

the

first

process

bears scales only

a long spike, under which are seen

The blunter point

backward, and the lower third of

evenly serrated,

fins,

very finely denticulated,

is

upper half, and ends posteriorly

or

fresh

which

serrated, with the serrations directed forward

of the its

sub-operculum ex-

margin

is

finely

though the serrations are scarcely distinguishable

in

There are minute serrations on the inferior border of the Scales extend over the cheeks and the sub-operculum

the entire upper part of the head, the

;

and the

inter-

but the

sub-orbital ring, and the inter-

operculum are naked.

The

first

dorsal fin

is

i)laced at a distance

behind the snout equal to the

;

PERCA FLUVIATILIS. length of

own

its

base,

and

beg-ins just over the

opercular bone.

The

The

very short, and the

ray

last

is

fin

its

spinous extremity of the

rays are strong, pointed, thirteen to fifteen in number. fifth

The second

the height of the body.

25

is

highest, and equal to two-fifths

dorsal fin

only a

is

base measures two-thirds the length of that of the

first

spinous ray

The

anal fin

very short, and

is

The The rays

and

ventral

fins

ward half-way

outline.

fin.

of the pectorals,

The

but the rays are broader.

fins,

fin

and are

extends back-

to the vent.

The caudal

fin is

evenly lobed, and only moderately concave

of its hinder margin.

The

of the second dorsal.

and have a rounded

commence below the middle

about as long as those

Its

by membrane.

about half the length of the middle and longest

last rays are

there are fourteen rays in the

;

The

dorsal fin.

are less elongated than the succeeding soft rays.

pectoral fins are moderately developed,

first

dorsal

first

commences beneath the anterior half

two strong spinous rays

Its

united to the

is

elevated

little less first

This

lateral line is nearly parallel to the

At

sixty to sixty-eight scales.

in

the outline

forms one-seventh of the length of the Perch.

fin

back

;

length includes from

its

the bnse of the ventral fin there are from thir-

teen to fifteen rows of scales below the lateral line, and seven to nine rows of scales

above

The

it.

broader

ally

than

finely serrated at the free edge, are gener-

scales are

long, are largest

The caudal

smallest on the throat.

on the abdomen and the

fin is

the only

fin

There are three pyloric a]ipendages to the stomach, of moderate

and

sides,

with scales at

its

base.

The

size.

air-bladder adheres to the vertebrie and ribs.

The shade tinge,

From

green on the back.

down

from a brassy yellow

of colour varies

becoming whitish on the

belly,

five to

a bluish or greenish

to

golden yellow at the

sides,

and blackish-

nine brownish-black vertical bands extend

the sides of the Perch between head and

These bands vary in

tail.

length, breadth, and intensity of colour, and are sometimes represented

Idackish-clouded spots, or spots and bands

may

both be absent.

black spot between the last two or three rays of the ever,

always present.

The

first

dorsal fin

is

first

violet-grey

;

dorsal fin

while the pectoral

The is

ventral, anal,

described

by

and caudal

it

to be yellow.

Blanchard^s statements that the colours of the

and season at which

it

is

fins

taken, and,

how-

;

but the colours

be orange or vermilion,

Yarrell as pale brown, b}^ Heckel and

as yellowish-red, while Fatio finds

locality

may

is,

by

large

the second dorsal has

a yellowish base, becoming reddish and green at the borders of the fins vary.

The

Kner

These differences confirm

and of the

we might

fish

vary with the

also add, with age.

Various Continental writers mention a yellow variety, which Siebold considers to resemble the

Yellow Perch [Perca Jlavescens) of North America.

Cuvier and

THE FKESH-WATKK FISHES OF EUKUPE.

2(;

Valenciennes disting-uished a Ferca

ilaliea, cliaracterised

bands, and by having- the head slightly larger than the this

many

regarded as one of the

to be

is

by

varieties of the

from

free

bein<j;-

common

type

but

;

The

species.

Perch of the Danube, known as Ferca vulgaris, has no better claim to a

name.

distinctive

Another variety, found Vosg-es,

with

associated sub-orbital

cheek.

It

Common

Longemer and Gerardmer,

the Lakes

in

])its,

number

a

minor differences

of

usually smaller, and

is

the form

in

and serrations of the pre-operculum, with a

of the

the

in

distinguished by the more elongated body, less elevated

is

back, snout,

scaliness of the

probably an ill-nourished variety of the

is

Perch.

The usual Isaac

size of the Perch in England is from nine inches to a foot. Walton mentions one measuring nearly two feet, and the longest re-

corded measured twenty-nine inches.

But the head of a reputed Perch

is

said

to be preserved in the

Church of Lulea,

length, so that the

presumably, must have been between three and four feet

fish,

The weight

in length.

Austria the Perch

nearly a foot in

is

from two or three pounds to eight

of large fishes varies

is

rarely

more than a foot long, and a pound and

In the Zeller See

it

In North Germany coast than in the

is

pounds,

three

In the higher Alpine lakes the Perch

six.

it

increasing

ex-

always smaller.

is

attains a larger size in the Haffs on the Prussian

smaller lakes.

in that sea rarely exceeds

In

a half

reaches a weight of three to four pounds.

In the Swiss lakes the average weight ceptionally to

which

In Russia they reach eight pounds in Lake Seligher.

or nine pounds.

in weight.

in Lapland,

It

a

is

from half a pound

common to a

but

;

in weight.

There are no marked differences to distinguish the sexes have the body slightly higher, and relatively shorter.

the Baltic

fish in

pound

;

but the males

At Salzburg only

one-

tenth of the fishes caught proved to be males.

The Perch frequents a

clear water,

depth of two or three

in deep water, but

large shoals.

240

of fish

feet,

may

and commonly

rests

In Scandinavian lakes

feet.

it

among

plants

on the breaking up of the frost makes for the shore in

Siebold describes

under pressure so

it

as living in

when

g-reat that

Lake Constance

it is

at a depth

brought to the surface the

be found torn o])en or with the viscera forced into the mouth.

Swiss lakes

it is

at

passes the winter

found as high as 4,4U0 feet above the

sea.

In

In such positions

it

never exceeds one pound in weight, though high up in the Jura Mountains

it

reaches a larger size. It

is

feeds on

gregarious

The warmer the water the

when young, and

small fishes, worms,

amphibians.

larva'

is

of

Perch will even attack and

often insects, kill

larger the

fish.

found in great fresh-water

water-rats.

shoals.

Crustacea,

Like

all

It

and

voracious

PERCA FLUVIAT1LI8. fishes, it

England,

takou by the hook, especially when baited with minnow

easily

is

lob-worm

or

it

but in Germany, where

;

with rod and

may

line

it

is

more valued

often take about

as food than

in

In a Swedish lake two men

with a net.

g-enerally captured

is

27

midsummer from

three hundred to

three hundred and sixty pounds weight of Perch in three or four hours.

Sometimes a decoy

number

used in attracting Perch in shallow

is

minnows being placed

of live

in

a glass bottle, the

mouth

streams,

a

of which

is

The angler

closed with perforated metal to allow of the water circulating.

then drops his line in the shoal of Perch which gathers round the bottle.

The Perch grows commencement of the is

six

first

A in

winter

is

only one inch long

inches long, and weighs three ounces

pound and a the

According to Kroyer, the young

slowly. first

and

half,

time in

is

;

in the sixth

;

sixteen inches long.

It

fish at

year

it

weighs a

it

believed to

is

the

in the third year

spawn

for

third year.

its

Perch of half a pound weight

March, April, and May.

may

contain 280,000 eggs.

The female disencumbers

spawns

It

herself of the eggs

by

rubbing her body against stones, so that they become enveloped in mucus; and the eggs then hang to the stones in strings, which are frequently connected,

not unlike the meshes of a net, the mass often being

The eggs

and by

Eel,

upon by

are preyed

fishes of

birds

the same

and various

fishes,

five or six feet long.

such as the Trout and

and are sometimes cast ashore

species;

in

storms.

Specimens have been taken in the Rhine with the milt well developed as late as

The from a

September.

flesh

of the Perch

but

clear water,

muddy

white,

is

liable in

after

it is

removed

;

cooked.

In Russia

it

is

From

If

it

and

and

all

taken

is

It

is

often served with orange-juice or vinegar.

an important

article of food,

Dried Perch is

is

The skins

till

The bladder

the skins are dissolved.

made from

fresh,

prepared similar to that of the

The

is

Lloyd

states

The

scales

the scales.

is

then placed in a cauldron,

scales

Scandinavia for embroidery on ribbons, reticules, &c. artificial flowers are

together

are next placed in a bullock's bladder, which

tied securely to keej) out the water.

and boiled

off

and goes to market as " soosh."

in Scandinavia this substance is used as a glue.

off.

as

flavour

known

that the skins are dried, and subsequently steeped in cold water. are then scraped

its

the rough scales are

scales are

it

the skin an excellent isinglass ;

baked,

is

boiled, the skin

if

frozen, partly salted, or dried.

Sturgeon

what may be described

acquire

In the brackish water of the Norfolk Broads

flavour.

improves with a diet of shrimps. carefully

and well flavoured when taken

firm,

rivers to

were formerly used in In North Germany

THE FRE8II-WATEK FISHES OF EUKOPE.

28

The some

not migratory, thoug-h

fish is

and

liours,

capable of living out of water for

it is

often carried long distances in wet grass.

is

In Catholic

countries individuals remaining nnsold in the market are again returned to

the ponds,

as

the case in some parts of the middle

is

England, as at

of

Peterborough.

Many

deformities of the Perch have been described, the back becoming

greatly elevated, and the colour,

tail distorted.

The density

and blind.

of

With

old age

Perch become dark in

the cornea has been attributed to in-

flammation, produced by parasites in the aqueous humour of

tlie

Re-

eye.

markable epidemics have destroyed the Perch in some of the Swiss lakes

One

great numl)ers.

in

Du form

of typhus

mouth

is

of these has been attributed

the presence of bacteria in the

to

Plessis

The Perch

fever.

is

;

the body

is

;

the

attacked by

the skin, muscles, cephalic cavities, branchi*,

;

subject to the attacks of entozoa and other para-

liver, digestive canal, are all

The Perch

regarded as a

is

from many small parasites

infested by a crustacean {AcJit/icres percce)

leeches {IchthijoljdeUa perca)

sites.

suffers

by Dr. Forel and Dr.

blood, and

introduced into Trout ponds in North

Germany

as food

for the Trout.

In

Britain the Perch

speaks of

it

In Scandinavia It

size.

is

is

absent from

met with

as only sparingly it

the

extreme

north

occurs as far north as Lapland, where

spread nearly

it

reaches a large

over Europe, and found generally in the Alps to

all

the height of upwards of 4,000 It occurs in the Sea of

and Yarrell

;

in the lochs north of the Forth.

feet.

Azov,

water of the Casi)ian, and

in the brackish

over a large part of Northern Asia.

The name Perch was origin.

It

is

used by Aristotle, and

first

is,

therefore, of

Greek

a term applied to the dusky colour of ripening grapes, and

is

supposed to indicate the spotted or banded marking so characteristic of this fish.

With

which the

the

"P

'^

Romans

is

readily derived, a

of

England with

barred or banded Bilrstel, in

it

is

is

Aborren.

as

Dr.

it

was Perca, with the Germans

has become changed into

name which

''

BJ'

Prom

it

this the

is

appears to have been adopted into the east

slight variation of spelling.

All these Teutonic

names signify

In France

it is

la PercJie, in Italy Persico.

Lake Constance

it is

the Egli, in

fish.

Day mentions

Bursch , in

Dutch Baars

In Bavaria

Sweden the popular name

that the Saxons represented one of their gods

standing with naked feet upon the back of a Perch, as an emblem of

patience in adversity.

LABKAX LUPUS.

Labrax lupus 1

8—9,

D.

The Bass

is

2 D.

1/12—13, P.

(Cuviek).— The

16,

V.

1/5,

Bass.

A. 3/10—11, C. 17.

essentially a sea Perch, with seven branehiostegal rays

develoi^ed pseudo-branehiBe. rate, the

29

The body

elongated.

is

operculum spinous, and the pre-orbital bone

and well-

The pre-operculum The teeth

entire.

is

ser-

are villi-

£orm, are found in both jaws, on the vomer, the palatine bones, and the tongue.

The

but with the denticulations rather

scales are ctenoid,

in the Perch,

and the

in the first dorsal

conspicuous than

less

There are only nine spines

and usually three spines in the anal

fin,

essential difference

so that the

fin,

between Labrax, the sea Perch, and Perca, the river Perch,

consists in the former

dorsal fin,

scales are rather smaller.

having teeth on the tongue, fewer spines

and usually one spine more in the anal

fin,

though

in the first

this character is

less constant.

In North America several species of Labrax are found in the rivers and

along the eastern shores of the United States, but in Europe the Labrax

more typically marine, though the type enough

in

European fresh waters

species,

Labrax Inpus,

to justify a notice of

it

is

is

found often

among

fresh-water

fishes.

The Lahrax lupus was known the Rev. Dr.

the

Badham remarks

fish's sin of

become It

specific,

was always recognised far

as

name

refers to

more by ancient epicures than by those of modern

ness in escaping from dangers to lead

him

now

an appropriate designation.

Aristophanes terms this the wisest of

weak point

generic name, but

its

uncertain whether the

it is

gluttony or of violence, though the Latin name of lupus,

was esteemed

times.

He

Greeks under

to the

that

astray,

;

fishes,

but, says Dr.

and the Bass's

on account of

its clever-

Badham, every one has a

foible is inordinate greediness.

enjoys prawns exceedingly, and on meeting a shoal, opens his mouth, and

fills it

at a gulp with hundreds of these nimble

prawns no sooner find themselves on the wrong

down quick

and prickly crustaceans. side of the barrier,

The

and going

into the pit of their enemy^s stomach, than they hold on hard, and

run the sharp serrated rostrum of their heads into his palate and throat, and so stick the greedy fish,

who, unable

to

cough them up or otherwise detach

them, dies either of spasmodic croup or of an ulcerated sore throat. gabalus, letius

it is

said,

pronoimces

would only eat the brains and milt of the Labrax

its liver finer

than that of goose or turkey

;

;

Helio-

Ronde-

and the dried roe

•}!

'I'HK

is still

estoonKMl

hit^lily

fishes of FriioPE.

Fi;Hsn-\VA'ri-:i;

by the modern (xreeks

Ancient and modern writers agree that the it

as

a

substitute for eaviare.

has been fattened for a month or six weeks in fresh water.

They do not

breed in fresh water, but at the spawning- time retire to the salt

and commonly run up streams feeding

fish,

round the Mediterranean.

all

and was especially famous when caught

the bridges wher(i the great drain emptied fishes so fed is past,

Badham

Dr.

how

narrates

marshes, is

in the Tiber,

And although

itself.

a foul-

between

the taste for

in

veins and

his

;

and

he had often stopped to watch the net used in the current, while some pallid water-

has stood up feebly in the tethered old boat,

man, with ague

It

they have not ceased to frequent the feeding-ground

this fishery perpetually revolving with

man

when

fish is in excellent condition

no

wan

quinine in

as the Stygian ferry-

his

pocket, eyeing

the

meshes, and putting forth a spectral arm to secure the small Bass or other

and then

prey,

letting

down the

net again into the floating feculence of the

river.

mentions that

Yarrell

it

had been successfully retained

fresh-water lake in Guernsey, and Steindachner mentions of the

embouchures of the rivers

ordinary length

in the

it

Mr. Arnold's

west of the Spanish peninsula.

Its

from twelve to eighteen inches, though Couch measured

is

The weight is rarely commonly exceed twenty pounds

one that was thirty-one inches long. the length, and does not Its colour is

in

as characteristic

grey on the back, becoming silvery at the

sides,

in proportion to

in large fishes.

and

as bright as

new silver beneath. There is a dark spot on the upper half of the operculum. The young have small dark spots on the body. The fins are grey, with a yellowish tinge in the pectoral and ventral

Genus This genus

is

veloped except the

The form

:

Percarina

essentially a Perch, in first dorsal,

of the fish

is

fins.

and

in

(Nokdmann).

which

all

the fins are strongly de-

which the palatine bone

carries

mucus-cavities in the bones of the skull are greatly developed. dorsal contains ten spines, and

membrane.

The

scales

no teeth.

compressed and elongated, resembling Acerina.

is

The

The first

united to the second dorsal by a narrow

The operculum has one spine; the pre-operculum is denticulated. The genus is known only from the south of Russia and arc small.

the adjacent Iwrders of Austria.

PERCARIXA

DP^JIIDOFFIl.

Percarina demidof&i 1

This species

by a

line of

(Nordmann).

D. 10, 2 D. 8/9—10, A. 2/9—10.

11)

(Fig-.

is

the only example of the genus

Acerina, and resembles Lucioperea in possessing

The body

fins.

moi-e

is

ness of the fish

the height

;

is

the

dorsal

first

three and three-quarter times

own

two-thirds of the orbital diameter.

than is

from dorsal

Acerina

in

twice the thick-

from the extremity

.

The eye

the head.

diameter^ and the inter-orbital

The mouth

The

form the extremity of the jaw, and carry

out their length.

It differs

entire length of the

the length of

space

its

back to beneath the middle of the eye. to

The

rEKfAllIXA DEMIDOFl'II (NOUDM ANX)

separated from the snout by

is

and

to the distance

also equal

is larg-e, ,

fin,

margin of the pre-operculum.

Fig. 11.

is

characterised

two closely-connected

compressed from side to side

Its g-reatest height is at

of the snout to the

animal

it is

;

round black spots along the back, and a lunate brown spot on All the fins are transparent, and without spots.

the neck.

cenina.

:3L

is

wide;

it

reaches

pre-maxillaries are prolonged

fine densely-placed teeth

The lower jaw has not only

a small

through-

band of villiform

teeth along its upper edges, but the teeth are produced on both sides, so that

the lower jaw of dentition

is

covered with villiform teeth, like a spinous cylinder

which

is

not

known

in

with only a small group of teeth. cernua, but

Acerina its

entire

spinous

length has

posseses i\\Q

borders, between

tained which

is

a

any other

The operculum

similar

aspect of

spine.

The vomer

fish. is

less

is

—

a

form

provided

developed than in

The pre-operculum along

being double, there being two parallel

which the branch

supplied to the lower jaw.

of

the cephalic canal

Owing

to the

is

con-

wide gape of the

THE FKESII-WATEK

3-1

mouth, there is

its

OF ET'ROPE. jaw behind,

breadth of the upper

backward extension, and the

but

is

FLSIIES

space for the front portion of the sub-orbital

little

and the

therefore small,

which

ring-,

cavities of the cephalic canal in this region are,

therefore, less obvious than in Acerina; the other portions, however, of this

mucus system are more strongly developed, and the head appears to mucus vesicles. The external apertures of the nares, which

vascular

be surrounded by are anterior

and posterior

by a broad process of

to each other, are separated

membrane.

The pectoral

the

dorsal

commences over the base

first

portion

fin.

Its rays radiate, but the last

membrane

of

which

second dorsal, but is

Nordmann

distinctly

fins.

somewhat

The ventral

of the body.

from the

first

of the soft part of the fin fin,

is

exactly

though the

farther back, immediately behind the conspicuous

The anal aperture

ovarian papilla.

by

fish is accredited

opposite to, and coincides with, the termination of the anal

anal commences

the

of

joined

dorsal includes three spines, and nine

The second

The termination

is

included in the

separated

almost a matter of taste whether the

with one or two dorsal to eleven soft rays.

very

not

is

the shortest, and

is

longer ray which

to the succeeding-

dorsal, so that it

fin

is

nearly in the middle of the length

fins are close

under the bases of the pectoral

than which they are somewhat shorter, for the pectoral

fins,

fins,

when turned

back, reach nearly to the anal aperture, and exceed in length the deeply-forked,

evenly-lobed caudal

The

fin.

scales are all ctenoid,

and rather

thirty-six scales along the lateral line,

number

of scales

is

greater in the

There are thirty-four to

delicate.

which have tubular

row which

is

perforations.

next above the lateral

The line.

There are no scales on the head and throat.

The colour sides, is

yellowish-white, shading* into violet on the back, with the

is

operculum, and belly like burnished

silver.

marked by numerous round brownish-black

caudal

fin.

The

lateral line is

Nordmann, who

first

The base

of the dorsal fin

which extend

spots,

to the

margined by spots of black pigment.

found this interesting- species at Ackermann, in

Bessarabia, states its size to be rather smaller than Acerina cernua.

Heckel and Kner describe it

is

found

Dnieper.

in

the Black Sea,

it

from the Dniester

at the

mouths

;

Grimm

states that

Dniester,

Bug, and

Dr.

of the

ACERINA CERNTTA.

GrENUs This

is

Acerina

:

33

(Cuvier and Valenciennes).

a small group of Perches in which there

that always has the upper border concave. spinous rays and

its

is

but one dorsal

Its anterior part

is

hinder part of soft rays, so that the single dorsal

formed by the blending of the two dorsals of the Perches, owing to the

The

teration of the interval between them.

is

obli-

teeth are similarly villiform, but

The

no teeth on the palatine bones.

thei-e are

and

fin,

formed of

mucus

skull has the system of

channels greatly developed in the bones.

The operculum and pre-opercnlum

The

The throat and abdomen have few

are both spiny.

scales are small.

There are few pyloric appendages to the stomach.

scales.

This genus

limited to the

is

Old World and

Palsearctic

to its

being found distributed over Siberia, and in most,

not

if

all,

portion,

Eui'opean

countries.

Acerina cernua

(Linn.eus).— The Ruff, or

Pope.

D. l;i— 15/1^, A. 2/.J— 6. This species (Fig. 12), popularly

known

in

England

as the Ruff, or the

Pope, has a close general resemblance to the Perch in form. blunt, but rounded

The

fish is

;

may

have twelve or

The greatest height

is

over the base of the ventral

The height

nearly equal to the length of the head.

thirds of

its

length

;

it is

more than half as broad

sub-circular, or slightly oval, little

forward.

the head.

The snout

is

fifteen spinous rays.

about four and a half times as long as high, and about a thu'd

higher than thick. is

the dorsal fin

Its diameter

The mouth

is

is

The eye

as long.

and placed well to the

side,

fin,

of the head

is

is

and

two-

large,

but so as to look a

rather less than one-fourth of the length of

surrounded by fleshy

It descends

lips.

obliquely,

is

capable of a slight protraction, and the gape extends at least as far back as the nasal apertures.

bones and

carries only a small

cupied

The tongue

lower jaws

chiefly

possess

group of

is

teeth.

teeth

of even

The nasal apertures

size.

The vomer

are double,

and oc-

with a remarkable expansion of the nerve of smell.

anterior aperture

is

small, round, margined

by a

valve,

the orbital border and the extremity of the snout. is

The pre-maxillary

moderately developed.

rows of

large, sub-triangular,

and near to the

eye.

The

and midway between

The

posterior aperture

— THE FUKSII-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE

.31.

Tho

hciul

is

characterised

l^y

system of mucus-canals of the

Many

ternal skin.

pits

lie

the hroad and deep pits wliicli carry the

liead,

which are covered over only by the ex-

between and in front of the eyes

A

contained in the curve of the sub-orbital bones.

to the lower jaw.

This branch of the cephalic canal

The pre-operculum

spines from the operculum.

armed

is

extends

and

The lower

spines are larger

is

which

diver<Tje.

and farther apart than the upper ones, which are The operculum ends in a short, sharp spine, which is

smaller and serrated.

covered by a small

flap of

Fift-.

its

covered by the

is

rounded posteriorly and

is

at its border with ten or a dozen spines,

inferiorly,

denticulated on

line

but the most remarkable branch extends from the pre-oper-

along- the cheek,

eulum

one row

;

bow-shaped

skin.

12.

The sub-opercuhun

— ACEKIN.\

anterior border.

is

large,

and slightly

CEllNVA (LINN-IOV

Villiform teeth occur on the pre-maxillary,

the maxillary, and pharyngeal bones.

Small teeth are also irregularly

Some

tributed on the tubercles of the branchial arches.

dis-

small teeth have been

observed on the palatine bones in specimens from the River March, in Austria.

The

dorsal fin

occupies nearly the entire' length of the back, and com-

mences above the opercular spine and pectoral

It usually contains fourteen

fin.

spinous rays, of which the fourth to sixth are the longest, and the succeedingrays decrease in length to the last spinous ray, so that the outline of this part of the fin

part of the

is

There are eleven to fourteen soft rays

a curve.

in

the hinder

fin.

The anal

fin is

opposite to the

reach quite so far back.

The

membranous part

the pectorals arc oval, and contain thirteen rays

spiny ray and

five

soft

formed of seventeen Icno-th of th.' fish.

The caudal

;

the ventral

fin

has one thick

fin

is

moderately notched, and

The anal aperture

is

behind the middle of the

rays.

rays.

of the dorsal, but does not

pectoral and ventral fins are of similar length

is

ACERINA CERNUA. The ctenoid in

the lateral

below the lateral

The

naked.

more

oval,

are

scales

line,

A

part of the breast in front of the ventral fin

is

resemble those of the Perch and the Apron, but they are

and the spines are sharp and

and follows the outline of the back

than those of the

conical, longer

Apron, and more numerous than in the Perch. straight,

sixty are found

fifty-five to

;

with six to seven rows above, and ten to twelve rows

line.

scales

moderately large

35

it is

;

The

line is nearly

lateral

very conspicuous, on account

of the large size of the mucus-canals, which open through the scales.

The

internal organs have

The eggs

the Perch.

much

common with

in

form closed sacs; the uro-genital opening and the intestine has three five or thirty-six,

of

which

The

is

The

folds.

the ovaries

;

a perforation in a thick short

is

vertebrae

pyloric appendages,

number

usually

thirty-

according to Fatio, though Valenciennes records thirty-seven,

fifteen are

colour

colour

in

The stomach has three

papilla behind the anal aperture.

Apron and

those of the

and yellowish

are of large size

abdominal and twenty to twenty-two caudal.

and spotted with brown.

greenish-olive, mottled

The

sides

are brassy yellow, the belly an opalescent white, with the breast and throat

Upon

pale red.

the spinous part of the dorsal fin the brownish-black spots

On

generally form four or five rows between the spines.

The

spots often cover the rays.

irregularly marked.

The

pectoral fin

The anal and

In England this

the

fin

ventral fins are white, with red tinting.

little fish is rarely

but sometimes reaches a length of is

the caudal

sometimes free from spots or

black, with a golden-yellow colour below.

iris is

Elbe

is

said to have

•

more than three

or four

An

six or seven inches.

inches long,

example from the

measured nine inches, and Bloch mentions one from a

Prussian lake which was a foot long.

In Siberia

it

is

taken seventeen

to

eighteen inches long, and weighing a pound and a half.

This

is

essentially a northern species, being

common

in the rivers of Russia,

Northern and Central Scandinavia, and Siberia, and spread through England, France, Switzerland, and Central Europe. cially

common

Spain, Italy, or Greece.

fish,

is

espe-

It has not been recorded

from

In Scandinavia

it is

known, from

mucus, and

r/ers

the popular

as Snorgers, snor being nasal

This

According to Cuvier,

at the confluence of rivers.

the Kaiilharsch of the

its

slimy covering,

name

Germans and Gremille

of the fish.

of the French,

found indifferently in rapid streams and sluggish waters, where

sandy bottoms, and takes to deep water clay bottom, perhaps because

most of the year its

prey

;

it lives

in the winter.

at the

in solitude, is sluggish,

but when alarmed

saying, " agile as a Ruff."

it is

it

it

is

frequents

It does not thrive on a

bottom of the water.

moves by short

shoots,

It

passes

and waits

for

active enoug-h to have originated the Swedish

30

FKKSlI-WATElf FISHES OF FFliOl'F.

Tin-:

Acerina cernua feeds on the egg-s of organisms, and will

also

fishes,

and

grass

eat

on insects, worms, and aqnatie

earth.

attempt to

not

does

It

move rapidly. and May. The yellow eggs

capture large fishes or those that It

spawns

in April

water-plants

of

roots

Day found

in connected

deposited on the

are

those of

strings, like

Dr.

the Perch.

the roe, weighing- four and a half ounces, to contain upwards

of 205,000 well-developed eg-gs.

In some parts of France there is

It

is

caught with

easily

Ruff remains unaffected. highly prized

flesh is

small size, cious of

it is

life

;

where

fish

soon

frozen as

England, a custom called

'^

Lloyd

and,

its

its

sufficiently tena-

is

says,

may

and afterwards

captured,

the Thames,

in

}>luggiug a Pope

Pope with Roman Catholic persecution

on the spines of the dorsal

number

go

to

the canal for so

In Russia the Pope

tunate Popes.

consists in

is

fix

He

many

The Acerina Hchratzer by some

(Fig.

and York,

which

fishing-

on the dorsal spines of

this

a funny sight

states that it

is

miles covered

by these unfor-

dried in ovens to

13),

name

its

pressing a wine-cork

of Sheffield, Leeds,

Acerina schraetzer i-egarded

other parts of

in

Crewel Biidge, in Lincolnshire, for

and then return them to the water.

to see the surface of

and

—probably connecting

The people

fin.

of hundreds,

"

—

matches provided with corks, which they fish,

as

the

abundant,

in cold water.

Frank Buckland mentions that

to the

place,

it is

may

fishes,

But, owing to

It

rare.

it is

from place to

to be easily taken

Wherever

white, and palatable.

neg-lected in districts

if

in the spring- of the year, or

storms drive away other

easily tamed.

is

firm,

is

be kept alive a long time

thawed

When

line.

It

it

meshed nets

fine

be taken with the rod and

of

an absurd popular idea that this

is

a cross between the Perch and the Gudgeon.

make " soosh.'^

(Linn^us). is

Danube,

peculiar to the

is

It has an

as a geographical variety of the Kanlbarsch.

elongated body, with the snout prolonged forward, and a dorsal

which

fin,

contains eighteen or nineteen spinous ravs, and runs nearly the whole length of the back.

elongated

;

As compared with

of the total length, the breadth to half the length of

the

length

of

nearly straight.

The

the Kanlbarsch {Acerina cern.ua),

the g-reatest heig-ht at the pectoral fin is

the head.

The mouth

teeth are like those of

The diameter is

it

is

more

only one-fifth to one-sixth

bai-ely two-thirds of the height,

The snout

the head.

is

of the eye

is

and

is

equal

one-fourth of

more elongated, and the

profile

reaches back to the anterior aperture of the nares.

Acerina ccrniia.

The tongue

is

round, smooth.

ACERINA SUHR.ETZEJ^ and rather

The openings of the

free.

cephalic

At

Aceruia cermin.

spines resemble those of

37

and the opercular

canal,

the upper edge of the pre-

operculum are seven strong sharp spines, one at the angle, two on the under edge, and four or

very pointed spine

The

dorsal

by

covered

five

commences over the

fin

increase in height to the fourth, and

which

is

The operculum terminates

skin.

pectoral fin

;

its

bony rays rapidly

then decrease gradually to the

last,

much

about half the length of the succeeding soft rays, which are

The anal

closer together than are the spinous rays.

the soft portion of the dorsal

The anal aperture

far.

in a

the sub-operculum only shows fine denticulations.

;

fin,

though

in about the middle of

is

fin

is

placed beneath

base does not reach back so

its

the length of the body.

^/////,.,, ^7^

.

<

...Mt^

ul^'"

Fig. 13.

The

pectoral fin

the ventral

fin

of irregular

is

;

the

Scales

fin

paired fins,

form

;

The hinder margin

(LINN.TiL

s).

absent

though a few small

In

the longest rays are the earliest. is

only half the length of the suc-

of the caudal fin

is

only moderately

measures one-seventh of the total length of the

generally

are

SCHK.KTZEK

the strong spinous ray

ceeding soft rays.

concave

— ACEUINA

fish.

from the head and the regions of scales are

the

sometimes found in front of the

ventral fin on the breast.

Thus

it

is

seen that the chief distinctions in the tins of this species, other

than those of form, are in the dorsal containing nineteen sj^inous rays instead of

twelve or fourteen, while there

anal and the pectoral

The side,

of

lateral

line

is

above

it,

occasionally an additional ray in the

parallel to the back, is

and contains sixty

scales

is

fin.

to seventy

at the

commencement

fourteen rows of scales below

it.

on the upper fourth of the

There are seven or eight rows

scales.

of

the dorsal

fin,

and thirteen

or

;;

THE FllESII-WATEU

38

The

g-eneral

colour

yellowish,

is

green towards the back,

OF EinjOFE.

FLSIIES

becoming a brownish-olive

and silveiy-white on

the

It

belly.

or

olive-

marked

is

on the sides with three or four black bands, which are longitudinal first

near to the back, the second

is

is

;

the

near to the lateral line, the third

commences above the

pectoral

fourth band, which

sometimes made up of spots, runs between the pectoral

and ventral

fins.

is

fin,

The membrane

and

of the whitish dorsal fin

marked with three

is

rows of blackish spots, which do not extend on to the portion with

or four

At

soft rays.

the end of the caudal

the other fins are more or less yellow. it

The

joins the second near the tail.

grows slowly, and

lives for fifteen or

fin

there are small black spots, and

This

fish

twenty

weighs about half a pound Its habits are similar

years.

to those of Acer'uia cernna. It

is

Bohemia but

in

not is

it

general

uncommon in the Danube and some of its tributaries. In known as the Gesdik, at Budweis it is termed the Sc/irazl it is known on the Danube as the SrJiraseii, or Schratzel.

Acerina rossica D. 17/12, P. 15, V. This

fish

is

not

uncommon

as Birifchok, or Baht/r,

though

Dnieper, and

the Dniester,

1/5,

(Cuvier). A. 2/6, C. 17.

in the south of Russia, it

where

has other local names.

Bug, and

is

It

abundant

especially

known

it

is

is

found in

Don

the

in

and Donetz.

The

anterior part of the head, betveeen the eyes

prolonged, so that the

The mouth

is

small.

eyes,

which are very

The round

ranged quincuncially, or in

and the snout,

large,

are

spots on the sides of

series of five.

Their colour

placed the

is

is

greatly

far

body

back.

are

blue-black.

ar-

The

dorsal fins are spotted with black.

There are

fifty-five scales in the lateral line.

Genus

:

Lucioperca

The Pike-Perches have an elongated form Pike, as do the large teeth, which occur

jaws. fins,

(Cuvier). of body,

among

which suggests the

the villiform teeth in the

In general character Lucioperca resembles the Perch, having two dorsal

with twelve to fourteen spines in the

spines, the

prc-Dprrculum

is

serrated,

the

first dorsal.

palatine

The anal

bones

are

fin

has two

toothed,

the

'

LUCIOPERCA SANDRA. head

is

39

elongated with a straig-ht upper outline^ and the cleft of the jaws

The

extending as far back as the middle of the eye.

and America. Seas,

is

Lucioperca marina, which

Two

found in the Black and Caspian

is

The North American

the only marine species.

from those of Europe.

genus

species of this

and lakes of the northern parts of the Old World

are mostly found in rivers

species are distinct

Euro-

species occur in the fresh waters of the

pean Continent.

Lucioperca sandra

(Cuvieu). 2

1

Eins:

D. 1:]— 14-, £ D.

1

The form the Perch,

body

of the

much more

is

elongated and

is

li_J^2

less

but that height

its

scarcely

own

diameter, and

is

sepai*ated

distant

in both the upper

The

mouth.

row of rather shorter pointed

The

The tongue

closed.

is

nostrils are

The maxillary

teeth, in the position of canines

entire edge of the lower

jaw

carries

an even

which extend behind the villiform teeth.

teeth,

villiform teeth are absent on the pre-maxillary bones, where only a incisors extend

pointed

large

is

arranged in bands, which are seen

fine villiform teeth

and lower jaws, are tusk-like

at the corners of the

The eye

from the eye of the

The external

bone often extends behind the eye when the mouth

Between the

to the point

fish.

and near to the eye; the upper and lower jaws are equal.

smooth.

highest

is

from the extremity of the

snout one and a half times the orbital diameter. small,

The body

more than one-sixth

The head, measuring

is

^'^

^1^' ^-

compared with that of

compressed. is

^-

^- ^^'

about one-quarter of the length of the

placed in the anterior third of the head,

opposite side by

Pike-Perch.

2

A.

of the length of the fish.

of the operculum, is

^_^.^

of the Pike-Perch (Fig. 14) ,

in front of the dorsal fin, to one-fifth

^

,

— The

between the canines.

The

few

anterior teeth on

the palatine bone are stronger, and include longer teeth than those on its

hinder part.

The vomerine

stronger teeth

the

teeth

are small,

often lost,

are

owing

to

and occur only

in bands.

As

the predatory habits of

the

The

animal, the dentition varies in different individuals. the pre-operculum

is

part are larger and uneven. scapula,

also

carries

vertical

part of

finely serrated at its edge; the serrations on the horizontal

firm

The edge

of the long bone, termed the supra-

denticulations.

The

gill-arch

first

carries

long

notched spines, termed gill-rakers, while the later arches have only prominences, upon which denticulations are chiostegal rays,

The spiny

;

first

collected.

There are seven

braii-

which become successively smaller.

dorsal fin

is

about as long as the head.

the spines arc pointed and

jiowerful,

It

and increase

is

conspicuously

in length

to the

;

TJIK

U)

fourth; iifth, and sixth.

ray

last

the smallest.

is

The

later

The

first

the

and

dorsal,

first

The anal

fin.

fin

is

but

14.

in Icrg'th^ so that the

often connected by a low

Its base

is

placed behind

— LrciOl'KKCA

SAXDKA

is

are

first

slender, as

and

high

as

as long as the base of

commencement

placed beneath the

is

fin is

which at

rays,

rays longer than those of the second dorsal.

l''i^'.

is

three to four rows of scales sometimes

g'radually diminish.

The anal aperture

dorsal.

first

the second dorsal

Kl'Kc tPE.

of the second dorsal fin

lower than the succeeding jointed

the

Ol'

decrease

spines dorsal

membrane with the second dorsal, but The first s^iinous ray separate them. is

FISHES

Kl;K,'<li-\VA'l'KU

it,

of

and has some of the

The base

the ventral

of

fin

(cTVIEli}

behind the base of the pectoral fin; both are of about equal

little

length.

The caudal

fin

is

equally lobed^ and moderately concave, with

its

terminal

lays measuring from one-half to two-thirds of the length of the head.

The

scales

on the body are relatively smaller than those of the Perch

but they are equally roug-h and denticulated, and vary in

The

lateral

line

and beneath

scales, ;

back;

parallel to the

Above the

ninety scales.

dorsal

is

it

it

size

and number.

includes from seventy-five

lateral line are twelve to fourteen

to

rows of smaller

sixteen to twenty rows of larger scales under the first

but at the extremity of the

tail

there are

rows

only four to six

of scales on each side of the lateral line.

The

abdomen, and fore-part

Usually they become larger towards

the

tail

;

but their

of the back.

size varies

scales are smallest on the throat,

with the stream, the Danube yielding large-

scaled specimens, while in the streams of Galicia,

small-scaled varieties are found.

young the whole of the

pectoral

The

scales

Northern Russia, and Sweden

vary a

with age;

little

in the

of the upper part of the head, the o])ercular bones, and base fin are,

for the

most

part,

without scales

;

but with age the

operculum, parts of the cheeks, and crown of the head between the eyes, often carry scales;

while, with

the exce]ition

f)f

the

first

dorsal, all the

fins

have

LUCIOPEECA .SANDHA. The

scales at their bases.

sub-orbital ring*

4<1

small

is

reaches back behind

it

;

the broad jaws.

The

colour of the back

the belly are only

Both dorsal

their length with blackish

both

fins

five or

more

spots

fins

The

seen.

the

in

head

sides of the

have a grey ground, marked along

between the rays, which often form

more longitudinal bands, which

in

by the pale

are interrupted

Similar spots ornament the tail-fin; the other fins have

colour of the rays. a

commonly

but

sides,

though

into regular transverse bauds,

or nine such bands are

marbled brown.

are

from the back down the

spots extend

united

occasionally

young eight

greenish-grey, passing into silvery-white towards

is

brown clouded

;

or less pale yellow colour.

The specimens

from the Flatten See,

of this fish

Hungary, and from

in

Gahcia, show, according to Heckel and Kner, six pretty long pyloric appendThis number had been observed previously by Bloch, but Cuvier found

ages.

only

Dr. Benecke, in North Germany, finds the pyloric appendages

four.

vary from four to eight. of the

Pike.

It

often

is

The Pike- Perch grows from three

In Russia

twenty-five to thirty pounds. to the

demand being

its

nearly the size

very

becoming smaller, owing

size is

About 36,000,000

greater than the supply.

exported from Astrakhan every year.

fishes are

to

four feet long, and weighs from

to

This species

a large part of Northern, Eastern, and Central Europe, both in It

rivers.

known,

is

example, from

for

the

Danube

It

is

It

valleys of the

is

spread over

See,

;

Weser and Rhine, and from Switzerland and France. Traun

North Germany This

fish,

it is

See, Atter

See,

Aramer

more frequently found

commonly known

in

water, and generally remains at

not graceful, and

its

See,

even turbid

its

in

is

the

and some others; but in

in the lakes.

Sweden

as

Giis,

some depth.

Its

Germany

in

clear,

movements

as

the

deep-flowing

are

heavy and

inactive disposition has originated the Swedish saying,

as a Pike-Perch.''^

young Smelts, but

It

Germany, though found

Zander, and in Austria as the Sander, or Sandel, prefers

" stupid

extends

it

it also occurs in is met with in the Haffs Sweden and Russia, but is absent from the

comparatively rare in the lakes of South Flatten

;

found in the Oder and Vistula, and along

the Baltic coast of Prussia, and the Elbe.

and

lakes

Ulm, and

below

several of its tributaries, such as the Leitha, Salzach, Save, &c.

southward into Lombardy.

of these

distributed over

is

is

own young,

It lives chiefly on defenceless fishes,

extremely voracious, and besides

various

water or on clayey bottoms.

and beginning of June, when

it

will

invertebrata. It

It

eat is

and prefers

small

not

Pike, and

common

in

spawns between the end of April

leaves the deep waters for

overgrown with water-plants, termed marshes

in Central

shallow

spots

Europe, upon which

THE FKESH-WATEU FISHES UF EUROPE.

42

to deposit its eg-j^s

and .300,000

but

in the

niji^ht.

A

;

water, and only at

animal

This

grows rapidly, especially

which

if it

two pounds and a

half,

of a pound,

from eight

life,

and

is,

to ten years.

and

five to

weight

its

six

in the first

therefore, transported with difficulty. It

is

discharges the

it

See

Flatten

most readily captured when

When

under the

and the

ice,

individuals

larger

the

reach

At

so that the blood runs

fin,

the fish

down

is

in less

when

freely,

demand, and

finds

but

the length, salted, and dried in the

and Russia great heaps of the dried of

lakes

and

built

rivers,

tism

and

especially

Its

sprains.

when

the

fiesh

fishes

The

as soon as caught.

up

like

is

the flesh

air,

fishes

and

not

other times

noise.

In

in

Vienna.

In summer

flesh is

many

in

may

is

near the caudal

tail

The

It

drag-net pushed

whiter.

is

little sale.

In only

is

then divided

places in Austria

be seen along the banks

Lloyd says

stacks of wood.

its

fat

is

an embrocation for the cure of rheuma-

peasants as

used by Scandinavian

year

taken out of the

marl<et

Swedish fishermen, according to Eckstrcim, pierce the

weighs

it

comes up from

it

with a large

winter

in

is

It lives only

from the swim-bladder with some

air

captured

is

it

and

pounds.

the second year two pounds.

in

made

is

districts, attaining in the

single individuals are caught with the line.

water the

00,000

food the fish

in the second year

;

the deep water to spawn, being then bold and incautious.

only

deep

in :2

fc/ia.slikori ,

With abundant

and in the third year from

the lower waters of the Danube, however,

tenacious of

termed

is

remains in the marshy

year a weight of one pound and a half

three-quarters

deposit between

with that of the Bream and Roach,

roe,

into scaled-fish caviare,

exported from Astrakhan to Turkey and Grreece.

first

spawn

said to

it is

will

which have a pale yellow colour, and are each about one

ef^o^s,

millimetre in diameter.

by the Russians

Swedish lakes

sing'le

white,

firm,

well-flavoured,

and esteemed,

It should be eaten boiled

have been well fed.

price varies, according to

Brehm, from one

shilling

It flourishes

well in

a pound to five pounds for eighteen-pence. It

is

not

suited

for

as a breeding-tisli

ponds which have a current of

culture.

water flowing through them, a depth of

at least eight or ten feet, a sandy or hard bottom,

lender these favourable conditions

water-plants.

that of the

Pike,

and in a few years can only be

pounds.

Its voracity

It needs

more than ordinary care

it

satisfied

will

by a

and banks covered with

its

growth

is

as ra})id as

attain a weight of

twenty

large supply of small fishes.

in confinement, for

though

easily captured

in June, it is not often successfully transferred to other waters. Its gills

small

are

bladders

unwholesome.

sometimes affected with disease, becoming covered with of gelatinous

fluid,

in

which state the

flesh

is

regarded as

.

LUCIOPEECA VOLGENSIS.

Lucioperca volgensis This species

body

15) has the

(Fig-.

Empire,

of the Austrian

known

It is of about the

Russia. the

in

and Volga

in the Dniester

same

it is

;

size as

Russia,

is

about equal to

its

Fig.

quarter times

length, and

— LUCIOl'EKCA

its

The

its

has a rounder aspect.

it

greatest

length, which reaches

contained about four and a

is

The breadth

fish.

height, so that in general shape

one-fifth of the length of the head,

well

VOLGENSIS (PALLAS)

the entire length of the

in

nearly equal to half

L. scaidra, and

l.T.

is

in the rivers of Asiatic

Lucioperca saiulra, but differs from

back to the fleshy point of the operculum,

is

found

also

proportions of the body, as well as in the markings.

height of the head

shorter

and the angle

It occurs in the extreme east

the south of

of

characteristic

is

species,

pi-evious

more forward.

of the pre-operculum inclined

(Pallas).

compressed, the head

less

and higher, the mouth smaller than in the

43

The eye

and

it

is

is

it is

of the

body

higher than

large, its diameter being

more than

its

own diameter

behind the extremity of the snout, and separated from the other eye by less

in

than

its

own

the Sander,

back

is

The

diameter.

as

it

arched in front of the

backward under the middle of the and

its

profile of the

extends backward,

upper branch

first

eye.

so

dorsal

head

fin.

rises

more quickly than

the anterior part of the

that

The upper jaw terminates

The pre-operculum

is

evenly notched,

inclined forward, so that the angle of the bone

is

extends conspicuously backward.

The

first

as the third

dorsal spine

and fourth.

more inclined, short

and the

is

a

little

The last

shorter than the second, which

is

as long

spines afterwards diminish in length, becoming

and

shortest,

membranous connection with the second

which dorsal

lies fin.

horizontally,

has a

THK FRESH-WA'IKI;

44

The the

ravs in the second dorsal fin are quite as long- as those of

long-ost

dorsal fin, and are

first

of the anal

found

long-er rays are

fin

still

has the shortest

though they are longer than the shorter rays of the dorsal

fin-rays,

They

the scales.

along the lateral lateral

line,

in discriminating this species,

and below the

and seventeen

aperture

the

in

spirits are

the middle of

dorsal fin there are

first

rows beneath

eighteen

or

all

is

fins.

furnished by

is

are larger than those of the Sander; less than eighty occur line,

extend high up the bases of

in

of the dorsal fins, but

The pectoral

in the ventral fin.

Another character, which aids

the

The rays

nearly half the heig-ht of the body.

more elongated than those

are

fin

OF KriJOrE.

FlSllKS

the fins except the

length of the

two rows above

The

it.

fish.

scales

The

first dorsal.

anal

Specimens preserved

marked by eight blackish transverse bands, which

are

more

those of the Sander, and the colour of the dorsal and caudal

regular than tins is deeper.

This species has constantly a black ocellate spot on the operculum, such as is

often seen in the Sander.

There are three p}

loric

GrENUS:

The genus Aspro

The

iris

is

a brassy-yellow, darkly

spotted.

appendages to the stomach.

formed

is

AsprO for

(OUVIEII).

two European

species, characterised

by

having the body elongated and spindle-shaped, becoming almost cylindrical.

The snout

is

bands

in

The eyes look upward

thick and projects beyond the mouth.

well as forward and outward.

as

All the teeth are villiform; they extend in

both jaws, and are present on the vomer and the palatine bones.

There are two dorsal

fins

})re-operculum serrated

;

;

the scales are small

;

the operculum

is

spinous, the

and the pre-orbital contour has an unbroken

There are seven branchiostegal rays.

The

g-enus

is

outline.

hence distinguished from

Lucioperca rather by the flattened form of the head, elongation of the snout,

and fusiform-shaped body, than by irnportant

Aspro zingel This species (Fig. IG) was well ciennes,

and the other older

wa-iters

known

In the

()j)ercular

(Linn.eus). to Linnteus, Bloch, Cuvier, Valen-

on fishes.

thirteen to fourteen spinous rays in the

first

details of structure.

It

dorsal

is

distinguished

by

having-

fin.

region the breadlh and dejjth of the body are ecjual, and

ASPEO ZTXGET either of these

wards the

tail

measurements

The head, which which resemble strong-er,

about one-seventh of the total

is

is

rather long-,

is

lips are

The front row of dense

teeth.

in

Aspro

thickly set with papilla^,

teeth of the pre-maxillai-y bone

The mouth, which

i-iilgaris.

horseshoe-shaped,

is

The forward narine

reaches back behind the hinder narine.

the smaller, and

is

from the eye, being placed midway between the anterior

The eyes

and the extremity of the snout. than the orbital diameter. head,

and has the inflated snout pro-

flattened,

The upper and lower

mouth.

and the bands of teeth on the vomer and palatine bones are much

broader than

farthest

To-

leng-th.

the body becomes more compressed than in the other species.

jecting- over the

is

45

midway

in

which

This diameter

leng-th

is

orbital border

by something

less

one-fifth of the leng-th of

the

are separated

the eyes are placed.

The pre-operculum

is

//>>-.

f^-

m-Fi,^. 16.

— ASPRO

finely-toothed along- its length, but

its

ZIXGEL

angles have larger dentieulations.

The

operculum terminates in a strong spine which has a smaller spine beneath Scales extend over the snout to near

its

it.

end; they cover the top of the head,

the temporal region, and opercular bones, but there are no scales below the eyes,

on the jaws, cheeks, or throat.

The upper

bone

scapiilar

is

finely

denticulated.

The commencement ventral fin

;

its first

ray

of the first dorsal fin is

is

opposite to the base of the

the shortest, the third to fifth are the longest, and

then the rays gradually decrease in length as they become more inclined towards the back of the

Between the two

fin.

occupied by from three to five rows of scales.

longer base than the

first

dorsal.

Behind that are about twenty in length. dorsal

;

it

The anal

fin

Its

first

soft rays, of

dorsal fins

is

a small interspace

The second

spinous ray

which the

is

dorsal fin has a its

shortest ray.

last ten are nearly equal

has a shorter base by two-fifths than the second

commences opposite

to the anterior limit of that fin

;

its first

ray

is

the shortest, and the longest rays are nearly equal to those of the second dorsal.

The rays

of the pectoral fin correspond in length with the terminal rays of the

THE FUKSII-WATKi;

4G caudal

both are somewhat

;

anal aperture

The

is

shoi'ter

than the rays of the ventral

scales are small, hard,

and have their marofins

finely denticulated

and at the commencement of the

it.

Towards the

tail

:

the

dorsal

the lateral line descends, so as to occupy a

lower position, and beneath the second dorsal

runs aloni^ the middle of

fin it

the side of the body, and has eight or nine rows of scales above

most part naked, but scattered groups of

for the

Small scales cover the base of the pectoral

there. fin

first

there are seven rows of scales above the lateral line, and thirteen to fourteen

rows below

is

The

fins.

half-way down the length of the body.

lateral line contains ninety scales, fin

OF ErKol'E.

FISIIKS

the belly

is

conspicuously

The system

developed, and

the

operculum, a wide, deep channel, which

The accessory

gills are

of cephalic canals

upward branch

the

of

is

pre-

covered by six thin bony plates,

is

which are indicated by as many depressions them.

found here and

and behind the ventral

fin,

entirely covered with scales.

forms, with

The throat

it.

scales are

in the skin

which extends over

small and comb-shaped; and the branehiostegal

rays are seven in number, as in the other species of the genus.

The back

is

belly whitish.

greenish-brown, the sides are yellowish or grey-yellow, and the Irregular spots and dark-brown marbling extend across the

four cloudy brownish-black bands, which are more or less conspicuous, and run oblicpiely

of the

from front

first

dorsal,

to

back down the

and extends below

hinder half of the same

fin,

The

sides.

its base,

first

band descends

the second band

in front

under the

is

the third and fourth bands similarly descend from

the beginning and the end of the second dorsal

The snout and operculum

fin.

are brownish, and irregular oblique blackish streaks occur on the cheeks.

This

fish

often reaches a length of one foot, and a weight of

and thus grows to a much larger agreeable to the palate, and

The

and small

defended from

fishes.

species, it

It

Danube, and only

spawns in May.

lives

for

visits the larger

and Alt,

in the Sieben-

It feeds chiefly

seven or eight years,

enemies, except the Pike, by

all

Its flesh is

easily digested.

It has been found in the Salzach,

Like the other

biirgen.

two pounds,

than the Aspro vulgaris.

species belongs to the basin of the

tributary streams.

larv5B,

is

size

its

rough

on worms,

and

scales

well

is

and

sliarp

s})ines.

Aspro vulgaris

(Civikr and Val.).

— The Apron.

This species (Fig. 17), originally defined by Cuvier and Valenciennes, and

commonly known

as the Aju-on,

Siebold separated them. the

lirst

dorsal

lln,

was confounded with the Streber

It is characterised

by having nine

until

Von

sj)inous rays in

with thirteen rays in the second dorsal, of which the

iirst

ASPRO VULGARIS. is

The

spinous.

tail

short

is

47

The colour

aud compressed.

g-olden-brown,

is

with four broad oblique blackish bands.

Von it so

Rhone specimens

Siebold gives the usual lengths of

closely resembles the

ing the rays in the dorsal

young Zingel

In France

tins.

at live inches,

as to be distinguished only it

aud

by count-

nowhere abundant, and

is

found only in the north-eastern provinces, but owing to

small size

its

is

is

not taken by the fishermen.

The body towards the

fish, is large,

ward

elongated, nearly cylindrical

is

The head forms about

tail.

the middle, and

in

tapering

one-tifth of the entire length of the

rather depressed above, and covered with scales, even as far for-

between the eyes and

as the interspace

remarkable for

The snout

nostril.

The diameter

blunt termination.

its

is

the eyes

of

is

smooth and one-fifth of

rr^

Fii>'.

17.

—-ASPKO

the length of the head

;

Vl'LGARIS (cVVIEll AXI) VAI.ENflENXES).

they are placed in the middle of

The nasal apertures

semble the eyes of the Perch. with the

tongue

condition

The pre-operculum

smooth. it

;

is

posteriorly in a long

The

fins

is

is

rounded on

and sharp

its

whicVi the

of this species differ remarkably

from those of

The

and extent.

first

first is

and includes fourteen

ably long

they have only six rays, of which the

ovate,

The anal

up of ten

allies.

The second

The

dorsal fin

simple and the others branched in their upper portion.

is

;

its

dorsal, Avhich has a

spinous ray short and weak, followed by twelve soft rays, of

pectoral fin

stout.

The

and terminates

inferior border,

convex curved outline, contains only nine spinous rays. first

narrow.

spine.

dorsal fins are of moderate height

has the

is

with skin in the fresh

covered

serrated, but the denticulations are so fine as to be scarcely

The operculum

visible.

The mouth

one close in front of the eye.

largei-

is

length, and re-

its

are double, close together,

fin is

rays, of

rays.

The

first is

spiny,

and the others

below the second dorsal, has a shorter base, and

which the

first is

spinous.

The

ventral fins are remark-

The caudal

fin

is

made

terminates with

a notched or crescent-shaped outline, and includes twenty-one rays.

The body

is

covered with scales except in the pectoral region.

The

scales

THE FRKSII-WATKK

4S

KISIIKS (ÂťF ET'ROPE.

The

and fiuely-denticulated at the maro-in.

are laro-e^ roughs

scales resemble

those of the Perch, but differ in bein^ longer, in wanting the basal expansion,

and

The

in being rougher.

lateral line runs parallel to the back,

The mucus-canal

in these

may

There are seven rows of scales above the

be counted.

rows below

scales

very large.

is

and near

There are two ovaries equally

The stomach

forty-two

it.

line

and fourteen

it.

The

dev^eloi)ed.

eggs

are

oval,

is

is

so

There are

folds.

which seventeen are abdominal, and twenty-fiv'e

of

verteljnx',

and the intestine has only two

by

stated

Blanchard to be larger than those of the Perch, although the animal small.

to

In this line seventy scales

are

caudal.

The Apron

Rhone

;

is

found chiefly between Lyons and Vienne, in the Upper

also occurs in

it

noticed below Avignon.

Ognon, &c. spawns

in

the lower part

It has also been

Like other Perches,

March and

April.

lives

it

of

on small

it

the "

and

fishes

insects.

It

and comes to the surface

when

other fishes take refuge

This habit has given

men, who term

but has not been

river,

It lives at the bottom,

only in bad weather with a north or west wind, at the bottom.

the

found in the Saone, Doubs, Ouche,

soi'cerer.'^

it

a bad reputation with French fisher-

In the Cote d^Or the fishermen for a long

time threw these fishes away whenever captured, believing that they brought

bad luck, but having discovered that they are excellent eating, and flavoured like the Perch, they believe

now

In the Isere their capture

regarded as a bad omen.

Although the body

Apron

is less

is

is

that the capture brings bad luck to the

widest in the opercuhir region, the width in the

than that in the Streber.

more compressed

;

it

banding on the body

In the former the

tail is

shorter and

different

;

there are five bands in the Streber and four

in the Apron, according to Siebold, or three according to Blanchard.

Streber the principal bands descend from the bases of the dorsal

fins,

and are proportionately wide; while

in the

bands descend forward from between and behind the dorsal

Aspro streber This somewhat rare to

Von

Lake It

fish,

of Geneva.

spawns

in

is

Danube and

Being small and rare

olive,

it

In the

and second

Apron the narrow fins.

Siebot.d).

its tributaries,

erroneous which have recorded

March and

The colour

(Von

first

formerly identified as Aspro vulgaris,

Siebold, limited to the

identifications as

The

has fewer scales about the head than has the latter. is

fish.

it

is,

according

and he regards the

from the Rhine and the

has not attracted

much

attention.

April.

shading inio yellow-brown or a reddish

tint above,

and

GENUS COTTUS. becoming

There are four to

wliitish below.

bands on the

The

side.

first is

The

oblique blackish

five transversely

generally on the nape of the neck.

The body

are of a yellowish-grey colour. tail.

49

The

fins

slender, with a long, very thin

is

The length does not exceed

ventral fins are greatly developed.

sixteen centimetres.

There are only seventeen rays in the caudal

instead of twenty-one, as in

fin,

the Apron; while the anal fin has twelve soft rays to compare with nine in the Its habits are similar to those of the

Ajiron.

Apron, living in

and feeding on worms and other small aquatic animals. flavoured, but the fish

when

accident

Many

not sought for with the

is

Apron

are

Its

and

The Streber

fishing with the large net.

points of difference from the

line,

is

enumerated

clear,

deep water,

flesh

is

well

caught only by

is

tenacious of

life.

in the description of

that species {nee p. 48).

COTTID^.

Family: GrENUS

:

CottUS

(LlNN.EUS).

Tlie family of the Cottidse includes a large

They mostly

which are bad swimmers. there

no air-bladder, though

is

live

number the

at

of carnivorous fishes,

Frequently

bottom.

The

present in the Gurnards.

it is

Cottidffi are

mostly marine, and distinguished by having the sub-orbital ring articulated

with the pre-operculum.

Some

the

of

The

water.

genus CottuH for

enter rivers, and

fishes

latter its

belong

to

the

These

type.

others

division

fishes

have

dorsal fin less developed than the soft portion,

anal

fin,

The

while the body

may

forming

this

fishes

and depressed; the body rally line

marked.

the spinous

and

less

fresh

in

having the

portion

of the

developed than the

genus have the head rounded in front, broad,

The skin

is

soft

The jaws and vomer have

appendages are few, and there

The two

Cottidse

almost cylindrical in the middle, becoming

is

the throat; the pectoral fin

exclusively

the

be naked, scaled, or variously armoured.

compressed posteriorly. is

live

of

is

is

and

scaleless,

villiform

The

no air-bladder.

teeth

;

the

late-

lateral

pyloric

ventral fins are under

always rounded, and has some of

dorsal fins are moderately developed.

but the

This genus

is

its

rays simple.

characteristic of

northern seas, especially in North America and Europe, extending to the coast of France. of

In includes a large number of

species,

which

differ in the characters

the pre-opercular spine, and in the presence or absence of teeth on the

Some

vomer.

of the species are

Europe, and North America. 4

met with

in the fresh waters of

Northern Asia,

BliESH- WATER FISHES

THE

50

Cottus gobio 1

D.

8—9,

The head

in

2 D.

(Ci

Bullhead,

broadest part of the animal, and It

nearly always

is

differs

as

broad,

P.

dorsal

fin

Fig. 18.

the caudal

The length

— coTTUs

a

wedge shape

the

to

tail.

18),

is

its

of the head

breadth

is

The deepest part

lish.

usually of the

only one-twelfth or one-thirteenth

is

The

is

compressed from side to side in

are superior (Fig. 19), but directed

eyes

obliquely outward, are nearer to the snout than the gill-opening, and small, having

a

the

the gill-opening.

Goino (cuviek).

Behind the head the body

its

(Fig.

of

equal to one-fifth of the total length, but at

the height of the body

fin

length.

of

i-eg-ion

broader, than long, though,

or

is

1/4, C. 13.

Thumb

or Miller's

equal to one-fourth the entire length of the first

13—14, V.

widest in the

is

with the form of the operculum.

body below the

Thnmb.

vier).— The Miller's

15—18, A. 12—13,

the River

OF EURUPE.

are

diameter of less than one-fifth of the length of the head.

The

profile of the fore part of the

of a circle

;

head

is

a segment

both jaws are equal, and the pre-maxillary

and mandible, as well

as the

bands of villiform teeth.

vomer, possess broad

The

cleft of the

mouth

generally reaches back beneath the middle of the Fig.

HEAD 19. GomO, SEEN

)F COTTUS •ROM THE

FUONT.

eye.

The ]H-e-operculum is armed with a spine diand a much smaller spine beneath it

rected upward,

hidden in the skin. in a

rounded point

;

ward, but generally covered with skin. the

number

of

The operculum ends behind

the sub-operculum has a short sharp spine directed for-

branehiostegal rays

is

The gill-opening six,

is

moderately large,

the accessory gills are large and

CUTTU8 GOBK).

51

The

pectinate, while the pharyngeal bones possess villiform teeth.

with the exception of the

The

most individuals eight undivided

rays, of

with the second dorsal, the

the fourth rays are

The anal

undivided.

rays in the anal

simple

with

spines

spinous ray

fin

The

exception

the

ventral fin

joined to the

is

rays of

veloped

;

the

of

commences a

first

last, little

first

pectoral

Young

rounded, expanded fan.

fin

generally

eight middle rays are

form

in the

all

and behind

of the body,

two

of

middle, and pores.

body

the

The

its

often

In Scandinavia

fins are

very fish,

much

Their aspect

fin.

de-

and they that

is

un-

and extends gradually

The

measures one-sixth of the total length

jointed.

it is

The anal aperture

its

;

in the fore part

lies

the long genital papilla, which

of different

is

are without scales.

in

its

anterior

part,

The

upper

lateral line is in the

but afterwards descends to the

mucus-canals open in from twenty-six to twenty-eight simple

pores of the cephalic canal extend along the lower jaw.

The colour is

They

soft rays.

dorsal.

sexes.

The head and body third

behind the pectoral,

but the succeeding rays always remain simple.

six rays,

five or

All

usually

is

individuals have the rays

jointed, but with age jointing begins with the first

rounded caudal

which

nearly one-fourth of the length of the

is

reach back to the beginning of the second dorsal

to

Its

first dorsal.

of the four simple

The

are branched.

this fin

their length

of a broad,

first

very short, while

begins behind the second dorsal, and

never reach back beyond the last ray of the the

is

Its longest rays equal those of the dorsal fins.

fin.

divided to the base. its

ray of which

One specimen from the Tyrol has only nine

does not reach so far back.

are

narrow membrane unites the

first

the sixth rays are longer than any in the

to

all

in

which the middle and longest rays

A

are one-third the height of the body.

dorsal

and possesses

dorsal fin begins over the base of the pectoral,

first

gill-arches,

possess rake -like teeth.

first,

but always has a ground tint of grey

varies,

some shade

of

;

the

back

brown, spotted with dark brown, or flecked or clouded

with brown colour, which sometimes forms transverse bands. whitish-grey, occasionally streaked with brown.

The

The

belly

dorsal, pectoral,

is

and

caudal fins are covered with brown stripes, which usually extend along the rays,

though the skin

The anal

fin is

is

sometimes banded.

not banded with colour, and the ventral

fins are

mostly

unstreaked, or possess only a few scattered spots.

The

first

dorsal

The stomach appendages.

ment.

There

is

fin is

reddish.

The abdominal is

The

iris is red.

a broad, round sac with three or four rather wide pyloric walls are covered internally with a black pig-

no air-bladder.

The milt

of the male

is

double, and, like

THE

52

FKESH-WA'I'Kl; I'lSHKS

a wide external aperture near to the pear-

has

ovaries in the female,

the

ET'llOPE.

()K

shajjed urinary bladder, opening- throug-h the uro-g-enital papilla.

When

by having very conspicuons

young", individuals are eharaeterised

pores aljove and below the lateral

line,

well

as

by the undivided rays

as

The male

of the pectoral fin already mentioned.

usually the darker

is

has a rather broader head, and long'er uro-g-enital papilla.

The

the ovaries become excessively enlarged at spawning-time.

fish,

female

In the

fish attains

a length of five or six inches.

This species [t is

in

common

found in the smallest streams wherever the water

is

but so rare in Ireland that

in all parts of Scotlantl,

Bhmchard enumerates

Derry has been more than once tpiestioned. for

ties

in

it

France, Fatio finds

parts of

all

height of between 6,000 and

lakes;

and some

fessor Canestrini it is

found,

of

varieties

its

tributaries,

are found

it

in

may sometimes descend the enumerates many localities

Scandinavia, and

and Kner meet with

7,0UU feet, Heckel

Danube and

only in the

not

but

in

the

Ilartz.

It

found

is

the north

where

of Italy, It

is

in

Pro-

streams into the Baltic. in

it

Austrian

the small

has not been recorded from Spain or Greece.

1)ut it

locali-

up to a

Switzerland

in

it

clear.

is

existence

its

common

in Siberia.

The River Bullhead, which

solitary habit, larvae,

and the fry

own eggs and

When

lies

of

Thumb,

or IMiller's

an active, voracious

is

fish of

concealed under stones, and feeds on insects, insect

young

fishes

;

and females have been found with their

fry in the stomach.

attacked by other fishes, or by carnivorous birds,

by exi)anding the pectoral

fins

defends

it

itself

and the operculum, so that the opercular

spine becomes a formidable weapon, which has often proved fatal to birds

which have attempted It

this

armoured morsel.

March and

spawns in

April,

when

under stones, or excavate special depressions Experienced fishermen

narrate^

how

him

of his holding;

females

which they

deposit

may

the

eggs

be placed.

the male, having discovered a suitable

depression between stones, valiantly defends dispossess

the

in

it

and a Cottus

an antagonist which he

against other males

is

who would

often captured holding in

unable to swallow.

its

If a female

mouth the head

of

comes by she

welcomed to the retreat which the male Goby has secured,

is

and after being

installed

she

deposits

is

her

eggs.

millimetres in diameter, of a pinkish colour, are

These are about

commonly connected

two like

bunches of grapes, and occasionally adorn the nuptial chamber by being suspended from the roof.

The mass

of ova

may

cover an area of an inch

and a half of ground, and they have been compared in aspect to frog's spawn.

The number

of eggs varies with the age of the individual.

In the nest of

COTTUH GOBIO.

53

one which metisured four iuches in leng-th Fatio counted n deposit of 761

eg'f^s.

After the eg-gs are laid the female usually retires to a respectful distance, thoug-h some of the older writers stated that she cemented the egg's to her

Then her

breast.

place

in the nest

is

taken by the male, who

not only

defends them against the curiosity or gluttony of idle fishes in the stream,

watches over them for four or

but with a mother-like devotion

weeks

five

without intermission, never leaving his self-imposed duties except to obtain food.

He

is

not easily disturbed, and

if

attacked

by the angler with a rod

and

often killed in defending

or stick he will seize the intruding object,

Some

the nest.

is

however, have questioned the existence of

writers,

this

remarkable instinct.

The

Thumb

Miller's

the " Koppensegge/' or

Fii;-.

and

line,

ilavoured.

and

is

20.

caught in Germany with a small net known as

is it

may

CDTTIS

be taken in baskets at weirs, or with a rod

G())U(),

VAUIETV MICKOSTOMIS (HKfKKL).

valued as a bait for

In Pallas's time

Its

eels.

tlesh

is

white

and

well

was often worn round the neck by Russian

it

peasants as an amulet against intermittent fever.

In many who pursue

parts of

table-fork, with

In Britain

which the

The as

its

tions.

}

oung

it

furnishes a favourite sport to children,

if

fish is speared.

Yarrell mentions an instance in which

not eaten.

it is

became red when an hour or two

North Germany

bare-legged in the shallow streams, armed with an ordinary

it

It

boiled.

is

tenacious of

life,

lives

its flesh

out of water for

kept wet.

individuals are at

first

gregarious, and keep to the nest

;

but

limited space becomes inconveniently crowded, they seek solitary habita-

They begin

to breed

when two years

of age.

Yarrell remarks that the popular English reference to the smooth, like

and

the

thumb

of

name

of Miller's

Thumb

broad, rounded form of the head, which

a miller

moulded by testing the grinding of

is

has

shaped

his

mill.

THE FKESH-WATKlt FISHES OF His hand

and

duce,

proverb

'^

the fish

name

is

so that

this has

his

led

thumb becomes

to the

adage

worth a miller's thumb," and the

''

by incessant use

of the miller comes

which

is

the

of

quality

the gaug-e of value of the pro-

an honest miller hath a golden thumb/^

thumb

the

mill-spout to ascertain the

constantly at the

is

meal produced,

EFItoPE.

It

is

remarkable how

to resemble the

head of

In Sweden

popular

usually found in his mill-stream.

its

Simpa.

There are two varieties of

this species,

which were regarded

as of specific

rank by Meckel and Kner, but their true nature was indicated by Dr. Giinther.

One

of these

is

the variety microstomus , the other the

There

variety ferriigineus.

considerable difference in

is

may

the form of the head in these varieties, as HEAD OF COT-

Fig. 21.

in

TVS MICllOSTOMt'S, SEEN rUOM THE

20, 21, 22, 23). in front, as seen

mouth

;

Coitus microstomus has the head smaller

from above

;

it is less

22.

l)ands of teeth

— coTTUs

its six

The skin

thirty-five pores, a larger is

a

multitude

dermal bones which are embedded Its length

Russia, but

is

The second rounder body.

is

are

rays.

fin is

succeeded at the outer

The

number than

of

small

lateral canal is

opens

found in Coitus

ossifications like

in the skin

about four inches.

extends into Austria

Poprad, which

The caudal

smooth, but has a rough texture on the upper part of

the head arising from

line.

asv> kner).

middle rays subdivide twice, while the

by three or four undivided

fin

by thirty-four or fjoljio.

more developed, and the

on the pre-maxillary and vomer are broader.

rays above and below are simply forked, and

the

is

Gomo, variety ferrugineus (heckel

rounded than in Coitus gohio,

parts of

blunt, has a smaller

while the eyes are larger, with a greater diameter than the distance

between them, and the spine of the pre-operculum

less

be seen

the profile and in the front view of the face (Figs.

It

is

minute

the

above and below the

lateral

found principally in Southern

by way of Cracow, and

is

found in the

a tributary of the Vistula.

variety. Coitus ferrugineus (Figs. 22, 23), has a Its pectoral fin is smaller,

and the anal

lin

more

slender,

has longer rays

:

in

COTTUS PCECILOPUS. both

fins

the rays are undivided.

The snout

of the length.

other

by

their

own

The head The

four times in the entire length.

is

55

relatively small, but

least height of the tail

is

is

contained

one-fourteenth

more pointed, the eyes are separated from each

is

diameter, and are the same distance from the snout.

They

are rather smaller than in the other variety.

The

and thinner than

villiform teeth in both jaws are longer

The skin nowhere shows pores or

gohio.

traces of rough,

There are usually one or two fewer rays in the anal

bony

in

Coitus,

depressions.

fin.

The males have a thicker head and broader mouth than the females.

Their bi-lobed milt

is

not covered with a dark periHEAD

Fig. 23.

toneum such as wraps round the simple heart-shaped ovary

The

of the female.

does

FROM

THE

FRONT.

not exceed half this length.

more southern than that of the other

I-EK-

RUGI.VEUS, SEEN

largest examples are three inches long,

but frequently the fish Its distribution is

OF COTTUS

varieties, bein

novvn

from the Lake Garda, from Xegar in Dalmatia, and from Servia.

Cottus poecilopns 1

D. 8—9, 2 D. 16—18, P. 14, V.

(Heckel).

1/4, A.

13—14,

C. 13.

This species (Fig. 24) closely resembles the preceding, so that necessary to indicate such differences as distinguish

Fig. 24.

more

thick skin.

The

free opercular spine,

ventral fins are

by

shorter,

and reach

as far

than their

less

which curves forward,

somewhat longer

the pectoral fins, and reach back to the vent.

what

it is

chiefly

The eyes approximate

— coTTi'

closely together, being separated

The hatchet-shaped

it.

;

own is

diameter.

beneath the

they commence just under

The

pectoral fins are some-

back as the beginning of the second dorsal.

THE FKESII-AVATEK FISHES OE EUROPE.

56 All

simple spines.

The caudal

iin

the entire leng-th of the body.

It possesses

fourteen rays

its

rays are

which nine

leog-th, of

The number colour, too,

form

number

rays

branchiosteg'al

on one

and

side,

or

five,

five

may

they

in

The be

The

on the other.

Heckel and Kner record

of pyloric appendag-es also varies;

The

the spots

in the ventral fins.

occasionally

six,

is

six

;

and horizontal bands

fins,

These bands number six or seven

of

bifid forks.

All the fins are dotted with brown

unsymmetrical, as in Salmon,

number

one-tenth

of nearly equal

very similar to that in Cottm gobio.

is

bands in the pectoral and caudal

fins.

of

middle are subdivided into

very similar.

is

vertical

the other

in the

of rays in the fins

than

less

is

five in

the male and four long- ones in the female.

This species Galicia,

met with

is

in the Pyrenees, Carpathians, in the Vistula of

and many mountainous

Siebold remarks that he

and Kner

is

to the jointed rays of

the jointing of the rays

gofjio,

Von

Hungary and Bukowina.

localities in

disposed to attach less importance than do Heckel the pectoral variable, the

is

fin,

and

states that in

same ray being

Cottus

as often simple

as jointed.

Cottus scorpius (Block).— The Sea Bullhead, or Father Lasher. D. 10/14, A. 11—12, P.

The body large head,

club-shaped,

is

which

and reaches back

two small

are

is

is

spines

the largest

teeth.

the head

and are skin

which

iris

placed

in

;

it

is

dorsal

fins

are

fins

has a projecting upper

wide,

is

There

lip.

above the snout, and four obtuse tubercles on the

are

The tongue

large,

yellowish.

midway between

spines, of

and

soft.

is

and elevated

The

short, in

which the upper

There are teeth thick,

position

nasal apertures

sometimes

on the

contains

small ventral fins are placed

larger

in the

in

free

side

margin.

bony

irregular

of

The

pectoral

quite as

male than in the female.

below the pectorals, on the throat.

The

granules,

rows.

The very large by a low membrane. the sides of the head, and when expanded are

high as the body, and are

and

are simple, tubular,

the eyes and the labial It

hard,

are united

placed at

with a

tail,

The mouth aperture

Prussian specimens are arranged in a few

two

fins

strongly compressed towards the

the operculum has one large spine.

;

naked, thick,

is

C. 18, Vertebra? 1:2— 18/£:Z.

The pre-operculum has three

The eyes the

;

:3,

somewhat depressed.

the jaws, and on the vomer.

from

V.

to behind the eyes

crown of the head. one

17,

All

The the

except the caudal have unjointed rays.

The cdlour

of

the

u|)])er

side

of the

body

is

dark

brown-blackish,

or

;

COTTUS QUADRICORNIS. dark

spotted

olive-o^reen,

marbled

or

with

with blackish-grey marbling; the belly

The dorsal and anal

in the females.

is

fins

57

The

grey.

and

The stomach has four

flesh-red.

The

by the

The crown

the eyes. is

bones,

frontal

which have concave

of the head

is

flat,

very

liver is

pyloric appendages.

The upper surface

There are thirty-five vertebrae. chiefly

white,

are

have broad black and grey bands

the other fins are banded with black, grey, and orange. large,

sides

yellow in the males, and white

of the skull

formed

is

excavations to

receive

but the space between the eyes

concave, and an obtuse ridge running from the back of the eye defines

The vomer

the crown from the side of the head.

The maxillary bone

posterioi'ly.

The dentary bone

of the mandible sends off a

the orbit are three oblong

fiat

is

anchor-shaped, tapering

more elongated than the pre-maxillary.

is

bones, with several

superior

free

mucus

pits.

Below

fork.

Both the

skull

and dentary bone are well supplied with mucus channels. This species spawns

They

on sea-plants.

December and January, and

in

one millimetre in

are

The when it

and are contained in a thick envelope.

colour,

water, but frequents the coast in summer,

Gulf of Bothnia

It occurs in the north of the

The

fresh water.

manufacture of

well

liver is

when

oil,

this species varies

the fish

The Horned Bullhead,

own

Cottiis

occurs

It

large Scandinavian lakes

not rare on our

fiavoured,

;

is

found

the of

name fishes

former the ventral

usually lives in deep

occasionally enters rivers.

but is

nowhere frequent

it is

occasionally used

taken in large shoals.

Lake Wetter, in the

Gulf

eggs

its

an orange-red

in

for the

The length

of

to one metre. is

found in Lake

Sweden, and

in

of Bothnia

in

and the Baltic

other ;

and

coasts.

Genus Under

fish

deposits of

quadricornis (Linnaeus),

in

GOBIID^.

Family:

a division

is

;

and

from twenty or thirty centimetres

Ladoga, in Russia.

is

diameter,

:

Gobius

(Artedi).

Acanthopterygii gobuformes

containing the

fins

Discoboli and

have the spine and

form the bony support for a round

disc,

five

Dr.

Glinther comprises

the

Gobiidee.

In the

rays rudimentary, and they

margined by a membranous fringe,

which forms a sucker, very well seen in the marine Lump-sucker.

The some

Gobiidce comprise fishes

species,

and scaly

in

which have the body elongated, naked

others

;

rarely tuberculate, as

in the

in

Discoboli.

THE FRESH-WATEK

58

The spinous part The

flexible.

of the

dorsal fin

feebly developed, and the spines are

is

and

shores in temperate

Among

This family

ventral fins sometimes unite into a sucking disc.

about thirty genera of small carnivorous

includes

at the ebb of the

or

fin,

The

by the condition

distinguished chiefly

be united into one

live in fresh waters.

as the Feriopklhalnius of

leaves the waters,

tide

mud.

Crustacea and small animals in the

which frequent

fishes,

and sometimes

tropical regions,

some interesting types, such

these fishes are

the tropics, which

are

OF EUROPE.

FLSIIES

and hunts

several genera of

for

Gobiida

which may

of the ventral fins,

remain separated, as well as by the presence or

absence of scales, and the condition of the teeth, and gill-openings.

Lairunculns pellitcidus

and

Europe

in

is

is

Goby, which

a small

the only instance

known among

for one year only,

lives

the vertebrata of

thus

life

limited.

Gobius

is

the only genus in the family which has fresh-water representa-

tives.

The genus

body.

Teeth are

is

distinguished by having a scaly and somewhat elongate

anterior dorsal fin usually is

often

has

six

advance of the caudal

fin.

not attached to the abdomen.

The anal

dorsal.

fin is

beneath,

and both terminate considerably

dorsal,

The

The

fixed.

spines; the posterior dorsal fin

flexible

more developed than the anterior

and corresponds to the second

is

upper jaw, conical and

in several series in the

ventral

fins

unite

The gill-openings According

no pyloric appendages to the intestine.

form a

to

disc

There are

are vertical.

Giinther

to

in

which

there

are

nearly three hundred species of Gobies.

Gobius martensii I

D.

fish (Fig. 25)

the

The

fish.

greatest breadth

The eye

is

is

of the total length

;

3— 4/13/3— 4. eonvexly rounded. it

is

longer than

about equal to the greatest height of the body of

placed near to the frontal outline, and has a diameter

is

of one-fifth the length of the head,

the other eye, and

13—14,0.

the anterior extremity of the head

The head measures about one-quarter broad.

= 5/5, P.

1/7—8, V. 10

2 D. 1/lU, A.

6,

In this

(Gunther).

is

is

separated by

own diameter from

its

The well-developed The

in the anterior half of the head.

muscles give a swollen aspect to the

occi[)ital

region and to the cheeks.

sometimes longer than

gape of the mouth

is

the pre-maxillary.

In the maxillary and pre-maxillary bones the teeth are

widened, and the mandible

arranged in parallel rows, but those of the

what longer than the

The nares

others.

There

ai'c

first

is

row

in

both jaws are some-

teeth on the

pharyngeal bones.

are unusually small, near to the orbit of the eye

narine has no valve.

;

the posterior

GOBIUS MAKTENSII. The head and operculum

are naked.

above the base of the pectoral

fin

rounded, and

All the rays are

The

behind.

It

as a

but,

;

these rays

rule,

ventral fins, with the fleshy funnel at their base, scarcely

which

disc,

is

They unite

and behind,

laterally in front

margined by the

fin-rays.

The

disc is free

and the

slightly in front of the base of the pectoral fins;

is

is

two or three lowest, and

jointed except the

attain half the length of the head.

forming an oval

There

outline oÂŁ the large pectoral fin

sometimes the uppermost rays are unjointed are divided.

not ascend

longest middle rays reach back as far as the end of the

its

dorsal.

first

gill-opening does

Tlie

the pseudo-branchise are large.

;

The

are twenty-nine to thirty vertebrae.

59

ventral rays, which are

all jointed,

except the

first

on each

form a median

side,

transverse fan-like fin or funnel, the middle of which has the longest rays.

Fig. 25.

There

the interval

fish

than

the

MAKTENSII (GUNTHER).

sometimes a slightly greater interval between the rays of the

is

and second dorsal

first

— GOMIS

first

fins in the

is less

and

dorsal,

female than in the male, but in the young

The second

than in the adult. it

is

a larger

dorsal has higher rays

than the anal, which, however,

fin

terminates opposite to the termination of the second dorsal fin

is

rounded, and

resembles the pectoral fin are jointed,

about one-fifth the length of the

is

in form.

fin

About

The caudal

fin.

somewhat

It

fish.

thirteen rays in the middle of the

and there are three or four short rays, external to these above

and below, which are unjointed.

The skin dorsal,

Kner count The

is

naked

the back as far as the

in the anterior part of

and along the throat and abdomen.

Heckel and

thirty-six to forty scales along the

scales are limited to the sides

of the fish,

lateral

line.

and become

first

^<<rnT\^ {

) '

'

,,

, ,

,

larger towards the tail .

they are remarkably

:

like a fan

middle of the anterior margin (Fig. 26).

six or

seven scales cover the height of the

number

is

The colour

four or varies

is

marked

from a small centre

in the

the

Fig.

.

edge, while the rest of the scale

with furrows, which radiate

"

pectinate at

.

the anterior

fish,

26.— SCALE

of goiuus maktensii.

Behind the second dorsal and at the end of the

tail

five.

m

different individuals,

and with the season, and

may

be affected

The

green, marbled with brown.

The under ventral fin

body

side of the

face

free

from

The

spots.

sometimes colourless, sometimes bluish, with variable

is

The

often becoming a black band.

colour;

often has a broad black

it

the

shows

fin

The second

The

spots.

transparent

is

dorsal

fin

band at the

metallic tints

brilliant

dorsal fin iris is

first

The

black

anal spots,

the most variable in

is

base,

and the upper part

margined externally with white.

grey, with

horizontal

brown

of

lines

yellow.

In the breeding period the body and

The males

little

tubercles.

most

easily recognised

often become covered with

fins

are usually the thinner

The females

fish.

by the blunter snout and broader urogenital

among

organ varies considerably

The common

the Gobies.

are

papilla.

The male

large ovaries, and a smaller air-bladder.

They have two

and

pectoral

without spots.

often

or greenish,

the body.

darker than

g-enerally

is

and

body are yellowish-grey or

of the

])arts

paler,

is

pale-yellow

are

fins

and by internal impressions.

varying- external circumstances,

])y

In the breeding season the upper

of

OF EUKoPE.

TlIK FKE.^II-WATKl; FISHES

f>0

sexual

size of the fish

does not exceed a length of three inches, though larger and smaller specimens

This species commonly hides under stones, to which the

have been captured.

female attaches her eggs.

and to

in a row,

The all

fish

term

it

and

They

are stated to be spindle-shaped, conn»;cted

about on the surface of the waters, and develop

and regarded as well

eaten,

is

June. in

Isonzo and

The Lombards

found in the Lakes of Garda and Mag-giore.

it is

in

abundant

is

Rivers

the

in

Bottola and Bofii7ia, and the Tuscans name

Ghizzo.

it

was named by Cuvier Gohim jiuviaiilu.

This

fish

The

species includes several varieties.

by Professor Canestrini from the

It

flavoured.

and small streams of Lombardy,

the canals

Treviso,

float

Aruo

;

as Gobius

Gobins panizza,

Garda; Gobius pimctatisslmus,

1

Three of these have been defined

avernemh, 1

D.

5,

1

D.

0, 2

D. 1/12

2 D. 1/S,

D. G -8, 2 D.

A.

— 13, A.

1/7,

1/7— 8,

1

,8

—

from Lago

*,),

di

A. 1/7—8, V. 1/5,

P. 1/10, C. 13.

The

first

of these

varieties

is

distinguished

the more

the more

elongated form

especially

by having about forty-seven

side.

But Fatio regards

select

individuals

to

of

body,

from the type pointed

chiefly

by

form of snout, and

scales in a longitudinal

this species as so variable that it

row on the

would be easy

to

which distinctive names might be as well applied as

those which have been distinguished as species by the Italian ichthyologist; and although we have no personal knowledge of the variation of this Goby in Italy, the characters assigned to Canestrini's ty ])cs

seem better

with varieties than species, though in this matter our judgment

governed by the relative

])ersistence of characters.

is

to accord

necessarily

;

aulUUS SEMILUNARIS. (Canestrini)

Gohiifs pinicfafissimns

The head

Modena, and Venice.

The diameter

to the height.

The body

head.

There

of the eye

marbled with long brown spots, extending transversely.

is

There

The second

equal

is

one-third of the length of the

is

eggs has the body remarkably deep.

are black. fin.

found near Bolog-na, at Mantua,

is

one-quarter of the length, and

is

a triangular black spot at the base of the

is

of

full

Gl

The female when

tail.

The ventral and anal

fins

one or two blue spots on the last rays of the dorsal

ai^e

and anal

dorsal

high in the male than in the

fins are less

There are thirty vertebrae.

female.

Among

the

which are found

species

may

Russia

in

be mentioned

G.

marnioratus (Pallas), coming up the rivers which flow into the Black Sea and the Caspian

G. lugens (Nordmann), in the River Kodar, which falls into the

;

G. mucropus (Filippi), in Lake Paleostom, near the Black Sea;

Black Sea;

G. construclor (Nordmann), in

small

G. melanostomiis (Pallas), which

Volga;

G.

lacteus

a Dniester species;

is

ascends the rivers which

rivers

mouths

G. gi/innolracJielns (Kessler)

;

Dnieper

;

G

of the

found

is

in

Gobius semilunaris D.

1

2

6,

D.

The body

is

18, A. 14.

Scales

six times as

the

The head has a is

The jaws

tures.

The

teeth.

conical

small, and

shape, and

its

:

Dniester,

Bug, and

lateral line

34—37.

is

it

from the other

dorsal

fin,

and ten

two-ninths the length of the

back only to the nasal

fish.

aj^er-

and armed with a small band of short

midway between the

eyes and the end of the nose.

The eyes

are near together, high

up

separated

by an

from the snout.

orbital diameter

first

fin.

extends

cleft

are of equal length,

nares are

and Caspian

(Heckel).

long as high at the

times as long as high in front of the caudal

The mouth

similarly

Black Sea and Caspian

This species has no characters of form to distinguish Gobies.

and

Dnieper,

(Pallas)

the mouth of the River Rion, in Georgia.

hitriueisterl at

.

Dniester,

G. fuviatilis

into the Black Sea, Sea of Azov,

fall

kessleri (Giinther) enters the

Go/jiiis

which flow into the Caspian;

rivers

goes far up the

in the anterior half of the head, and

The operculum and

operculum are rounded, and covered by a thick naked skin.

There are

prefive

branchiostegal rays, which are embedded in the edge of the skin of the throat.

The to the rays,

The

pectoral

fin

is

broad,

and

its

point

beginniug of the second dorsal. of

which

the

fourth

and

fifth

ventral fins are below the pectorals,

is

rounded;

it

extends

back

It consists of thirteen or fourteen are

and

jointed in

at

their

contact with

exti-emities.

each

other.

THE FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

C-l

forminf^ a transverse band on the throat vent, which

which

rays, forming- an arch

is

body

half as high as the

is

consists of

fin

The

other.

and consists of

of the ventral,

first

six mijointed

The second

deep.

formed by eighteen unjointed rays, commencing over the vent and

is

terminating near the caudal

The

lin.

first

ray

very short; the succeeding

is

rays are nearly equal, and as high as the body below

them

is

The anal

deep.

beneath the second dorsal, but does not extend so far forward or so

fin

is

far

back

it

;

has fourteen unjointed rays, which are two-thirds the height of

the rays in the second dorsal.

and

fish,

Each

from each

dorsal fins are rather distant

commences behind the base

dorsal

they reach back to the star-shaped

;

middle of the leng-th of the body.

in the

The two

six rays.

dorsal

is

border

its free

is

The caudal

one-sixth the length of the

fin is

slightly convex, as in other Gobies.

This species does not exceed a length of two inches.

The

scales are small

on the head, along the base of the

They

between the throat and the vent.

between the dorsal and anal

many

The

fins.

sometimes festooned with about

first

dorsal

free border of the scale

fifteen indentations,

body

convex,

is

which correspond to as

In the middle of the base there

sub-parallel diverging rays.

and

fin,

are largest on the sides of the

is

a

thickened point, from which the excentric lines of growth extend backward;

but along the attached margin

is

a row of thorn-line spines embedded in the

skin.

There are from thirty-four to thirty-seven

which

is

scales in the

seventeen to eighteen scales in a transverse series below the

The

fish

its

is

a dark brown lunate spot on each side of the

There

fin.

which

are

fin.

many

is

fin.

a dark

first

dorsal

fin,

There are three other spots on each side

convexity directed upward.

of the second dorsal

anal

dorsal

first

line,

There are

of a pale yellowish-brown colour, brighter on the belly and

is

There

cheeks.

with

lateral

not very distinct, but runs in the middle of the side.

Small irregular spots extend along the base of the

brown band

the base of the caudal

at

They

imperfect bands.

are

seen on

all

the

fin,

behind but are

fins,

almost invisible on the ventrals. It

is

found in the River Maritza, near

Among the is

other species of Gobius

Thames

as the Polewig.

is

Philii)popolis, in Eastern Roumelia.

the spotted Goby, G.

about seven times as long as high, and the head

The eye

length.

is

pectoral

fin

is

broad; the ventral

nearly to the vent.

shrimps.

mouth

is

When

is

known in The ])ody

one-fourth of the total

a fifth of the leng-th of the head, and the eyes approximate

towards each other, so as to look upward.

The

jni/ni ///'<,

It has sixty scales in the lateral line.

The

inter-orbital space

which

is

Yarrell mentions that this species

full

armed with

fin,

grown

it

is

only about three

below is

it,

is

naked.

extends ])ack

constantly taken with

inches

long.

Its

wide

several rows of small teeth, which are directed inward.

THE GENUS BLENNIUS.

63

The first dorsal fin is higher than the second. It is above the pectoral fin when that fin is laid back. It contains six rays. The second dorsal fin, which is opposite to the anal fin^ commences behind the vent. The anal fin is rather shorter than the second dorsal. The colour of the body is yellowishwhitC;,

varied with minute yellowish or

The caudal

spots along the lateral line.

black fin is

with occasional large

spots,

vertically barred with rows of

spots.

Another variety, named G. minufus by Eckstrom, Gotha, in Sweden, where It

is

under

three inches

ecksirdmii, since

it

differs

is

found in the Eiver

was taken from the stomach of Cottus

it

length.

in

from

Giinther

G. minutus in

proposes

to

scorpiits.

name

G.

it

having one spiny ray, and

thirteen soft rays in the second dorsal fin, instead of nine to eleven rays, as in

G. minutus, and one spiny ray and eleven soft rays in the anal

fin,

instead of

the nine or ten soft rays of the spotted Goby.

BLENNIID^.

Family: Genus: The The in

(AiiTEDi).

BlenniidiB are a group of carnivorous fishes most frequently found

bottom

as

Blennius

fishes

fishes are

along shores, but with some representatives in fresh waters.

long with somewhat depressed or sub-cylindrical bodies, naked

some genera and covered with small

by having no

articulation

The dorsal

may

fin

composed of

spines,

be in one, two, or three parts

;

sometimes the whole

The ventral

fins are

fin

rays.

five

fin is

may be equally

usually extends along nearly the

always jugular, except in the genus

Pseudo-blennius of Japan, in which they are thoracic.

fewer than

are characterised

sometimes the spinous part and the soft part

developed, but in any case the dorsal

whole of the back.

They

scales in others.

between the sub-orbital ring and the pre-oi3erculum.

They

are

formed by

In the elongated genus Nemophis both caudal and

ventral fins are absent.

Usually there

is

no air-bladder; and there are no pyloric appendages.

The

genera are defined according to the presence or absence of molar teeth, and the condition of the dorsal, venti-al, and caudal

fins.

Some

are

viviparous, such as the marine Zoarces, and others build a nest

the

young

in a

manner that resembles the habit

Blennies are abundant in

all

known and

to

be

care for

of the Stickleback.

temperate and tropical seas.

They

are mostly

;

04

I'HESII-WATEK FISHES OF ET-KOPE.

Tin-:

small

and

lishos,

some

include

AnarrhichiH lupus,

the

of

thouo-h

smallest,

the

Cat-fish,

a gigantic Blcnny growing to a length of more than

is

six feet.

The

characters of the genus Blennius, so

slimy surface of the skin,

are,

the spinous and soft portions of third, the

named by the Greeks from the

the ventral fins are jugular; second,

first,

the dorsal

jaws are armed with a single

are nearly equal in extent

fin

series of

immovahle

teeth,

and some-

times with a small curved posterior canine tooth, but never with flattened

The gill-opening

crushing teeth.

is

wide, body naked, and the caudal

fin

distinct.

Blennins vulgaris D. 1:J/17— IS, A. 19—20, V.

(Pollini).

•l—:\, P. 13, C. 11.

In this species (Fig. £7), as in most Blennies, the head face inclined in front so as to of the

body

make

the snout

is

short with the

somewhat prominent.

about the same as the length of the head, which

is

the length of the

fish.

There

a strong euryed tooth which

is

The height one-fifth of

is

is

functionally

There are twenty or more teeth in the pre-

canine, in both jaws, on each side.

The eye

maxillary bone, and from ten to twelve teeth in the mandible.

near to the angle which the face makes with the upper part of the head

diameter

is

it is

the female.

often insignificant except during spawning, and

There

the head in males ridge or

The male has a

one-fifth of the length of the head.

the eye, but

may

is

a low, fleshy crest

Fleshy

The jaws

high as the

are equal in length.

The operculum

level of the orbit, is

but

covered with skin, and

There are short and sharp gill-rakers on the gill-arches.

The

dorsal fin

Though

it

commences over the is

ecpial length,

gill aperture, at

undivided, the anterior part

shorter rays than the posterior part.

fin

low

The pseudo-branchite are small and fringe-

has neither serrations nor spines.

line.

so

in

line of

margin the mouth and extend

The gill-opening does not ascend

like.

wanting

at other times subsides to a lijis

back to below the anterior orbital border.

descends to the middle of the throat.

tentacle over is

which runs along the middle

when spawning, which

be entirely wanting.

is

its

;

The

is

the origin of the lateral

distinguished

by having

anterior spinous rays are of nearly

not half the height of the body, but the posterior soft

i)art

of the

has the rays higher, and they are longer than those of the opposite anal

fin.

The rays

little

shorter

of the ventral fin,

which are used as

than those of the caudal

what elongated oval

outline,

and

Neither the dorsal nor anal

fin

is

fin.

The

a locomotor organ, are a

pectoral

fin

has a some-

about as long as the head.

unites with the caudal.

All the fins except

BLENNIUS ALPESTRIS.

G5

the caudal Lave undivided rays, and only the last rays of the dorsal and anal fins are jointed. is

The vent

lies

within the anterior half of the

at first lies above the pectoral fin, but behind that fin

strong curve to the middle of the side, but the variety Blennius pollmii

it

is

is

;

and

No

how much

matter

behind

is

row of

a

round the eye, and along

that of the lateral canal of the body,

pores.

may

the colour

five or six

black longitudinal band

is

and in

;

The course

fin.

vary, there are always black spots on

the head, and a row of fine black spots along the base of the dorsal often there

it

bends down with a

terminates behind the pectoral

its direction, like

made manifest by white

;

lateral line

not continuous to the tail

of the cephalic mucus-canal lies over the gill-opening,

the lower jaw

it

fish

The

the urogenital papilla, which differs in form with the sex.

black clouded

commonly

seen on the anal

fin.

fin,

and

A

broad

The ground

colour

along the back.

sjiots

of the fish in life is greenish-grey or green.

The males the

are distinguished

papilla in connection with

by having a tufted

two short rays of the anal

first

In the female there

fin.

is

no trace of a

tufted papilla, but in the corresponding region there are three openings, of

which that nearest not viviparous.

The

to the first spine of the anal fin is urinary.

The

The

species

is

and symmetrical.

ovaries are large

The

largest specimens are four inches long.

species

is

gregarious,

living in small shoals on a stony bottom, with habits like those of the Loach. Its

movements

are very rapid.

It

spawns in the summer months.

valued for food, and has a white, well-flavoured It in

met with in the Lago di Vrana Lago di Garda, and other lakes

is

the

(in

of

It

Dalmatia), in the River Isonzo,

Northern

Italy,

in

Lake

the

Bracciano, in the Tiber, and in the River Oreto, near Palermo, in Sicily.

France parts of

Europe.

A

found

it is

in the

the south of Its

department of Var, and

France, but

common name

it

little river

which

falls into

is

reported from

In

other

does not occur in any other part of

in Italy is Cagnetto, in

variety of this fish, which Professor Blan chard

occurs in a

is

flesh.

the

Lake

France Cagnette.

names Blennius

alpesfris,

of Bourget, in Savoy.

The

THE FRESII-WATEK FISHES OF

66

El-ROrE. Its form, as

longest specimen measures about two and a half inches.

pared with the foregoing type,

its

more graceful, owing

com-

to a greater lateral

The head is shorter and more compressed, and it is The shining skin is a bright chestnut, finely

compression of the body. distinguished by

is

colouring.

sanded with black, and marked with large black spots, which are diffused over the head and

the body except the ventral region, which

all

On

yellowish-white.

is

of a uniform

the sides of the head and on the back, large irregular

down

spots of a blackish-brown form short transverse bands

the

fish,

and

are close together.

The

fins also

and hinder rays

The head

have brown and black spots on them, especially the caudal

of the dorsal.

more abruptly truncated than in the type of the species, and The dentition shows no variation. The is less marked.

is

the occipital crest

more than twenty-six to twenty-nine rays; the pec-

dorsal fin never contains torals

have eleven rays, and the anal

Atherina

Genus: This genus

The body

type.

silvery

are placed

An

is

tro])ical

seas,

of

The

the

mouth extends

teeth

and

is

Sand Smelt, Atherina jjresh^ter.

type, the

are

small.

band extends along the

behind the pectorals.

air-bladder

(Artedi).

The snout

sub-cylindrical, or slightly compressed.

thick cleft

the eye.

of

A

is

The

blunt.

its

These

species.

widely distributed in temperate and

is

known from

familiarly

front

seventeen or eighteen rays.

ATHERINID^.

Family:

is

fin

seem to us to mark a variety rather than a

differences

The

far

at least as

The

scales

are of

side of the body.

intestine has

back

The

the

as

the

cj'cloid

ventral fins

no pyloric appendages.

present.

About twenty-four

s])ecies are

known from

Australia, Tasmania, the East

Indian Archipelago, the seas of China and Japan, the east coast of Africa from the

Cape of Good Hope to the Red Sea, the AVest

Indies, the Mediter-

ranean, the Black Sea, and the British shores.

Atherina lacnstris

though A. mocho, A. south of Europe.

is

the only European species limited to fresh water,

hoj/cri,

A.

hcpsetnf<, cuter fresh

waters in Spain and the

ATHEEINA LAOUSTRIS.

Atherina lacnstris 5—9,

D.

I

This

is

2 D.

—

1/10

(Bonaparte).

A.

1/H— 15.

trans.

10—11.

13,

67

4G— 60,

Scales: kt. liue

a small species, with an elongated body, eight times as long" as

The

high, and one and a half times as high as thick.

nearly horizontal, except towards the head, where

abdominal outline

but rather more curved, so that the

similar,

is

dorsal contour

is

The

becomes convex.

it

tail

is

attenuated.

The head

one-fifth of the

total length.

Its

median longitudinal ridge extends between the

eyes,

is

upper surface

and

as are the lateral ridges

from the superciliary region.

the length of the head.

The

the snout,

mouth

is

inter-orbital space,

which

The eye

front margin of the eye.

is

vomer

Von Martens

The head

;

The

gill-aperture

gill-

a right angle,

with

covered with scales as far forward as the eyes.

counted the rays in the dorsal and anal

Nearly two-thirds had seven rays in the

had twelve rays

in the

fins

first dorsal,

second dorsal, while in the anal

fin

in sixty speci-

The

pectoral fin

The ventral

is

pointed;

fins are rather

tremity of the pectoral or three scales farther

fin

when

and their insertion

is

The small

laid back.

fin.

The base

back than the base of the ventral

second dorsal

;

the

the second ray rapidly; cave.

The

is

of the anal fin

fin is

is

;

it

fin is

first

In both

it

two

from the second

advance of the base of the

the rays fins

is

the length of

In both

diminish in

the posterior border

fins

length con-

is

It usually contains sixty scales

deciduous,

like the

other

;

but

only forty-five.

They

scales in the longitudinal

lateral

records instances in which the

are silvery and

:

no

deeply forked, and the rays are subdivided.

lateral line is nearly horizontal.

Yon Martens

little in

dorsal fin is

rather larger than the second dorsal.

twice as long as the

none of them are branched.

The caudal

a

is

in front of the ex-

first

the head behind the operculum, and a like distance separates dorsal

There

length of the head.

four-fifths of the

it is

shorter,

in the fin

three-fourths

nearly half had

more than a third there were twelve rays. between the size of the fish and the number of fin-rays.

thirteen rays, and in relation

There

The

large.

is

mens, with the result that they exhibited twenty-three variations formula.

of the

of small pointed teeth on the

The pre-operculum forms is

cleft

they are longest in front.

The

or palate.

rakers are small and tooth-like.

the angle rounded.

row

a simple

pre-maxillary bone, and on the mandible are no teeth on the

two-fifths

The maxillary bone extends below the

downward.

There

is

equal to the length of

is

two-thirds of the orbital diameter in width.

is

directed obliquely

A

is flat.

prolonged forward,

is

number

is

THE FKESH-WATEK EISHES OF

68 silvery

band

but the pale olive-green

;

Black pigment

is

on the back adhere better.

scales

scattered over the scales of the back, forming a sort of net-

There are four rows of scales above the

^vork.

The

below.

El'ROPE.

scales

are

pentagonal,

broadly

lateral line,

and

six or seven

The

with rounded corners.

middle scales are about one-fourth of the orbital diameter. There are fortyThe extremity of the swim-bladder is enclosed three or forty-four vertebrae.

by processes from the nineteenth and twentieth vertebrae. The fish is found in the Lake of Albano, in Italy, where inches long

;

in the

Lake

of

Nemi

it

The Grey Mullets They enter

regions.

the sea.

:

Mugil

are migratory fish,

it

may

I

LI D^.

(Artkdi).

found in

all

temperate and tropical

fresh waters, but always pass a portion of the year in

They have an oblong compressed body, on which there The jaws cleft of the mouth is transverse, and short.

The

line.

be three

exceed four inches.

MUG

Family: Genus

may

is

no

lateral

are without

The mandible sometimes has the anterior margin ciliated, and it is The eyes are placed laterally. The gill-openings are wide. There are five or six branchiostegal rays. There are two dorsal fins; the anterior dorsal is longer than the second dorsal, and contains four stiff spines.

teeth.

always sharp.

The ventral

are abdominal in position,

fins

and attached to the elongated

eoracoid bone.

Dr. Giinther observes that fishes of this genus feed on organic substances

which are found mixed with sand or mud, and that the

some time between the

])har3aigeal bones,

when

mud

is

worked

for

the roughest materials are

ejected from the mouth.

The pharyngeal bones have an arched irregular form, tapering are covered with a membrane, which is studded with horny

They rest

upon a mass of

which

fit

Each branchial arch

fat.

into those of the adjacent arch,

The stomach

is

remarkable for

sembles the stomach of a bird. globular,

and a second

portion,

its

forming a perfect

is

which

a is

first

is

small.

A

filter.

In structure

membranous

portion,

it

re-

which

is

formed by an exceedingly strong

muscle, of equal thickness in the whole circumference. of the sfoniiU'h

and

carries close-set gill-rakers,

muscular character.

There

in front. cilia,

The

internal cavity

small circular valve in the pyloric region divides

MUGIL CAPITO. the stomach from the intestine.

The

dages.

chelo, variety septentrional is,

The

inches.

There are about

many

forms

intestine

was seven

The

behind the vent.

air-bladder

is

There

abdomen, and thirteen

in the tail.

Mugil and

ovaries are large

a separate ovarian opening

bones are long and

]uibic

connected with the coracoid by ligament.

is

The

is

the species

measuring thirteen

and simple, and connected with

large

The

muscles in front.

short pyloric appen-

feet long in a fish

liver has a large free gall-bladder.

the abdominal

five

convolutions^ and in

long, and arranged in transverse laminae.

in the

69

and

flat,

There are about eleven vertebra;

The length

of

body

in these regions

nearly the same.

The The

number nearly seventy,

species

fatty eyelid on the posterior side of the

the

besides others imperfectly defined.

characters on which they are formed are the jiresence or absence of a

number

of rays in the anal fin, the

iris,

the thickness of the upper

number

lip,

of scales in the lateral line,

the condition of the maxillary bone, the form of the snout, the proportions of the body, and the position of the

fins.

The genera most nearly allied to Aliigil are Agonostoma, found in the fresh waters of the West Indies, Central America, New Zealand, Australia, Celebes, Mauritius,

and the Comoro Islands, and Myxus, found on the coast of

Australia, the Pacific coast of Central and South America, and in the Island of

Ascension.

Mugil capito 1

D.

4,

ii

D.

The Grey Mullet

of

and Africa, reaching as the Nile, and

known

is

1/S^ A. 8/9.

England far

in

Egypt

it

Muge

peninsula.

In

It

is

Giinther mentions

Venice

its

Steindachner reaords

common on

it

;

and the

It

is

It has been recorded it

common in from some

from Rome, where

fish is fully five

The snout

between the eyes

The eyelid

eyes,

which

is

is

from the

rivers of the

Spanish

and a half times the length of

times as long as high.

The

dorsal and flat-

wide and depressed; the rather convex space

about two-fifths the length of the head.

which are rather is

is

British shores.

ventral contours are so moderately convex as to give the fish a long and

tened aspect.

it

common name is Caiisfello. In and the Somme, and is known as

this species the total length is about four

the head

line 4.5, trans. If.

widely distributed on the coasts of Europe

ascends the Gironde, Loire, Seine, capita a.

lat.

:

as the Bunri.

as the Cefalo calamita ; at

France the

is

Scales

south as the Cape of Good Hope.

fresh-water lakes in Tunis.

known

(Cuvier).— Grey mullet.

large, are distinguished

found in many species of the genus.

by wanting the fatty

The

nostrils are close

TIIK I'KK.SII-WATEK i-'ISUKS

70

The

too^ether.

llic

inter-opereular elements

part, but tapers both in front

The

and behind.

The interspace be-

broad in the anterior

is

It extends well behind the orbits.

and extend as

scales are nearly as long as high,

The

EUliOl'E.

by the nasal bones.

are not covered

lips

tween the mandible and

OF

far forward as the snout.

pectoral fin terminates at the eighth or ninth scale in the longitudinal

sei'ies.

The

second

fin

commences

dorsal fin

first

at the twelfth or thirteenth scale,

begins at the twenty-fourth or twenty-fifth

On

scale.

and the

the sides of

the body the scales have the aspect of being arranged in parallel longitudinal

These

series.

Fine

strise

have the free border rather angular, and the base truncate.

scales

are seen on the covered part of the scale,

On

extend over the exposed part.

much

scales are

The colour abdomen

summit

and minute

of the head

a dark steel-blue on the bach, the sides are paler, and the

silvery-white.

There are seven to eight dark longitudinal stripes on the along the series of of the

The its

is

scales,

which

pectoral,

ventral

base

fin is

and there

which extend

situate above the middle of the side of the body.

is

pectoral

feeds on soft and fat

The only

fin

and the spinous dorsal

;

the

common sand-worm.

food, jjreferring that in which

Couch observed

living prey which

This observer states that

taken with bait formed of the fat entrails of a It

sides,

usually a blackish spot above the base

usually orange-coloured.

The Grey Mullet

is

is

midway between the

decomposition has commenced. to take

asperities

and snout the

and are sometimes deformed.

smaller, is

the

spawns about Midsummer in the sea

fish,

it is

it

most readily

or cabbage boiled in broth.

and in August the young, which

;

are then aboiit an inch long, are seen entering fresh waters.

The

fish is

taken in rivers when the tide

coming

is

in, as it

returns with

the ebb to salt water.

Grey Mullet have been confined France, with the result that the

more

in fresh water

fish

in a fresh-water

grew

fat, deep,

than any other salt-water

pond

in

Guernsey and

in

and heavy, and improved

fish similarly treated.

There are twelve vertebrae in the abdomen, and the same number

in

the

caudal region.

Mngil cephalus I

I).

I,

:!

D. 1/S, A. 3/8, V.

Tiie distribution of this species It is

common on

Nile.

In Italy

it

in the peninsula,

(Cuvieu).

is

1/5,

P. 2/lG.

very similar to that of Minjii capito.

the west coast of Africa, in the Mediterranean, and in the is

known

and

is

as

Maggine

especially

cefalo.

common

It enters

about \'eniee.

most of the In France

rivers it

is

MUGIL CEPHALUS. characteristic oÂŁ the

Rhone,

which

in

name

is le

In

Muge

In Spain

cephale.

body

this species the

is five

taken at Avignon as late as Septem-

it is

ber; but as the cold weather comes on,

71

descends to the

it

Its

sea.

French

found in the Ebro and Guadalquivir.

it is

times as long as high, and four and a half

times as long as the head.

The head

slightly convex

is

from

side to side,

and the width of the

The eyes

orbital space is three-sevenths the length of the head.

behind a broad fatty membrane, which leaves only a vertical

The upper lip is not conspicuous for obtuse angle in front.

deep at

The

its

angles.

thickness

;

slit

for the pupil.

the mandibular bones form an

The cleft of the mouth is more than twice as wide as The maxillary bone is covered by the pre-orbital bone.

opening

posterior nasal

its

is

midway between

the orbit and the anterior nasal

The space on the chin between the mandibles is broadly This species differs but little from Mugil ccqiito in form and

aperture.

The

but the body is thicker.

found upon the vertical In the

as in

M.

lanceolate.

proportions,

and rather longer, with and are not

to the snout,

fins.

dorsal fin the first

first

fin,

scales are relatively large,

They do not extend

a very small median canal.

pectoral

inter-

are hidden

two spines

are half as long as the head

the

;

above the middle of the body.

capita, has its base

extends to abovit the eighth scale of the longitudinal

There

series.

is

It

a long

carinate triangular scale at its base.

The

colour

is

like that of the

Grey Mvdlet, being dark bluish-grey on the

About seven

back, paler on the sides, silvery-white below.

sub-parallel longi-

tudinal lines of dark-blue colour, with golden iridescence, extend along the sides.

There are black spots on the second dorsal

fin.

The

pectoral fin

is

The

brown.

anal fin has a black border.

The It

fish

spawns

may

weighs three to four kilogrammes, and

in

May.

six or seven in

M.

There are two pyloric appendages

be half a metre long.

and

in this species,

capito.

Other species enter the rivers on the coasts of France, among which Blanchard mentions the into the

Miifjil auratus

and Miigil

Mugil chelo 1

D. 4,

This Italy.

saliens,

which both range

Black Sea.

is

-Z

D. 1/8, A. 3/9, V. 1/5, P. 2/16. essentially a

Among

is

Scales

:

lat. line

Mediterranean Grey Mullet, but

other rivers

height of the body

(Cuvier).

it

enters the Sile, and

is

Vo, trans.

is

best

is

known

caught at Treviso.

one-fifth of the total length, or a little more,

the length of the head, which

three-elevenths of the length.

l(i.

in

The

and exceeds

The snout

is

THE FKESII-WATER FISHES UE EUROPE.

72

M.

blunter than in the variety

The width

The upper

of

broad and depressed.

is

about half the length of the head.

remarkably thick, with three rows of broad white

lip is

They

lower half.

its

and

septentrionalis,

inter-orbital space is

tlic

ridge on the pre-orbital bone, w^iich

commonly has

on

papillae

There

are soft, but have the aspect of teeth.

is

a slight

a rounded extremity, and

does not cover the maxillary bone.

The two bones

The

eyelid.

of the mandible

meet

at

nostrils are close together,

the mandibular bones

The

than the eye.

of the pectoral fin

very narrow, when

is

first

two spines

of the fin reaches back to the thirteenth scale.

The ventral

As

in other

The

the scales.

As The

fin is

six or seven

scales are

The

The

is

is

4,

the pectoral and the spinous dorsal.

is

2D.

of British rivers

the winter months,

when

is

by leaping over the

it is

often left in pools

M.

cJielo

clielo,

recognised in the

by the

retiring tide.

Like

all

has the habit of escaping from nets

it

it

Dr. Giinther states that the

— eleven

in the

of the thick upper lip

is

is

a length of fin,

of vertebrae

The snout

is

is

is

no fatty

the

blunt; the

The lower

whitish, and covered with two rows of

There

is

The head

in the tail.

half the length of the head.

nostrils are near the orbits.

the

It

feet.

appendages,

five jiylorie

number

little less.

common on two

longer tail, thinner upper

abdomen, and thirteen

about one-fifth of the total length, or a is

and

clicio,

may reach

by the shorter pectoral

width of the inter-orbital space

The

clieto.

first

It enters fresh waters in

form of pre-orbital bone, and by having

instead of seven.

])api]l;c.

fish,

head-line.

distinguished from M.

is

Mwgil

a northern representative of the Miigil

different

(Guxther).

by Mr. Jonathan Couch.

British and Scandinavian coasts, where

as in

silvery.

1/8, A. 3/9.

a gregarious

the ]Mullets which have been observed,

same

abdomen

bluish -grey, and the

essentially a northern variety of

The thick-lipped Grey Mullet

lip,

scale.

spetnes reaches a length of about a foot and a half.

This form

is

commences

dorsal fin

first

yellow, with a dark spot towards the upper part of the

ID.

This

The root

the extremity

;

dark stripes extend longitudinally along

Mugil septentrionalis

mouths

body

of the

higher than long.

in the other species, the back

pectoral fin

base.

midway between

Grey Mullets,

no fatty

and not longer

exists at all,

it

and the second dorsal at the twenty-fifth

at the fifteenth,

is

of the first dorsal fin are long.

somewhat above the middle

is

There

an obtuse angle.

and the space on the chin between

fiat

third

tooth-like

eyelid.

The

THE GENUS GASTEROSTEUS. The

mandibles nearly cover the chin.

and the base first sj)iny

dorsal

There

fin. is

no pointed

is

greenish,

is

at the base of the pectoral

scale

Dark

name

of the

This species, under the

one of the celebrated good things of the county of Sussex,

sometimes found in the Aran, nearly twenty miles from the

Moreau mentions that the and made into a kind of

roe of the Mullet

caviare,

which

Genus

:

The sticklebacks belong

to a

and the ventral

spines,

fin,

name

in Provence,

Boutarffue.

(Artedi).

great

division

when

present,

fins are either

sea.

and dried

R O S T E I D^.

Gasterosteus

which the spinous dorsal

salted

is

sold under the

is

Family: G A S T E

in

the

of

spiny-rayed fishes

represented by isolated

is

abdominal, have

in the throat, or, if

fin.

The

In this group of

fishes

the pubic bones attached to the arch which supports the pectoral

mouth

small,

is

the snout

with paler sides and silvery abdomen.

greenish stripes run along the sides.

Arundel Mullet,

midway between

is

Pointed scales extend alon<^ the base of the

of the caudal fin.

The back

fin.

dorsal fin

73

and at the extremity of the snout.

Dr. Giinther includes two families, the Gasterosteida, which comprise the

genus

single

which are

all

These

fishes

mouth

the

Gasterosteus,

is

and the

There are no

and a small

bladder

;

is

the opening of

scales,

but large scutes form an incomplete armour along

simple and

is

soft dorsal fin.

composed of a

There arc three branchiostegal rays.

ray.

The

There are no spines to the opercular

ventral fins are joined to the pubic bone, and each

spine

fishes,

the teeth are villiform, and placed on the jaws.

;

Formidable isolated spines occur in front of the

the sides.

The

Tobacco-pipe

have an elongated and compressed body

oblique

infra-orbital bones cover the cheeks.

bones.

or

Fistulariida',

marine.

oblong,

The

air-

and there are few pyloric appendages

to

the stomach.

Gasterosteus aculeatns D.

3,

10—12, A. 1/8—9, V.

This Stickleback spines,

spines

(Linn^us).

(Fig.

28)

is

1/1, P. 10, C. 4/12/5.

characterised by

which are separated from each other is

— Stickleback.

;

its

three

isolated dorsal

the middle and longest of the

about three-fourths of the greatest height

of

the

body.

The

THE FRESH-WATEli FISHES OF EUROPE.

74

form of the body

moderately compressed, hi<^hest under the

is

spine, with the height exceeding the length

third and one-fourth of the length of the

and a half times as long as the thirds of their diameter.

The

The

teeth

large

axis

of the

are

touches the

relatively

runs

lisli

edge

of

The head

fish.

The eyes

eye.

dorsal

about three

is

separated

by two-

mouth reaches under the nares. both jaws, and pointed. The longest

cleft of the

in

through the middle of the the

are

S(,'Cond

and between one-

of the head,

pupil

of

the

cleft

mouth, and

of the

The very broad

eye.

sub-orbital

bone extends back to the angle of the pre-operculura, with which united, and, like

closely

ring and the operculum,

The

is

spine,

spine

The

arch from the margin of the

pectoral fins are truncated,

which is

as high

and extend back as

— GASTEUOSTEUS

from the

soft dorsal fin has its

it

is

sul)-orbital

first

upper edge

mouth

to the second

under the dorsal spine as at the

ACULEATUS

nearly opposite to the ventral

is

farther removed

in the

finely striped.

The body is four times

Fig. 28.

smaller elements

anterior

profile rises in a regular

dorsal s})iue.

The

the

(LINX.liUs).

The

fin.

two than

straig-ht

tail.

far as the second dorsal

third, or short, dorsal

are these from each other.

and inclined backward, because

the anterior rays are nearly three times as long as the short posterior rays.

The vent tail

is

opposite to the third dorsal spine, and therefore nearer to the

than to the snout.

The anal

fin

resembles the soft dorsal, and reaches

equally far back, but has a shorter base, and

The spine

compressed spine. its

length; the

lin

which

lies

In front of

between the

its

with

its

close

when they

The caudal

fin

is

are present,

fish.

point turned backward, followed by two

lin,

are bifurcate at the end.

and reaches

vertically truncated,

is

to

and has a

In front of the

behind the back of the head, there

directed forward, but concealed under the skin. of the pectoral

and furrowed, down

which often reaches as

and therefore below the third

length of about one-eighth of the length of the

and

I'ough,

base the pelvis forms an upward forked shield,

lateral shields,

half the height of the body.

dorsal spine,

preceded by a short, broad

is

also possesses a soft curved ray,

far back as the three-cornered pelvic shield,

dorsal spine.

is

of the ventral fin

first

a small spine

others with their points

All the fin rays, except those

GASTEROSTEUS ACULEATUS. The

shining-

the ventral side of the

The armature

of the trunk

is

and G.

GasferosteiLS trachunis

naked^ except

is

armour that defends

sufficiently variable to

lelurus, or

almost suggest

specific

was divided by Cuvier into

gymnurus.

But when

individuals

compared, when the young are compared with the

districts are

and those caug-ht in summer are contrasted with

two extremes

lateral

fish.

of the skin

and on this evidence the species

differences,

from many

pigment of the skin

silvery

by the median dorsal shields and

whej-e covered

75

fish

old,

taken in the winter, the

found to be united by intermediate types, in which the

are

dermal shields show every possible gradation of form, as was pointed out

by the Swedish ichthyologists, Fries and Eckstrom.

These naturalists

re-

garded both colour and armature of the skin as varying" with summer and winter, so that the Stickleback in it

naked,

is

its

brightly-coloured bridal dress,

Gaslerostens lelurus, while

is

G. trachnrns

when

the same species

is

in its winter dress.

The form named

Gudcrosteus

leiuriis

is

not met with except at the

spawning-time, though in the very young state, when only eight lines long,

examples of pectoral

have been described with slightly developed plates on the

it

and pelvic

dorsal spine are

Dermal

girdles.

two broad

with the median shield of the occipital region

in contact

In front of the

plates shield the back.

plates developed one behind the other,

varying size extend on each

side,

which are

and shields of

;

along the base of the dorsal

fin,

and often

reach the lateral shields.

The

They

lateral shields are best developed in the reg-ion of the pectoral girdle.

are elongated vertically, in contact with each other, partly imbricated,

and vary

When

and form, and in number from three to twenty-eight.

in size

most developed the bucklers descend Their number

asperities finely furrowed.

There

body.

is

is

to the

abdomen, and have their

unequal on the two sides of the

a remarkable system of ventral

armour which covers the

throat below the inferior angle of the operculum, and extends back to the

The

pelvis.

pelvis develops

a shield which

is

sub-triangular behind, and

sends a branch up the side of the fish for

about half the height of the

body

This plate

;

but

the ventral

it

varies in

The course

of the lateral canal

fish is

very marked.

ovary

is

The

form and ornament.

is

the fulcrum for

fin.

double, but

air-bladder

is

The is

along the upper third of the side of the

accessory gills are thin fimbricated filaments.

stated

by Fatio

simple, and ends in

above the dorsal side of the stomach. the animal, and almost straio'ht.

to be

two short

The

The

sometimes only deeply bi-lobed. fine air-canals,

digestive canal

is

which open shorter than

;

THE FRESH-WATEi;

76

The stomacli

The

from thirty-one

colour of the back

and belly

is

breast vary from pale rose to blood-red

the fins are transparent and g-reenish

the pupil

;

young than

colours are less variable in the female and the

This species tenacious of g-rass

and the

oblique,

is

like

iris

Tiiese colours reach their greatest intensity in the spawning- season.

silver.

The

ver-

to thirty-three.

bluish-black or g-reeuish-brown^ with the sides

The throat and

silvery.

The

and has two small pyloric appondag-es.

lar^^e,

is

tebrae vary in uuniher

OF EUrxOrE.

FLSIIES

rarely

is

and

life,

for a time.

more than three inches long.

will often

It

is

throw

five

are sometimes found

fish

kills

to find a resting-place

In

the Stickleback,

and development

when

in such

frequently afflicted with

is

a kind of tape-worm [Bothriocephalus solidus), which often

body cavity and

damp

are rapid.

hours devoured seventy-four young-

The

quantities as to be used for manure.

movements

its

They

dace about a quarter of an inch long.

somewhat

is

out of the water and live in

itself

very voracious, and

an aquarium a small Stickleback in

in the male.

It

worm

the

in the duck, or

is

the entire

fills

often

liberated,

some other water

bird.

The Stickleback almost

in

the

all

is

widely distributed, and

are

varieties

dili'erently

the rest of the body naked,

The

and the Baltic.

is

variety

five

variety

plates above the

^

Gasterosfen.^

The variety 7 Gasterosteus

is

Germany.

found

The

in

pectoral

fin,

and

found in England, Belgium,

semiloricatus,

which has scaly

and Ireland.

Gasterosteus trac/inrits has scaly plates covering- the is

though

Gasterosleus

semiarmatus, which has ten

reaching' to the caudal region, is limited to France

body, and

a

found in England, France, Southern Germany,

or fifteen plates on the front part of the sides,

S

found in shallow streams

The

distributed.

gymmirus, which has only four or

and France.

is

parts of Europe, and in the Baltic and Frische-Haff,

tail

as

The well

plates

variety as

the

the northern parts of Europe, England, France, and

variety e Gasterosteus novehoracensis differs

only in having a longer ventral spine.

It

is

from

(1

.

trachurus

found in Greenland and

in

North America.

Many

writers attach specific importance

to these

varieties,

and Yarrell

adopted most of the types which had been recognised by Cuvier and A'alenciennes,

The

and are

still

preserved by Blanehard.

species appears to be

wanting

in the

Danube.

In Pennant^s time the Stickleback was remarkably abundant

in

the

Fens of Lincolnshire, and every seven or eight years amazing shoals appeared in the Welland, at Spalding-,

and came up the

river in a vast column.

were used to manure the land, and occasionally

by

boiling, as in

Sweden and France.

As an

oil

They

was extracted from them

illustration of the

abundance

GASTEROSTEUH ACULEATUS. in

man employed by

which they were found, Pennant mentions that a

them

farmer to capture a day by

shilling-s

On

manure earned

for

them

selling-

instinct

captivity as in nature.

It

armour becomes manifest,

for

combatant depends.

is

used for manure after the

limited to the males, and

is

time

for a considerable

is

may

extracted.

oil is

be as well observed

then that the use of the spines and the

on their skilful use the

Sometimes the cause of battle

is

or death of the

life

the desire to possess

a cave, or recess, or corner already occupied, but the sense of honour delicate in these little fishes, that

spot which

Or,

of less fortunate

if

one

deal a blow.

The

biting"

It

sufficient to

provoke an assault on

his spines and spears are at once erected no doubt, with Horace, " Odi profanum

companions irksome,

vulgus, et arceo.^' rapidly,

is

has a position of vantage, and feels the presence

fish

to drive the gazers away, saying,

other

so

is

even a longing glance thrown towards a

might become a happy home

the passer-by.

the four

at the rate of a halfpenny a bushel.

the Continent the refuse

The fighting in

77

is

battle

begins;

the

combatants swim

round each

and thrusting, retreating and advancing,

not often that the weaker seeks safety in

knows that no quarter

be shown to the vanquished

will

if

avoid or

to

he

flight, for

captured.

He

rather tries to act on the defensive until such time as the sti'onger fish shall

forget his discretion, and sooner or later the

ripped up.

When

worn with

Stickleback, no long"er

And

abdomen

grows

care,

fat

and increases

the season advances he begins to construct

as

enemy

of the

will be

opponents are thus disposed of or driven away, the valiant

Professor Blanchard, the

first

step

is

in length.

According to

a nest.

the excavation of a depression on the

bed of the stream by a rotatory movement of the body, and then, as Monsieur Costa had previously recorded, stalks of grass, rootlets of delicate fibres of vegetable matter, are laid in the hollow,

gether with mucus from the skin.

Walls are then

trees,

and other

and cemented

raised,

to-

and ultimately

The nest

roofed over, a small aperture only being left as an entrance.

is

nearly an inch in diameter.

The male now puts on scarlet breastplate,

and goes

;

brilliant colours, and, conspicuous in his

with a glossy

many

enters,

and

in

through the nest, and his

mate, but the

fertilises the

to

any indisposition

g-entle pressure, it has

and forces a way out on the opposite

of

caresses, one ready

nest, and, should there be

She

lustre, leaves his labours

mate, by no means contenting himself with the

something more than it.

most

but selecting, with

allures her to the

force her into

his

sides shining

in search of a

female he sees

nest,

and

first

spawn, he

to enter his

been observed,

is

used to

a few minutes deposits a few eggs,

side

eggs.

conjugal instinct

and escapes.

The male follows her

Next day he again goes in search is not very strong among Stickle-

backs

male

;

and, failing- to

hor^ anotlier female

lincl

same way rubs

in the

the nest over the eggs.

according to

Von

This process

may

The

brought to the nest.

is

his side ag-ainst the female,

and passes through

be continued day by day

until,

Siebold, sixty or eighty eggs are deposited, before the male

The male now watches over

closes the exit.

may vary

incubation, which

and

nest against all invaders,

his treasure for the period of

according to the temperature of the water from

ten or fifteen to twenty-five or thirty days.

He

of Europe.

thp: fuesii-wateij FrsHE8

78

During

time he defends the

this

especially against the curiosity of his wives.

by movements of the fins circulates young become hatched, goes in search of food, which is first prepared iu his own mouth for their wants. And only when the young are sufticiently developed to eat and swim does the parent allow them to leave enters the nest from time to time, and

the water; and, as the

their first

home.

Five or six days after hatching, according to

other observers, the male opens the nest and spreads

the

young

They

fishes assemble.

its

materials,

Fatio and

upon which

are then three to four millimetres long,

have a natatory membrane which extends along and around the body.

when

disappears in ten or twelve days,

now

five or six

some observers record twenty

the fins begin to develop.

The number

millimetres long.

young

of

fish is

varies with the nest;

mention sixty to one

thirty, while others

to

The

and

This

hundred.

male

If the

is

Houghton

captured,

records

by a crowd of hungry, marauding Sticklebacks, In the ovary Dr. Gunther has counted ninety hundred to one hundred and twenty

The

a smaller number.

egg*s

They begin

attacked sexes.

Blanchard counted one

;

but Fatio, and other writers, have found

The breeding season

to breed at the

varies according to the

age of one year, and are reputed to

Where powerful

live for three or four years.

carnivorous fishes abound, such

Perch, Pike, Trout, Salmon, their numbers

Stickleback fights for

life

to

'^

Qui

s^y frotte s'y pique.

The Pike has been known In France

it is

known

may

such purpose that

indeed, Blanchard suggests that

proverb,

is

and both

and a male may have three nests between the 1st of April and the

;

end of June.

as

the nest

eggs are about one and a quarter millimetre in

ripe

diameter, and of a yellow colour. locality

;

that

of all ages

they

it

be kept down, but the is

might adopt

not often molested;

for

motto the French

'^

to eject

them from the mouth when captured.

as EpinocAe; in

Germany

it is

Stachelfiach ; in Italy,

Spina rello ; in Poland, Ciernih; in Sweden, Hiuichtagg or Stor Spigg.

The

variability

pigeon or

a

dog,

is

of a Stickleback, so considerable

though not

so

marked

as

that

of a

that the best ichthyologists differ as to

the forms which shall be regarded as species, and those which they class as varieties.

There

is

no doubt that

if

the characters

of the varieties

were

GASTEROSTEUS ACULEATUS. constant, the conclusions oÂŁ Cuvier would

still

79

be maintained, and numerous

which would

species of Sticklebacks of the three-spined type be recog-nised,

show remarkable modifications with

But

distribution.

g-eog-raphical

since

the characters are very variable there has been a tendency to push the doctrine

name

of specific variation as far as possible, and group under the

contrast the extreme terms of this series as represented

Gasterosteus

like

entirely

from

free

view the short

argijropomus,

plates,

tail,

with a

body are

of the

sides

then no one could hesitate, especially keeping- in

dorsal spine of the latter form, to regard

first

species, which, being limited to Italy,

But when we

representative.

which the

in

we

If

by the Gasterosteus

aculeatas with lateral armour extending from the head to the

form

Gasterosteus

the three-spined Sticklebacks of Europe and America.

aculeatas all

might be looked upon

it

as a sc]:>arate

as a geographical

find in the fresh waters of France every in-

termediate variation in lateral armature, the idea of separating* the Italian

type as a species

centrus

There are only two varieties known in Italy, that

fails.

we have

to which

just referred, and the partly-armoured Gasterosteus

tjracliij-

and both these are united by Professor Canestrini as furnishing

;

And

the Italian type of Gasterosteus aculeatus.

Dr. Steindachner, after study

GASTEROSTEUS ACULEATLS, VARIETY liRACHYCBXTRUS.

Fig. 29.

of the

Spanish types, adopted the conclusion that the Gasterosteus hracliy-

centrus

must

As a by the

also be

merged

writers

of

the

fin-spines

are

more

is

longer than in

than the female. head, even

eye

is

in

distinctive variations

shorter,

somewhat behind the base head

and the

of the pectoral

the

Common

The greatest height

the female

first fin,

is

projects

its

own

over the

diameter.

and characters

dorsal

species

The mouth

is

especially

it

(Fig. 29).

begins

and longer

over or

The

it.

in the

male

never equal to the length of the

at the time of spawning.

pre-maxillary,

spine

instead of in front of

Stickleback,

a quarter of the length of the head;

eye by

a

Great Britain and the Continent, we have thought

desirable to point out its

All

in the G. aculeatus.

however, which has been generally regarded as

type,

it

is

more in

The diameter

of the

separated from the other oblique,

the

and the mandible

males.

The

dentition

THE FRESH-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

80 is

The

scarcely visible.

and

fin

is

long-er,

and

farther back,

somewhat

rays are

one-half the length of the head

They touch the base

begins

fin

about

fin is

the three-cornered plate between the ventral

;

and other

of Garda,

four-spined

There are four

localities in

is

Lombardy, where

It

it is

known

as Spinarola.

by

sjoinulosits

recorded from near Edinburgh, Arran,and Berwick.

is

five-spined Stickleback, taken near Warrington, has been

These can only be regarded as another

Peers.

it is

shields.

and the Lake

Istria,

been named Gasterosteiis

Stickleback has

Jenyns and Yarrell.

found at Gorz, in

lateral

and reach down

of the shield below the spinous ray,

This variety

to the pelvic girdle.

A

the soft-rayed

of

The anal

The caudal

shorter.

considerably broader than in G. acaleatus.

J.

always

is

smaller and more pointed in males than in the females, in which

fins is

A

The base

sides.

and extends just before the vont.

its

fin,

Stickleback, but always broader at the base,

more strongly notched on both

is

dorsal

dorsal spine, like that of the ventral

Common

shorter than in the

recorded by Mr. variations of

of

series

Gasterosteiis aculeatus.

Gasterosteus pnngitius

(Linn.eus).

— The

Ten-spined

Stickleback. D. 9—11/11,

The bodv except the

in this

though they

indicated only

is

compressed, elongated, with the sides naked,

not present in

are

The operculum

by a furrow.

They

between the

are

erectile

last

dorsal

consists

of

one spine and one

triangular pelvic shield, which

The

The

colour

belly

is

and

is

sides are

Germany, and

Avithout the

is

of

will

keeled,

the

dorsal

The

ray.

line

than

in

is

G.

free,

low^,

in size, each with a slight

There

fish. fin.

spine

and has something

is

is

The anal

no fin,

The ventral

opposite to the dorsal.

soft

more uniform than

blue, orange, or reddish. side in

lateral

attached to a

of the

form of a

fins are transparent.

upper side of the body

The

is

the

at

on

lateral line

The

rather larger

is

spine and the

which has a recurved spine in front,

sternum.

varieties.

which are similar and nearly equal

fin-membrane.

fin

all

There are from nine to eleven, more frequently ten,

aculeatus.

dorsal spines,

interval

fish

V. 1/1, A. 1/9—11, C. 5/12/6.

about a dozen keeled scales, which terminate the

for

tail,

P.9— 10,

in

the

Common

Stickleback.

The

green or bluish-black, with darker transverse bands. silvery,

but with change of season become silver-

The male

in Britain its

slightest trace

of red.

in

summer

wedding dress

The black

is is

often black on the under

an intense velvety black,

colour develops

first

on the

GASTEROSTEUS PUNGITIUS. belly Iq

81

March, and gi-adually extends over the body.

In Scandinavia

olive-g-reen,

with a coppery-silvery tone below, according to

habits

similar to those of

society,

are

the

other

being equally

species,

and often found in large shoals; but

it

even

is

it

Lloyd.

is

Its

fond

of

and more

fiercer

pugnacious.

Lloyd in

that the fishing season for Sticklebacks in Sweden begins

states

November, and continues

till

pole

wood burning

driven into

landing-net;

the

is

nightfall the

seen on a clear evening from the

Then two men go to the spot in a boat, with One man steadies the boat with a

ruffled state oÂŁ the water.

a torch of

At

the ice begins to form.

spot where the fishes are congregated

at one end.

ground, while

the

up the

other scoops

and sometimes they obtain several boatloads

in

with a

fish

this

way

in

a single night.

The eggs

When

are orange.

abundant the

bushels of fish yielding two or three gallons of in Scandinavia.

It

is

common

the estuaries of rivers, but

up it

and occurs

their course, is

Smd

called the

is

in the Baltic

found

in almost every lake

all

less easily

;

but

it is

in

Sweden, where it.

Blanchard

characterised

is

lavis^

than

a marine species,

the northern countries of Europe.

rare

on the Prussian

and fresh waters in Scandinavia, and Britain.

in

this species.

abundant in some parts of the Baltic Sea, where

as food for pigs

four

met with

is

names G. hiu-gundianus, G.

fifteen-spined Stickleback, Gaderostens splnachut,

the coasts of

oil,

used for lamps

Giinther inchides the Gasteroisteus occlderitalis

and V.) as a North American variety of

larly

and river

Pigs are sometimes fed upon

Sjngg.

the varieties of G. aculeatus.

common on

is

and North Sea,

G. lotharingus, and G. breviceps, but they are

The

which

chiefly in small tributary streams far

distinguishes varieties in France, which he

(C.

boiled for

fish is oil,

is

almost

coast.

it is

It is particu-

used for manure and

It rarely enters rivers

unknown

in the fresh waters of

H'Z

CHAFPER

III.

FRESII-WATER FISHES OF THE OllDER AXACAXTIIIXI.

— GExrs

FA:MTLY GADID.l']

15urljot—

Lota

— Frcsh-wator

Lota

Genus: Gadida' of

racterised

The

Dr. Giinthei"

by having small smootli

g-enera

may have

Th.^

Solo.

(Cuvier).

family

a

is

Cod Family-

the

<.f

Flounder— The

GADID^.

Family:

The

Ropresentativos

FAMILY PLEUEONECTID^—The

the order Anacanih'uu,

in

on a more or

scales

less elong-ated

three or two dorsal fins, or one dorsal

cha-

body.

These

fin.

fins

occupy nearly the whole of the back, and the hindermost dorsal has the rays well developed.

There

may

be one or two successive anal

and the different

fins,

combination of the dorsals and anals, and the degree of separation of these

from the caudal, furnish an important

fins

The ventral helps

fin

fins

to

many

define

The gill-openings

genera.

gill-membranes are not attached to the isthmus.

The family is

common on

is

most

coasts in

differing

is

an

and

wide,

are

is

characters.

of the ventral

the

air-bladder.

and temperate

seas,

but

Europe and America.

The only genus met with but one species

There

Arctic

of

characteristic

generic

of

series

The development

are placed in the throat.

known

in the fresh waters of

— the

Common

liurbot

Europe

— of

is

Lota, of which

which several

but slightly from each other, are met with

in

varieties,

the United States

and Canada.

The genus Lota a

fin,

separate

is

caudal

characterised fin,

ten to thirteen rays in the

and on the vomer.

This pressed

total

The mandible

tail.

of the head

(Fig. 30) has a

is

fish.

dorsal

composed of

fins,

six

one

anal

rays, with

barbel.

(Clmer).

— The

Burbot.

wide flattened head, an elongated body, and comis

shorter than the upper jaw.

always slightly arched.

length of the

fins,

^'ilH^orm teeth occur on the jaws

first dorsal.

The chin has a

Lota vulgaris fish

by having two

narrow ventral

The width

The length

of the iish

is

The upper

of the head

is

surface

one-fifth the

nearlv two-thirds thelenfrth

LOTA VULGARIS. of the head

;

83

and the height about one-half the head length

which

is

iris

golden.

is

placed

laterally,

The nares

amounting

lobe of skin, hardly

reaches back to lip projects

the

eye.

a barbel.

to

over the lower

the chin, and near

pointed teeth

on

the

it

lip,

are arranged

in

vomer

is

placed

midway between

mouth

of the

is

The

semicircular.

is

pre-maxillary bone,

dense rows

— LOT.\

wide, and

upper

fleshy

and

and there

;

in

the

There are small

where

mandible,

vri,r;.\His

the ligament between

maxillary, parallel to

The

length of the head.

sometimes a shorter barbel.

is

first

which has a long barbel under the middle

Fig. 80.

they

It

The gape

outline

Its

of the

the

of the eye,

the anterior nasal aperture has a raised

;

eye and the end of the snout.

the

of

one-seventh

is

are small

Under

,

The diameter

dorsal fin the height and thickness are about equal.

is

a broader row on the

the bones.

The

teeth

pre-

on the

are stronger.

The

gill-aperture

is

wide

;

the rough skin of the branchiostegal rays forms

The branchiostegal rays

a sort of curtain in front of them.

The

number. serrated

;

rake-teeth on the four

are seven in

gill-arches are short, thick,

and

finely

the accessory gill-rays are very small, and concealed under a deep

fold in the skin.

The

first

dorsal fin begins in the second third,

the length of the fish are the longest,

them.

,

and about a third

The second

of the height of the

from which

localities, as in

Lemberg, the two dorsal

The base

of the dorsal fin

the

Its jointed rays

Ioniser

is

it is

of

middle jointed rays

body depth beneath and extends to

sometimes scarcely separated; and in some

fin,

fish.

Its

dorsal immediately succeeds the first dorsal,

near the caudal

what

and ends in the middle

opposite to the anal aperture.

fins

have a membranous connection.

necessarily nearly equal to half the length of

are forked at the extremity, and

towards the end of the

fin.

The anal

fin

become some-

resembles the second

THE FRESII-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE,

84 but

dorsal,

The

a shorter base

lias

what ovate;

longest

its

and shorter

ventral fins are about equally long

rays radiate like

membrane,

a

their first

;

The caudal

terminate in fine points.

The

rays.

fin

so that the rays are counted

some-

is

oÂŁ the head.

and second rays generally

pointed in the middle, and the

is

All the fins are extremely

fan.

pectoral fin

more than half the length

rays are

with

soft,

and terminate

in

difficulty.

Fine scales are found behind the eyes and on the sides of the head and the body

throat, but

Very

growth.

covered

is

second dorsal has scales upon in the

line,

The

hinder half.

its

The smallest

pits.

which

it

and the

fins,

are

scales

embedded

the aspect of being

on the body are found along the

scales

near to the back at

is

with concentric

scales,

found on the bases of the

which surrounds them, and they give

skin,

covered with lateral

with thick ovate

delicate scales are

its

commencement, descends

the middle at the side, and runs horizontally to the

to

tail.

The stomach has an elongated form like a wide sack. The pyloric is surrounded by about thirty appendages, which are of unequal

region

grouped

size,

bladder extends

extremity

is

The

intestine.

the entire length of the

liver

The

tri-lobed.

is

abdominal cavity.

Its

air-

anterior

and

is

supplied with a large blood-

principal mass of the kidney

is

situate

constricted or heart-shaped,

The

vessel.

by a common

and connected with each other

bundles,

in

which opens into the

canal,

the abdominal cavity,

but sends

small

lobes

at

the extremity

The

forward.

large,

of

long

urinary bladder terminates with the ovary or milt duct in a genital papilla, w^hich

is

milt or

clear

less

The

which

shorter

is

behind the vent.

situate

peritoneal sac,

is

still.

The

The colour

olive-green,

belly, ventral fin, size varies in

The of

Atter

See,

it

sixteen pounds.

is

contained

the back, sides, and fins

marbled with cloudy spots

and throat are

a

in

in

is

a

thin

The more

blaekish-brown.

of

w^hitish.

In the Danube

different parts of Euro])e.

one foot and a half to two feet long four pounds, though

ovaries are

scarcely half as long as the abdominal cavity.

but the

;

weight

is

it

is

from

only three or

the Austrian lakes, such as the Fuschler See and

usually

from eight to twelve pounds, and occasionally

In North

Germany

it

rarely exceeds a length of

nineteen inches, and a weight of two pounds, though thirty pounds have been captured in the Rhine.

weighing forty-two pounds

is

said to

about

specimens weighing

Blanchard

relates that one

have been purchased by the city of

Strassburg for 600 francs for a breakfast given to Charles X.,

but does not

pledge himself to the accuracy of the tradition. This

fish is

hardy, and found indifferently in large

elevated lakes, and low-lying ponds, though

it

riv^ers,

small streams,

usually lives in deep water,

LOTA VULGARIS. and in lakes

is

often found at a depth of thirty or forty fathoms

such circumstances It

commonly

85

lives

colour

its

when

paler than

is

under stones and in holes^ waitin<^ for

has come, from a rabbit-like habit, to be

and

Its instincts, however, are those of robber

The Burbot spawns

its

and hence

prey,

It

pirate.

waylays the female

a terror to

is

at different times in different localities.

November and December,

but under

;

in shallow water.

sometimes named the Coney-fish.

and the young- brood, especially of the Perch, and

their eggs in

living"

others not

till

March.

all

small fishes.

Some deposit At spawning-

time they become gregarious, and in the rivers of Germany a hundred

may

The eggs

are

be found together interlaced in a compact mass like Eels.

The young grow

hatched in about six weeks.

age reproduce for the at spawning-time,

first

many

places the liver

yields

was formerly esteemed

mnsfelce fluviatilis.

but the hard

and

of this belly,

The

Germany

in

medicine, under the

air-bladder

fish

it

hepatictis

into an inferior kind of isinglass,

has the reputation of being poisonous,

into

is

one mass, head to head and belly to

their bodies,

essentially a fresh-water

Ling, from which

a few more rays in the second dorsal

and a few more rays in the anal is

It is

met with

In Britain in

fin,

and fewer

it

in

differs in

the

first

fin.

widely distributed in Europe, and

England.

which had the same colour

skin.

occurring in Siberia and India. side of

name Liquor

which

as a purgative.

which were united

The Burbot

It

made

is

In

line.

oil

Siebold mentions that Dr. Steinbuch in 1803 speared two examples

and slimy character as the

dorsal,

in best condition for the table

are

considered a great delicacy, while the

by a constricting band round

having-

and at four years of

taken with a ground-net or

are

roe, in Austria, at least,

used in

is

Von

is

They

time.

when they

slowly,

referred to

is it

by Yarrell as

found along the eastern

is

Sweden, France, Switzerland, Germany,

Austria, the north of Italy, and Russia.

The North American specimens reach a length been desci-ibed under various

specific

Giinther with the European type.

of three feet.

names, but

are

They have

associated

by Dr.

THE FKESH-WATKl; FISHKS OF

86

Family

PLEURONECTID^.

:

Pleuronectes flesus D. C:>— 00, P. 10, Y.

known

Thouo;-h best

EUKUl'E.

6,

(Linn.icls).— A.

39—45,

as a sea-fisli, tho

The Flounder.

Flounder everywhere frequents fresh

waters, often ascending- rivers for long- distances.

the Flandra, from which the English it

is

known

also

Dutch term it

is

coast,

it

known

it

shares with Plaice the Yarrell says

In France

it is

as le Fid.

London by boys

Avon

to

name

of

known

indiiferently

it is

as Picdiid,

In Scotland and the north of England

Fl nkc.

Thames Embankment

fishing from the river-banks.

was frequently taken

it

It formerly ascended the

near Bath, and Mr. Day, in former years, took

Pennant remarks that though they never grow large Selys-Longchamps,

it

it

Shrewsbury.

at

in our rivers, the fishes are

sweeter in flavour than those which live in the sea. to

The

Flnnder.

as

term Butt, by which

taken as high up the Thames as Teddiugton and Sunbury.

Before the construction of the in

of the

backwaters Ijchind Yarmouth and other parts of the east

commonly

Flondre, or more

known in Sweden as may be derived, though

It is

Floniider

})rol)ably the origin

is

abounds.

it

name

North Germany and Central Euro])e

in

Hot, which

in the

where

Lat. lino 85.

C. IJ.

In Belgium, according

goes up the Scheldt, and passes up the Nethe beyond

Brussels to Waterloo. It ascends the Rhine,

and has been recorded

and there enters the

and has been taken

in the

in the Moselle at Trier

Rhino at Mainz.

rivers, not,

It

is

common

and Metz,

in the Baltic,

however, with the regularity of Salmon, or

other mig-ratory fishes like the Eel, but probably in search of food and love of quiet.

And

it

similarly ascends the rivers of France,

taken in the Dordogne and other inland streams.

where

it

has been

It ascends all the rivers of

Russia from the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Baltic, and the White Sea,

and reaches many of the

lakes.

It ])ossesscs the jjower of adapting its lives. it rests,

On

black

mud

it is

colour to the

while in clear water, with whito_ sands,

Sometimes, as Pennant and

otiiers

it

may

sjjots

in

other specimens occiisionally have very dark brown spots. reversed with the colour and eyes on the left side. in

food, Init prefers

also take small niollusca

which

it

be white on both sides.

have remarked, the colour

and specimens have been found with orange

discriminating

locality in

often indistinguishable from the bottom on which

worms,

insects,

some

is

or red,

while

It frequently occurs

The Flounder and small

and most animal substances.

plidc

localities,

is

fishes,

not very

and

will

PLEURONECTES FLESUS. spawns

It

February, March, and April, and the young are frequently

in

May.

seen before the beginning of

take place a large

late in April, or in

till

size,

87

In some

May.

in

It rarely reaches

and a length of nine inches and a weight of four pounds are

exceptional, though

The number

Pennant mentions specimens which weighed

It

half.

six pounds.

of eggs progressively increases with the size of the fish,

more than one million and a quarter have been found and a

spawning does not

localities the

North Germany

is

often used as bait, but

is

it

occurs,

and dried condition,

in a salted

In Germany swine are sometimes fed on

Baltic.

it.

The

In form the Flounder has a strong family resemblance to the Plaice. head

is

about one-quarter of the length of the

inside the fins

is

one-third of the length, or a

The

long, as are the dorsal and ventral fins.

fish,

and the greatest breadth

The caudal

more.

little

The mouth

The

obliquely.

is

small

;

the lower jaw

is

oval,

and has no

edge

is

Its highest part

is

The

is

the longer

tail in

anterior nostril

The

distinct tube.

eye to the narrow part of the serrated.

front of the caudal

as the dorsal, but being shorter, the anterior of

They

fins,

tubular

Its

fin.

The anal

and

the

;

from the margin

is

It

fin is

commences

quite as high

posterior portions are nearly

fins are alike

on both sides of the body.

are short, but rather longer than the ventral fins, in

small, with

concentric

advance of them. lines

The caudal

and delicate

which are placed below

irregular.

The

scales

The

truncated.

fin is

radiating

scale,

on the head are rudimentary.

line ascends a little over the pectoral fin,

and

course

its

shaped tubercles, and similar tubercles margin

it

scales are

branched rays, which,

however, are developed only on the posterior two-thirds of the

margin

is

one tubercle being placed in each interspace

The pectoral

fin-rays.

and slightly

its

orbital

rounded or star-like spiny tubercles margins much of the

length of the bases of these

between the

by an

the jaws open

behind the middle of the body, so that the anterior

longer than the truncated posterior edge.

A row

;

dorsal fin extends

behind the pectoral, and reaches as far back as the dorsal.

equal.

is

teeth are blunt and conical, small, and form two rows in the

upper jaw, and one row in the lower. posterior

fin

eyes are elevated above the level

of the head, and are close together, side by side, hardly separated

diameter.

and

weighing a pound

generally eaten wherever

and formerly much more commonly than now,

was imported from the

in one

is

and make

The

lateral

marked with

above and below.

star-

The

cephalic canals are very distinct^ running forward in a curved course between

the eyes, and giving off a sub-orbital branch and a longer branch to the lower jaw.

The common

olive-green.

The

colour of the upper side of the body varies from

fins are

usually paler.

The skin

is

There are twelve vertebra" in the body and twenty-three the

tail.

brown

white on the under to

to

side.

twenty-four in

THE

88

FKE.SII-WATElt FLSHE.S

0¥ EUROPE.

Fleuronectes italicus

0(1— nt, A. 41—48, P. 11—12/10—11, V.

1).

This

(Gunther).

s])eeies,

is known common in the

cording to Canestrini, as Piannzza jjassera.

It

and

Many

it

up the Adige and other streams.

g-oes

C. 12.

of Bonaparte,

Plafessa passer

the

6,

is

in Italy, ac-

Adriatic Sea,

Continental writers regard

as identical with the Flounder.

A eyes

bony keel divides the head

is

At The

naked and small.

small accessory spines.

into

two

The space between the

parts.

the bases of the dorsal and anal fins are rows of

The teeth

The

forward.

anal tin has one spine directed

small scales have a semicircular form.

are strong, bluut,

and

ai-

ranged in a single row.

The head

one-fourth the length of the

is

to the total length as ten to

The

vertical fins

The

Plaice,

south of France and England. it

7,

V.

essentially a

retires

to

it

in

many estuaries

of the

has been placed in fresh-

— The

marine

fish,

some

yet

C. 16.

it is

not only capable of being

rivers is said to

remarkably hardy, and

Sole. Lat. line 160.

have developed marked

commonly migratory.

It

deep water in winter, and comes into the shallow sea with the

warmer weather it

is

(Cuvier).

5—6, A. 61—73,

naturalised in fresh water, but in It

common

thrives well.

D. 73—86, P.

characteristics.

is

In East Frieslaud

Solea vulgaris

is

is

by Steindach-

(Linnaeus), has been found

ner in the rivers of the south of Spain, and

The Sole

The height of the body

have large, brown, irregular spots.

F leuronectes pilcdessa

water ponds, where

fish.

twenty-seven or twenty-nine.

does not rise

of April or

May.

It lives

on a sandy bottom, above which

far.

It varies in size and colour with the fishing-ground, being small on the east coast

of

England, and large on the south and south-west coast.

largest Sole mentioned

The

by Yarrell was twenty-six inches long, and weighed

nine pounds.

McCulloch was the

first

to

draw attention

to the circumstance that Soles

have been kept in confinement in fresh-water ponds in Guernsey, where they

became twice

as thick as fishes of the

same length taken

in

the sea.

And up

to

the town of Arundel, remaining in the river the whole year, breeding in

it

Yarrell tells us that Soles frequent the Kiver Arun, in Sussex, nearly

SOLEA VULaARIS. and burying- themselves the Sussex fishermen,

89

They

sand in the winter.

in the

are well

known

to

long been taken with the trawl, sometimes

having

weighing two pounds, but usually smaller, and,

Guernsey

like the

fishes,

they

are relatively thicker than those caught at sea.

Soles seldom take bait; but, at sea, feed at night on small mollusca, small

Nothing

echinoderms, marine worms, and fish spawn.

The eggs

in rivers.

of the Sole are very minute,

that there are 134^,000 eggs in a

young

fishes

of one

fish

have the eyes on opposite

is

of their food

So long as the

pound weight.

head the swimming position

sides of the

and locomotion performed by means of the

is vertical,

known

and Buckland estimated

fins

but as the eye

;

migrates across the head, so that both eyes are on one side of the head, the body

assumes a horizontal position, and locomotion

performed by serpentine un-

is

dulations of the body.

The of

bod}^ has a long oval form,

the head

narrowing a

height of the body, excluding the dorsal and anal

The mouth

length.

narine in

teeth, is

not terminal

is

The upper jaw

the hinder eye.

minute

The length The

the tail.

little to

between one-fifth and one-sixth of the entire length.

is

is

;

its

aperture

fins, is

Both jaws carry

slightly the longer.

which are best developed on the under The eyes are small, rather

tubular.

one-third of the

curved, and extends under

is

side.

distant, the

The

anterior

upper one being

advance of the lower.

The

which

dorsal fin,

is

low,

extends almost to the caudal

commences

The

fin.

in front of the anterior eye,

ventral fin

is

and

very small, in advance of

from it by The pectoral

the base of the pectoral, distinct from the anal but not separated

an

interval.

The

fins are similar

anal fin

is

similar to the dorsal, but shorter.

on both sides of the body, are

than the pectoral, with

The

lateral line

is

fin

is

short, but longer

extremity rounded.

straight,

and the middle of the margin.

its

than half the length of the

less

The caudal

head, and often black at the extremity.

tail.

and runs between the upper border

The

scales are small,

They cover the body and extend on

and fimbriated

to the fins,

of the eye

at the free

but are absent from

the larger part of the under side of the head, where papillae replace

them about

the mouth.

The colour

of the under side

white, though Soles have occasionally been

is

taken with both sides coloured.

The upper

side

shade varies, sometimes having a bluish tinge.

commonly brown, but the Not infrequently there are

is

blotches of darker brown or black. It

is

characteristic of the

North Sea, from which

migrates into the English Channel. coasts of Spain

and Portugal, and

it

It

is

known on

it

goes into the Baltic, and

all

the French coast, the

enters the Mediterranean.

—

—

—

CHAPTER

IV.

FRESII-WATEU FISHES OF THE ORDER PlIYSOSTOMI.

FAMILY SILURID^-Genus Sihrus- FAMILY CYPRINID2E— Genus

Cypkixus

—

:

—

The

Carp: Its Varieties and Hybrids— Genus Cakassius The Crucian Carp Goldfish The Carassius Bucephalus Genus Barbus The Barbels of Central Europe and Spain Genus Aulopyge Aulopyge hiigclii Genus Gohio The Gudgeon Gobio uranoscoi)us. :

:

:

—

:

Family

SILURID^.

:

Genus: SiluruS (Linn.eus). The

great

naked;

or

margin

family of

upper jaw

of the

maxillary bone

fishes

is

is

by having the

characterised

is

scales are not

skin

develo})ed.

The

formed by the pre-maxillary bone, and the

usually a rudiment, which forms the base for a maxillary

The sub-ope rcular bone

Barbels are always present.

barbel.

ing.

Siluroid

armoured with bony scutes^ but

The air-bladder generally communicates with the organ

is

always want-

of hearing

by

auditory ossicles.

Dr. Giinther remarks that in the typical Siluroids the cranial cavity closed at the sides, as in the Cyprinidce ,

The

bones, which unite with the ])re-frontal bones.

greatly developed, and

many

is

by the orbito-sphenoid and ethmoid supra-occipital bone

is

Siluroids have the skull enlarged posteriorly by a

kind of helmet formed of dermal ossifications, which spread over the region of the neck.

As

a rule, there

is

a strong dorsal spine, which

is

articulated to a buckler

by Giinther

into eight great groups,

formed of the second and third inter-neural bones.

The

Siluroids have been separated

distinguished by the relative length, development, and position of the dorsal

and anal These

fins,

the gill-membranes, the barbels, the nostrils, and the vent.

sub-families

named Komalopterm,

are

Ileteropteroi,

Proteropterce, Slenohranclim, Proteropodes, Opisthoptene,

The genus fin

Silurus

is

very shorty the anal

dorsal,

and the caudal

fully one

Aiioinalopiene,

and Branchicola.

included in the Heteropterce, which have the dorsal fin

fin

elongated, the ventral fins below or behind the

rounded.

Nearly

all

Siluroid fishes, which include

hundred and twenty genera, characterise fresh waters, though some

enter the sea.

They

are

most numerous

in

the Tropics.

SILURU8 GLANLS.

The

91

from Europe, eastward

g-euus Silunis rang-es

throug-li

Afghanistan to

Ccchin China, China, and Japan. It has

eight

no adipose

and the single dorsal

fin,

no sharp spine.

rays, has

and to each mandible.

The eye

There is lateral

fin,

which includes more than

a barbel to each maxillary bone

is

and above the angle

of the

Five or six species are known, but the European Silurits glank

is

mouth.

the type

of the whole family.

Silurus glanis D.

The head

1/4,

(Linn^us).

A. 90, V. 12—13, P. 1/17, C.

nearly as broad as long (Fig. 31).

is

17.

It has a long barbel on

each side of the upper jaw, and four short barbels on the lower jaw. is

somewhat compressed,

flatly

arched,

rounded

in

front,

and

The head is

nearly

linn.t;us).

Its height

one-sixth longer than wide.

length

is

The mouth

is

which cover the

form a deep furrow

The

barbels of the upper

width, and

iris,

jaw reach back

and behind the barbels the skin

parallel to the

very small, with a yellow

Between the eyes

its

its

fish.

wide, with bow-shaped jaws, margined by thick, fleshy lips

teeth.

as the point of the pectoral fin, to

two-thirds of

is

about one-sixth of the length of the

edge of the lower jaw.

and a small pupil, which

is

at least as far

is

folded so as

The eyes

are

elongated vertically.

are the apertures of the small posterior nasal oj^enings, but

the anterior nasal apertures are prolonged forward as a tube, and placed near to

somewhat longer than the

upjier

teeth are compressed and conical, with their points recurved.

The

the margin of the u^jper jaw.

The

teeth in the lower

lip.

The mandible

jaw form a band

portions by the symphysis.

On

is

of four or five

rows, divided into lateral

the pre-maxillary bone the teeth form two

THE

92

rows placed behind each other.

parallel

broken are is

but

;

in the front

two small patches

row there

When

distant.

to overlap

The

it

The hinder row

and

The

toothless.

the gill-aperture

g-ill-rakers

is

closed, a rod-like process

superior contour from the head to the tail fin

of skin

is

is

The

bony and strong, but not

seen

comparatively straight.

the breadth of the back diminishes steadily to the

pectoral and ventral fins.

dorsal fin

The

space between the vent and the caudal

tail.

intermediate between the

is

The

pectoral fins are fan-shaped.

serrated.

ray

first

is

ventral fins are similar, but shorter

they reach back over the vent to the anal

The

fin.

fin,

maintain a nearly even length throughout.

;

anal fin occupies the entire

but remains distinct, and

its

rays

Close behind the pectoral

fin,

and

remarkable narrow aperture, which penetrates apparently

root, is a

its

constitute four

There are sixteen branchiostegal rays.

side.

The short and feebly-developed

over

There

The tongue

Their teeth-like processes are short, curved, blunt, and

on each

Behind the dorsal

shorter and un-

is

between the teeth.

are interspaces

of smaller sickle-shaped teeth on the vomer.

short, thick, trianir-ular,

comb-like arches.

OF EUROPE.

Kin:siI-\VATKR FISHES

between the pectoral muscles

Von many

but

;

apertures have been detected in

purpose in the economy of the

fish

Siebold observes that although these Siluroids,

no one has suggested any

which they serve, though Heckel and Kner

describe the walls of the cavity as well supplied with nerves.

The

lateral line runs near to the back,

the caudal

lower jaw

The branch of the marked by a row of

fin. is

and can be distinguished down to

cephalic mucus-canal running along the

large pores.

Behind the vent there

is

a long perforated papilla, on both anterior and posterior aspects of which there are apertures which the papilla divides.

The

tail

of the fish is

remarkably

compressed and relatively long.

The colour

of the skull, back,

ventral and anal, black,

belly

becoming paler towards the

may

There

is

Tlie

belly,

sides of the

fins,

especially the

body are greenish-

and spotted with olive-green.

a clear yellow band in the middle of the ventral and pectoral

are reddish.

Next

barbels are white on the under side

In old age

all

;

those of the lower

Europe.

It

is

of thirteen feet.

exceed six hundred pounds.

is

is

as

much

jaw

and heaviest fresh-

often from six to nine or ten feet long,

In the Danube

it

and occa-

often attains

a weight of four hundred to five hundred pounds, and in South Russia

and sometimes

fins.

the fins acquire reddish borders.

to the Sturgeon, the Silitrus glanis is the largest

fish in

sionally reaches a length

It

The

be of a reddish tinge or yellowish-white, with blue-black marbling.

The upper jaw

water

and the edges of the

nearly blue-black.

is

as

With age

it

increases chietly

may

in circumference,

two men can span.

found in rivers and lakes, and prefers quiet de})ths with a

muddy

SILURTTS GLANIS. bottom, where

lies

it

coueealed under

93

The

roots oÂŁ trees, awaiting prey.

barbels are used to attract fishes

;

crayfish, water-birds,

an3'thing that lives in the water or comes

into

or, in fact,

Kner mention

are scarce

if fishes

swimming ducks

It will seize on

it.

but

will eat frogs,

it

wading geese; and Heckel and

or

that a poodle and the remains of a boy have been found in the

stomachs of old

fish.

The Wels has an

along the Danube, and on the Murtner See

evil reputation

a superstitious belief prevailed that a fisherman always died

when a

Silurus

was captured, a legend which may have arisen from the dangerous wounds which it is able to inflict with the sharp bony ray of the pectoral fin. In stormy weather it comes to the surface of the water, and is hence looked upon as a weather prophet.

It

spawns in June and July, when

The eggs

water plants.

may

and, according to Dr. Benecke, 60,000

The young

are extruded

year the weight

may

year

may

longer

the fish

and

is

is

not

bladder

is

and glue. pass over

be as

fat,

much

is

to fourteen days.

pound and a

as one

flesh is white,

and

much

it

is

usually

It ;

is

half,

and

In the

and

flaky,

then used for food

prized.

The

fat

is

Avell

flavoured.

but in old age

;

not easily caught,

and a large

fish

is

it

When

much

young,

becomes tough,

used for dresshig leather.

for, living at

first

in the second

According to Hun-

less.

treated, like that of the Sturgeon, for the

it

eggs on

for ten to twelve years, but probably has a

it lives

The

life.

to lay its

occur in a fish of four pounds.

from the eggs in eight

reach three pounds, though

garian fishermen,

banks

to the

rises

it

are pale yellow, about three millimetres in diameter,

The swim-

manufacture of isinglass

the bottom, the nets often

powerful enough to break such nets as are

likely to be used.

During the spawning-time old

fishes

examples are captured with the rod and

may

line.

be taken at night, but young

In Russia

it

is

and ex-

salted,

ported from Astrakhan. It

is

distributed in Europe to the east of the Rhine, in which

it is

rare.

In the Frische-Haff, specimens twenty centimetres long are abundant, but examples one metre long are uncommon. lakes.

The

largest individuals are caught in

There are some local varieties in Continental

and Szamos

;

rivers,

such as in the Maros

and Heckel and Kner mention a beautifully-coloured,

yellowish fish with a darker back, which

is

seen in the

spotless,

Vienna fish-market.

OF EUROPE.

TIIK FliESll-WATEK FISHES

94-

Family

Genus The

Cyprinns

:

Much

North America.

organisation, they have

The margin

mammals

in

toothless series

the

jaw

incisor

by a constriction and

The stomach,

But

these

in

fishes

As a

there are

rule, the

in the

too,

is

some exceptions,

mouth

throat,

which

ai-e

is

to the

parallel

has no blind sac, and the intestine

air-bladder

is

air-bladder

more

usually large, and

or

less

is

is

divided

in the tribe

commonly divided

small,

completely

in

bony

A

small

contained vertebrae.

the genus Homaloptera has no air-bladder at

fishes of

head

common.

the

and posterior portions; though

portions,

group of East Indian

m

they are arranged in one, two, or three

The

into anterior

left

internal characteristics

which are connected with the head and early

capsules,

Old World and

waters oÂŁ the

fresh

teeth.

Cohilidina by Giinther the

into right

(Artedi).

formed by the pre-maxillary bones, which

exist,

without pyloric appendages.

all.

is

upon the pharyngeal bones

branchial arches.

called

CYPRININA.

they vary in aspect and minor details of

many important

of the upper

carry

the

in

as

and though teeth

j

:

family of fishes includes more than one hundred genera,

Cyi)riiioid

which are widely distributed of

Group

CYPRINID.4^.

:

naked, and the body covered with sufficient to

show that the

though

scales,

scales are not a very

important family character.

The

I'amily

fin,

is

divided

into

number and forms

bladder, the

by the condition

large groups

of

the air-

of the pharyngeal teeth, the length of the anal

the characters and position of the dorsal

fin,

the sharpness or roundness of

the abdominal margin, and the position of the lateral

line.

On

these differ-

ences of structure Dr. Giinther founds fourteen subdivisions of the family, most of

which comprise many genera.

of

Europe are the Cj/prinina, which includes the genera Cyprinns, Carassius,

Barbus, Aulopyge, and

Gobio

The

;

grou])s

which occur in the fresh

the Lenchciva,

phoxinus. Tinea, and Chondrostoma

%vaters

including Leuciscus, Para-

the Rhodeina, represented by Rhodeus

;

the Abramidina by Abramis, Aspius, Alburnus, Leucaspius, and Pelecus

the Cobitidina by Misgurnus, five tribes of

The

:

the

three

anal

seven-branched rays. the

represented in

Cyprinitia, as

fin

abdomen

Thus

there

;

and are

Cyprinoid fishes in Europe, and eighteen genera.

ryngeal teeth in ventral

Nemachilus, and Cobitis.

;

is

series.

fin

The

is

Europe, comprise

They have the short,

lateral

fishes fin

with the pha-

opposite

and always consists of from

line

rounded from side to

dorsal

runs in the middle of the

side.

to five tail^

the to

and

CYPKIXrS CARrid In this o-roup the geuus Cypriuus

conspicuous in having four barbels,

is

with a rounded, rather bhnit snout and riorly.

The long

91

dorsal fin has a serrated

narrow mouth, which opens ante-

bony

and the aual

ray,

fin is short.

The pharyngeal teeth have a grinding character, and are arranged in the I* 1" 3. The genus is limited to Europe and Asia, and is series 8" 1* I*

—

fonnd only in temperate regions.

Cyprinus carpio p.

3_4/17— 22,

P.

(Linn.«us).

— The

1/15—16, V. 2/S— 9, A.

Scales

Carp. C.

3/5,

17—19.

5—6/35—39/5—6.

In this variable species (Fig. 32) typical forms often have the height of the

body equal to nearly one-half the length, yet the shape compressed^ and the body has

its

CYPRINUS CARPIO

thickness thick,

is

nearly half the height of the

and the forehead and

uniformly to the dorsal it is

fin.

profile of the

The length

elongated, laterally

(lINN^TSVS).

The snout

fish.

is

blunt, the nose

back form a low bow, which

of the

head varies with age

;

rises

usually

one-quarter of the length of the body, but in old individuals the head

nearly one-fifth the length of the

The diameter

fish.

sixth the length of the head, and, as in so

diameter from the snout eye,

is

greatest breadth at the operculum, where the

;

it

may

many

allied fishes, is

be three times

and has an elevated position over the mouth.

so slightly

mouth

both are are thick

its

is

is

about one-

about twice

its

diameter from the other

The angle

of the

mouth

is

oblique as to be almost horizontal, and the gape scarcely reaches

back to the anterior nasal opening. of the

of the eye

The yellow

or red barbels at the corners

are always longer than the olive barbels of the upper

variable;,

sometimes unsymmetrical, and frequently absent.

and fleshy; the lower

lip

is

jaw

;

The

but lips

somewhat the shorter; the tongue

is

THE FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EUEORE.

96

The

smooth.

skin

palate

The

tongue).

covered with a white and very sensitive skin (Carp's

is

each side

nostrils of

the smaller hinder nostril

;

The beginning Both commence

is

of the long dorsal fin

its

length

immediately over the ventral

fin.

The base

fin

of the dorsal

Its greatest height

fish.

The

may

undivided, are very short, and

The

ray.

the summit, carries on a row

a projecting- flap of

about one-

is

but the height diminishes posteriorly, so that the last rays

;

are not half as long as the earliest.

earliest- jointed

is

middle of the length.

in front of the

measures one-third of the length of the third of

separated hy

are

near to the eye.

three or four rays, which are

third spinous ray, which

is

more

flexible

towards

hinder border on each side of a median furrow

its

fourteen denticles,

of eleven to

first

be only one-third of the height of the

which increase

in

from below

size

upward, and have their points directed downward.

The anal

fin

often broken

higher than long

is

termination of the

away

dorsal

in old fishes)

;

its

termination

is

opposite

is

The longest

like those of the dorsal fin.

is

to the

bony ray (whose curved extremity

Its

fin.

rays of the ventral fin are equal to those of the anal, and are never long

enough

to reach

back

so far

as

The somewhat elongated pec-

the latter.

The caudal fin has even lobes, The longest caudal rays never exceed the length of the

almost reaches as far back as the ventral.

toral

with rounded points. head.

The outline. is

scales are large, thick,

The

and make an approach to a four or

largest are in the anterior part of the sides

equal to about one and a half

free, thick

line

margin

extends

is

often

tail,

and condition of the individual.

Their

eye.

The

lateral

and varies

a little in position with age,

In the lateral line an oblique or slightly

scales on the sides.

the sub-orbital ring,

The

scale,

which

is

cephalic canals are

similar in

marked on

where they are furnished with numerous tubes and

which have thick

operculum.

the

fan-like ornament.

curved tube traverses the middle portion of each

form to the adjacent

pores,

of

five-sided

their diameter

concavely, or nearly straight between the upper angle of the

operculum and the middle of the sex,

times the diameter

marked with a

;

and extend along the branch of the pre-

walls,

All the branchial arches are covered with rake-teeth of nearly

equal length, and compressed sword shape, with their points turned inwards,

and

their edges serrated.

The back

in its

darkest

parts

is

bluish-green

;

the sides are

and greenish, and shade into the darker colour of the back. is

whitish.

Blackish spots often extend

hinder edge of

every scale

net-work over the

fish

;

is

down from the

yellowish

The abdomen

lateral

line.

bordered with black, so as to form

or the

pigment

is

The

a dark

sometimes moi'e developed in

CYPRINUS CARPIO. the middle of each dinal

black

scale,

and then gives the

The

iips

lines.

and caudal

pectoral, ventral,

The

with orange rays.

of the

nutrition, state

iris

season of the

Occasionally

and a

may sometimes show

fish

varieties

became

colourless in

The

From

point.

or

trachea,

Dr. Fatio records

green or golden,

an opaqne vase. twice as long as the body.

is

air-bladder

which

part,

given

which at

off,

which

somewhat

is

no pyloric

It has

parts

by a transverse

the smaller and longer, ends in a

is

the

to

first

is

bi-lobed,

constriction,

the

of

anterior

connected on

is

the air-canal,

and has

rather wide,

The base

on the hinder part of the gullet. air-bladder,

two

divided into

is

the hinder portion, close

is

Sometimes typical Carp are

in confinement which, originally

The hinder

constriction.

and other conditions of

year,

and even white.

The alimentary canal appendages.

The

reddish-brown,

fin is

golden stripes on one side of

glittering

black, bluish, green, red, golden, silvery,

has kept Carp

longitu-

grey.

is

found with vmsymmetrical colouring,

are

body and pale steel-blue on the other.

that he

tin

All these colours vary with age,

golden.

is

water,

dorsal

The anal

fins are violet.

existence.

the

effect of sub-parallel

The

yellow.

are

97

outlet

its

part of the

each side with

the auditory bones.

The rale of growth when six years old the

of the fish

After this age the growth

is

Carp

may

slower,

varies with the food,

and

no

is

ratio

between the length of a

in

fish

weight.

its

In Switzerland

twenty

Large

rapid, but

and the animal increases more rapidly

height than in length, so that there

and

is

vary in weight from four to ten pounds.

rarely attains a length of three feet,

it

to twenty-five pounds.

France the Carp

In

and a weight of

are usually

smaller.

bred in the department of Oise, where they reach a weight

fishes are

of eighteen pounds in

twenty years, and

sell

for twenty-four francs

each.

Heekel and Kner mention Austrian Carp, three to four feet long, weighing thirty-five to forty pounds, at

Bischoffshausen,

pounds.

seventy

near

A

and quote Bloeh as authority for a Carp caught

Frankfort-on-the-Oder,

Carp was taken near

in

1711, which

Petersfield, in

weighed twenty-four and a half pounds, and had scales as large as

The Carp it

prefers

can dig with

its

tranquil water,

head and

but subsists upon conferva?, remains,

mud

with a soft

find food.

young

It

is

it

feeds

which

worms, and

decomposing plant

insects,

and becomes Like

fat

many

most frequently before the spawning season.

In winter, as soon 7

in

essentially a vegetable feeder,

wherever the droppings of animals, especially of sheep, occur. other fishes,

fiorins.

muddy bottom,

shoots, water-plants,

rich in organisms, larva?,

weighed

England, which

as the

water begins to freeze, the Carp explore the

OF EUROPE.

TITE FRKSTI-WATKTf FISHES

98

bottom of the pond or lake, and finding the deepest

and

pressed

often

here,

warm

In

June

"When activity

Germany.

which abound in water-plants, begin

or

inner side

the

of

pectoral

the

little

the

winter,

emaciation.

fishes

seek

places

meadows, and soon

flooded

mentions

spawning-

that at

on the skull, cheeks, and

like warts,

Two

fin.

The males become greatly

female.

or

Siebold

time the males develop white spots,

excavate holes,

May, but more generally

in

restored

is

reeds,

Von

eggs.

deposit their

to

them

returns to

seasons activity in

place,

hybernate for

they

together,

nonrishment, and nndergoing very

necessarily taking no

in

tig-ht

may attend upon one French expression, " saut

or three males

excited, the

de carpe," or somersault, defining the character of their movements, but

by folding the body, and sometimes the The female is meanwhile perfectly calm, and remains under the water-plants depositing the eggs in the stream. As motion

the

jump

is

a spring executed

high, sometimes broad.

is

soon as she quits the spot one of the acrobatic males darts to the eggs, and fecundates them, clouding the

small

— one

varies

with the age of the

dividual weighing

three years,

fish,

ten pounds.

and at the age of

— and

and has been stated at 750,000

The

fish

five

years

begins breeding at

weight of four or

transferred

is

with a clay bottom

long, and in a pond a

it

five

in

an

The

300,000 eggs.

The growth

is

when about

may

in-

the age of

rapid, so that

Carp weighs from half a pound

in the third year in the best ponds a

In pond culture

lay

will

are

Their number

a greenish tint.

of

fecundated eggs hatch in about eight days.

pound.

The eggs

water with a milky tinge.

third of a millimetre

to a

six or eight inches

then in three years attain

pounds.

In a state of nature the Carp lives for twelve or fourteen years, but

much

survives

confinement, although subject to

longer in

deformities, and wonderful variations.

and other royal residences a hundred years old

sovereign people,

who

to be an obstacle to

The hearing

its

call

is

in

grow more than

fell

under the control of the

;

Carp

and

life,

excellent,

is it

and there are many examples of

moves by hearing even when

in eating

and can

and

live for

in

swallowing

many

it

cannot

see.

air.

hours out of water

if

kept in

in

France,

it

for the

grass or moss.

The and

tenacious of

to

ministering to their pleasure.

makes an audible sound It

sicknesses,

loved the Carp too well to permit great size or age

of the

their answering a

damp

France have been supposed

in

many

of Fontainebleau, Chantillv

but Blanchard disposes of these fables by observing

;

1789, 18-30, and 1848 the fish-ponds

that in

It

The Carp

flesh of

the Carp

is

esteemed, especially

both countries a great industry

is

in

Germany and

carried on

in

breetling

(TPRINUS CARPTO. market

;

but in Switzerland, owing, perhaps, to the abundance of Trout,

remarkable for richness and delicacy of flavour. best from

autumn

and that of the

to spring,

more prized than that

of the

by

week

being- placed

for a

often

flavour of

and lake Carp

water.

may

It

It

the flesh is

is

and

firmer

used as

be

is

best boiled,

and eaten

usually taken with the net,

is

when worms

basket, and with the rod,

of bread, cheese, or grain,

The

river

it

large, are

pond Carp, which, however, may be improved in better

with melted butter and pickled walnut. the weir

when

In Eng-land, the Carp of the Thames,

held in less favour.

is

99

or cooked

egg,

or pieces

In Holland the Carp

bait.

is

kept alive in cellars for months, and fattened for the table on bread

and milk.

Dr.

Badham

us that the Jews of Constantinople, being for-

tells

bidden by the Levitical law to eat caviare, discovered that the large roes of the

Carp made an excellent substitute orthodox to partake of

and

it is

He cut

;

and, the fish being scaly,

But the

its roe.

was perfectly

it

was removed from the living

roe

fish,

recorded that Samuel Full somewhat modified the Eastern practice.

open male and female Carp, entirely removed the milts and ovaries, for

which he substituted pieces of

and placed the patients

felt,

and then united the wounds by suture,

They not only recovered strength,

in their pond.

but grew rapidly, became fat and heavy, and when they were cooked for table the

"

flavour

felted.'"'

proved more delicate than that of Carp

sterile, or neuters,

Among is

sexual

Occasionally

varieties

the diseases to which this fish

vesicles

freely

liver

on chickweed

varieties are

or Carp-king.

;

visceral obstructions,

is

affected

ending

One

numerous.

of

and various epidemic

them

is

known

breeds freely, and

ha.s

as scales in the lateral line, it fall

off

and the

with age, and when fish is

known

in

it

is

diseases.

is

This variety

fertilised

down

termed a Saddle-Carp.

scaleless

They

is

to

known

recorded that a female King-

a row of large scales

Germany

names.

to

as the Mirror Carp,

the skin

by an ordinary

the back, as well

These

scales" readily

becomes dark and leathery,

as the Leather-Carp.

Three varieties have been thought sufficiently important receive distinctive

liable

and do not cover the body, but form one

Carp produced more than one thousand young when

"When a King-Carp

lives is too is

produced by feeding too

three rows along the sides, with naked skin between. it

It

scales.

the arrangement of the scales, which are three

It differs in

only in ponds, where

it

by carbuncles, internal and external

in blindness,

or four times the ordinary size,

Carp.

being

most obvious

subject, one of the

the water in which

to

it

;

parasites, a skin disease

The

is

When

small-pox develop beneath the

like

ulcerations of the

some Carp

and more rarely some are hermaphrodites.

a mossy growth on the head.

warm,

which had not been

produced,

are

are the

Ci/prhiiiH

in

aciiiii'ni(ifii.'<

Germany of

to

Heckel,

TllK KKESII-WATKU KISHES OF KI-RoPE

100 C.

Hecke^ and

hungnnc.us of

differ conspicuously in

The

C.

regina of Bonaparte.

form of the body, we

variety Cijprinas acnminatus

the Valley of

the Danube, where

(Fi<^.

it

As

33)

especially characteristic of

is

more common than

is

these varieties

offer a brief description of each.

carpio.

C.

It

Vl-HINLS ACV.MINATrs (hECKIL).

is

by having- a more pointed head,

distin<j;'uished

more sharply

The body

to the back.

is

quarter times as long* as high, and the breadth

Fig. 84.

(Yi'RiNis HUNr;.\iacis (iieckel).

in

The gape

The forehead of the

lleshy lip projects

jaw

is

mouth

the profile

rising

two and

three-

iialf

to

the

opercular region

(young

more than half the length of the head, but much of the body.

with

two and a

is

ix.)ivii)ual.

less

than half the height

smaller than in the type already described. is

more

inclined,

somewhat beyond the lower

and rather wider lip.

The barbels

;

the upper

of the uj)i)er

are only half as long as the true barbels, which reach as far as the orbit

of the eye

when

laid back.

CYPKIXUS llUNGARICUf The to

dorsal fin beg-ins half-way

two and a half times

long,

though commonly

fin

more developed than This variety

pointed.

The Cijpnnus

less

found

also

is

bony ray

in the

Iiangaricits

The anal

fish. its

;

is

may

fin

in

is

two and a third

nearly always less than

be twice as deep as

relatively strong.

is

Cijprinns carpio,

The caudal

and has the lobes more

the Flatten See and the Neusiedler See.

(Fig 81)

The height

and more cylindrical body.

the body, and Its base

as long- as high.

one-third of the length of the

is

down

101

to the length of the head, but usually

is

it

more elongated

a variety with a

body

of the is

in old specimens

is

equal

a quarter of the length of the

1-'*^'.)

Fig

body, or rather

less.

may

and

body,

3;').

— CVl'KINIS

IU:NGARICl>i (HECKEL).

The thickness

incrense

is

never

less

four-fifths in old

to

carpio, its diameter being

(oLD EXAMl'LE.)

than half the height of the

age

(Fig.

larger than in

C.

head, while in

C. carpio it is one-sixth of the length.

mouth pairs

is

relatively lower,

of barbels

35).

The eye

is

of the length of the

The

position of the

and the gape only curves slightly downward.

Both

are longer than

The ventral outline

in C. carpio. is

one-fifth

nearly horizontal between the

pectoral

and anal

dorsal outline

is

fins,

while the

a very flat arch

on the back, becoming in old age almost horizontal to the dorsal

the end

The caudal

fin.

of

fin is

-CYPKINVS CAUl'IO (VAII. HTNGAKICUi^). I'HAHYXGEAL TEETH.

more deeply forked, and has more pointed lobes

than

forms of the

species.

than

in

the

typical

The pharyngeal

teeth

(

Fi

36) are relatively stronger

the type.

In the Neusiedler See

it

reaches a weight of from twenty to thirty pounds

THE FRESII-WATEU FISHES OF EUROPE.

10-2

It fiittens witli age, aud the

brouo-ht to the

prized than that of the

less

The wards

body then becomes nearly

Vienna market under the name

Cijprinus reghia

was described by

from

B<)na])artc

Trcviso

the

in

follows Ciiintlier in regarding^ this, like the other types

only a variety of /iiiiigariciiH,

and

6'.

is

rcijhiit, in

—the A

C

The body

carpio.

more compressed,

Fig.

It

is

Hesh

is

cylindrical.

Lake Carp, but

its

Danube Carp.

by Heckel as occurrint^

identified

of

;]7.

111

(.ISA

The

and after-

but

Canestrini

we have named,

as

elongated (Fig. 37) than in C.

so that while the

-i\i'iaNis

liioigaricuH it is broad.

less

is

Ital\', ;

back

is

angular

in C.

(hox.vpakte).

scales are larger than in that variety

largest above the lateral line exceed in size the diameter of the eye.

muddy

broad variety of C^pi'lnus carpio, found in the

of Southern Russia,

is

known

as the C. itonhnanni (C.

rivers

and V.)

and ponds

It reaches a

.

weight of two and a half pounds.

Hyhrii) between the

Common Carp and the Crucian Carp.

D. 4/18—20, A. 3/5—0, V.

Wherever the Ci/prlnus

carpio

domesticated state this hybrid lirst

recognised,

and

is

is

stated

and

2/8, P. 1/17, C.

to

have

been

described

first

may

it

bearing upon evolution of

some

characteristics (Fig. 3S).

species, to give

proved

kept in

a

by Dybowski.

Kner regarded

the form

nauK; Carpio kollarii; and on this account

are

hybrid nature was not at

its

Indeed, the celebrated ichthyologists Heckel and

type of a distinct genus, and

vulgaris

Carassius

met with; but

li).

as a

species,

it

as

be interesting, from

detailed

the

under the its

description of its

CARPIO KULLARII.

The body

compressed and high, two and a half times as long as high, with

is

a greatly arched back_, so that

The head

Carp.

The diameter of the

the

mouth does not reach mouth

lies in

They may be

is

longer than high.

The angle

of the length of the head.

quite as far back as the nares, and the

a jilane that would pass through the orbit and It resembles the

middle of the body.

barbels.

one-fifth

is

of the Cracian

form closely resembles that

its

about one-fifth the total length, and

is

of the eye

oblique

centre of the

1():5

short,

Carp

in

having two pairs of

and are sometimes only one

Fiy.

158.

— LAKVIU

line long.

The

KOLl.AKII.

contour of the forehead ascends from the rounded snout in a nearly straight or slightly concave line to the back, where the highest curve

the

commencement

ventral fin

it

;

more than twice

is

more than one-third of the length in

a curved point,

The

of the dorsal fin.

and

is

of the

as

large dorsal fin

long as high, and

is

is

passed before

opposite to the

its

base

is

rather

The fourth bony ray ends

of the fish.

same

height as the succeeding jointed rays,

though towards the end of the

fin

the

height of the jointed rays diminishes

one half. long,

The anal

fin

reaches

back

and

is

higher than

towards

the

caudal fin rather farther than does the

As

dorsal.

ray

is

in Cijprinns carpio, its

HAKYNGEAL TEETH

bony

KOLLAUII.

stronger than that of the dorsal.

The ventral

fins

do not reach back to the vent, and the pectoral

reach back to the ventrals.

The

scales are

like

The

those of

exceed the diameter of the eye.

tail is

fins

do not

evenly lobed.

Cijprinas carpio

;

the largest only slightly

J

TIIK FKESll-WATKl; FISHES OF EUKOI'K.

04

The than

The

crowns

middle iilmryngeal

tlie

which forms a second row,

fifth tooth,

The

of

Cyprinus carpio, but are quite as

in

colour

(Fit;-.

with black dots.

when young

;

tliii;k

fin

sides, is

yellow

sometimes

This variety rarely exceeds a length of

form

its

less

very small.

is

All the fins are black, though the dorsal

brownish-grey,

are

'-V.))

and have only one furrow.

dark green on the hack^ yellowish-green on the

is

on the belly.

eight inches

teeth flat,

is

more elongated, and the

relatively

height of the arch of the back increases with age. It

remarkable that while Heckel constituted a genus

is

this

fi)i

lisli,

mentions that the fishermen of the Neusiedler See have always regarded a bastard of the

it

he as

Crucian Carp and the Lake Carp.

Genus The genus Carassius

CaraSSiuS

:

(Nilsson).

from Cyprinus in having no barbels, and in

differs

having the pharyngeal teeth arranged

in a single series of four

on each

Three species have been described, which are known as the Crucian

The

the Carp of Salonica, and the Gold Fish.

first

and

last

named

side.

Car]>,

are both

extremely variable, and the domesticated varieties of Gold Fish are remarkable to furnish characters for a multitude of genera

enough

they could become

if

constant.

Carassius vulgaris

(Nilsson).

— The

D. 3/15—18, A. 3/5—0, P. 13—14, C. 19, V.

The Crucian Carp of

all,

The head

shorter and blunter than in the Carp. fish,

small, not

The head

more than

from the other eye

The mouth

is

;

its

the

The heigh c

and the greatest breadth

height, so that the aspect of the fish

compressed.

necessary^

first

to the

usually less than one-third of the length of the body,

fin.

is

is

7—8/5—6.

which the back ascends in a sharp arch

and

the length of the

Scales

2/7.

(Fig. 40) is a variable species, so that it

to describe the type, in

dorsal is

Crucian Carp.

is

only a

is

little

iris is

silvery,

of the

body

is

half

nearly one-third of the

a form more than usually high and

less

own diameter from

inclined obliquely

is

high than long.

The eye

the snout, and twice

its

is

rather

diameter

with a coppery or golden border.

downward, and

its

corners reach as far

back as the nares.

The

dorsal

fin

commences opposite

to the ventral, rather less than

half-way

.

CARAS.S11T8 VULGARIS.

down

the body, and

commonly

is

ratliei- less

heig-ht never exceeds the length of the head,

The

third of the total leng-th of the fish.

the last ray

to the termination of the dorsal fin, to the beginning- of the tail.

which

the longest,

is

culum

is

It

than twice as lon<r as

and

ontline

half the leng-th of the longest.

is

]o:)

its is

more or

The anal

tin

and the extremities

is

hio-h^

but

less truncated,

of its rays extend

The

deeper than long.

Fig. 40.

but the base of the

— cAUAssiv.s

first

is

back

jointed ray, 0})er-

scarcely longer than

vuLGAHis (nilsson).

The ventral

half the length of the head.

tin

and

commences opposite

equal to the measurement from the point of the

to the pupil of the eye,

its

base measures about one-

fins

are

well shaped,

somewhat

reach back to the vent, and the relatively small pectoral fins

pointed, and

extend back to the base of the veutrals.

The caudal concave.

The

fin

commonly weak,

is

evenly-lobed, and

its

margin

is

often

Its terminal rays are about as long as the head. scales

have an irregular radiate pattern, and are more than half over-

lapped, so that their free edges appear higher than wide, though the height

and breadth are

equal.

They

are arranged in fourteen or fifteen longitudinal

rows, usually with thirty or thirty-five scales in each row.

marked with simple

lines,

This, according to Blanchard,

the

fish.

The

scales are

which are furnished with regular elevated points.

The attached part

is

one of the most distinctive characters of

of the scale

is

notched and marked with canals,

which converge to a sub-central point.

The

lateral line is

nearly straight, and nearly in the middle of the side,

with cylindrical mucus-canals of moderate are

OF EUROPE.

TlIK FKESII-WATER KISHES

]()(>

well

which extends towards the

n])pei-

pseudo-branchiai are invisible. teeth,

The mucus-canals

size.

of the head

developed, and unite with a branch from the lower orbital border,

and has numerous

lij)

The

i^ill-arch

lirst

minal region, and thirteen of the Carp, but

is

The

long-,

The alimentary canal

in the tail.

The rake-

is

are

gill-arches

number nineteen

vertebrre

relatively shorter,

pores.

close-set

invisible

The other

which are toothed on their inner border.

smaller, but similarly toothed.

has

in the abdo-

similar to that

being from one and a half to one and

three-quarter times the length of the body.

The

colour varies with habitat and with the season

typically the head

is

a darker greenish-brown,, with

the

down

The

the

ventral,

of

sides

and anal

The Crucian and a half

the

body.

fins are reddish,

Carj)

in weight.

is

is

seldom larger than

A

fish of

two pounds

(jf

in

the

The back

reddish- white.

mud

According to

Von

Siebold,

pectoral,

and one pound

exceptionally large.

frequents the bottom of the water, pre-

it

worms and

(or

The

with grey borders.

six inches long,

is

larvae,

it

its

native place.

It

mud

its

and swallows some

with

sometimes spawns as early as the end

May, but most observers record the spawning about midsummer, when

comes often

is

the cheeks prolonged

fins yellow,

ponds and lakes, and never moving far from

burrows

of

belly

and the other

For the greater part of the year ferring

food.

brassy-yellow

But

of the year.

olive-green above, with brassy-yellow sides.

it

to the surface of the water.

At spawning-time the

fishes collect in

shallow places where the bottom

is

covered with plants, and assemble in great numbers, and then, like the Carp, are seen continually

smacking

their lips on the surface of the water.

The

eggs, which are attached to the water-plants, number, according to Benecke,

from 100,000

to 300,000.

This species

is

hardy and tenacious of

life,

and increases rapidly

abound, or where the better fiavoured

pound.

They

food, though

some

;

and

fishes are fed

in

with burnt malt, they become fatter and

seven years.

does not acquire a

muddy

people, but in certain parts of

Their fiesh

is

not usually valued for

It

is

said to disagree with

flavour.

Sweden

is

looked upon rather as a dainty.

Crucian Carp are kept principally to feed predatory in ponds.

but under

two years may reach a weight of three-quarters of a

live for six or

it

;

In ponds where animal excreta

ordinary conditions of nutrition grows slowly.

fishes,

Notwithstanding the wide gill-aperture, they

which are preserved will live for hours

out of water, and can be easily packed or transported in snow or

damp

leaves.

They are captured with nets of all kinds. In England this Carp is found in the Thames and neighbouring ponds to It is widely distributed the west of London, where it spawns in April or May.

CARASSITTS VULGARIS. over the Continent from Scandinavia, where

Palermo, in Sicily iu

some

Austria

;

spawns

in June,

and from France and Belgium eastward Blanchard,

districts, according" to it is

it

107

it is

sonthward to

where

to Siberia,

an important food product.

In

found in the Theiss and other tributaries of the Danube, as well

as in the Flatten See and Neusiedler See.

The synonymy of this species is somewhat difficult. The Crucian Carp which we have described is recognised as such by all writers, but the varieties have been variously named. The Prussian Carp is

Fig. 41

— CARASSIUS

MOLES (aGASSIz).

regarded as a distinct form, and by most writers g'ibelio of

Bloch (Fig.

is

referred to the

Cyprinns

Dr. Giinther regards this as a mere variety of the

-12).

Camss/us vulgaris, following the views of Eckstrom, and he includes with type the

this

naturalists, gibelio.

Cyjjrinus

moles of Agassiz (Fig.

Heckel and Kner, rank as a

The Carassius oblongns

by Von Siebold and Giinther

of

as

41),

which the Austrian

species, distinct

from the Cypri)ni8

Heckel and Kner (Fig. 44) a variety of

the

Prussian

is

also classed

Carp.

Hence

naturalists are divided as to the importance to be attached to the characters

which distinguish these

fishes,

though there

is

very

little difference of

opinion

as to the propriety of separating them.

Carassius vulgaris, var. gibelio (Fig. 42). sion

being

and height of the body are less

than half the length.

The aperture

of the jaws

is

less

—In

this fish the lateral compres-

than in the type, the height

The head

is

of the

body

more massive, with a blunter snout.

nearly vertical, and

its

angle scarcely reaches so far

THE FRKSII-WATKK FISHES OF EUKOPE.

108

back as l)its

rou*>']i,

eye.

tlio

and

The cheek

is

marked with

irregularly furrowed surface.

According to Blanchard, the tliougli

asperities,

they have

the

less

4.-3

— CARAssirs

from the

stria?

teeth.

Crucian Carp, and

are

fartiier

apart,

ranELio (nilssun).

The

numerous.

free

is

shows the ])haryng2al

scales are larger tlian in the

same form, the concentric

Fig. 42.

and the canals are

Fig:.

and

The operculum has a

dejiressions in front of the eye in tlie type.

basal border of the scale

is

marked

with very slight curvatures, and has not the festooned character of scale seen

In Alsace and Lorraine these differences appear to be

in the Crucian Carp.

The

constant.

variation in the fins

The

conspicuous.

is less

elevated, and

is

dorsal

stated

fin

is

less

by Blanchard

to

have twenty-one branched rays, as

in

some examples from Central Europe,

though Austrian specimens have only fourteen to sixteen.

The

anal fin has

seven branched rays in the specimens

by

described six in the Fi.-.-.

43.-1

'.KTIl

Ol-

CAKASSIVf

amjjles.

oiiiELio.

and Car]), the

less

Blancliard, and five to

German and Austrian exThe colour is more uniform

bright than in the Crucian

back l)eing ])lnekish-greeu, changing to bluish, and the belly brownish-

yellow, with a golden tint. their bases

;

The

pectoral

the other fins are black.

and ventral

The

fins are reddish-l)rown at

iris is i>'reenisli-black.

CARASSIITH OBLONdU.S.

That

all

these differences are due to food

structure and scales.

The Swedes term

rulgaris. it

from the

Common

Its it

distribution

Bumm-Riida,

Crucian, or

two and-two-third times

Fig. 44.

— cAUASsivs

greatest breadth at the operculum

eye

length of the head snout,

and there

its

;

is

ceed

its

much

The

as its height.

Its

The

diameter being one-fourth of the

separates

The snout

commences

in

is

it

from the extremity

more pointed than

to the

of the

back

is

in other varieties,

very slightly arched.

The

the anterior half of the length, and extends for fully

one-third of the length of the body. its

as

flatter

tail.

one-half of the height of the body.

own diameter

diameter between the eyes.

on

and more pointed

an interspace of only one and a half times the orbital

is

and the contour from the mouth dorsal fin

distinct

more elongated form,

oiiLOXGus (heckel and knek).

larger than in any other variety,

is

the Cara.^sins to disting-uish

— This was regarded as a

of its

back, large thick head, larger eye, and longer is

of

Pond Crucian,

Lake Crucian {Sjo-Ruda).

by Heckel and Kner, on account

length of the body

notice the close similarity

like that

is

or

Carassins vulgaris, var. oblong as (Fig. 44). species

same

habitat, so that the

when we

Prussian Carp, would seem highly probable of fin

and

Crucian Carp, and in a pond into the

the

stock in a lake develops into

101)

Its

bony ray

is

conspicuously serrated

hinder border, rather feeble, and as long as the jointed rays which suc-

it.

The anal

fin

is

deeper than long, and

The

the body behind the elongated, and reach

its

commencement

is

anterior

down commencement of the dorsal fin they are somewhat the vent. The pectoral fins have also an elongated aspect,

to the tei-mination of the dorsal.

and they reach back to the ventrals.

ventral fins are placed half-way ;

110

FKESH-WATEK FISMES

'ITIK

The extremities

more pointed than

of the caudal lin are

and the terminal caudnl rays are quite as

The than

lon^^-

It

known

is

in that

and Dr. Giinther records a

is

varieties,

variety

Von

The

British INIuseum possesses spe-

Munich and Eastern

Siebold from

from Norway and the

it

Prussia;

Baltic.

Crucian Carp, which Heckel regarded as a

the

of

and named

less

part of Europe from (Jalieia, Lemherg-,

the Styrian rivers, and the Carpathians.

cimens obtained by Professor

There

in other

as tlie head.

specimen of this variety found in Austria measures rather

lono-est

six inches.

distinct species,

ETRorE.

()F

IininH/s.

Curas-siii-s

It

about three inches

is

long',

and known only from a lake at Palermo.

The back caudal

elongated, and fin is

elevated and the head

is less

fin is longer,

and the abdomen

when

thicker

is

;

the scales are larger, the

The

silv^er-white.

one-quarter of the total length of the

and

fish,

is

more

pectoral fins are

The caudal

laid back, cover the bases of the ventral fins.

deeply notched.

There

a row; the hindermost have their

are four compressed pharyngeal teeth in

crowns broader than the bases.

The back

of the fish

like that variety of the

black,

is

becoming silver-white on

Golden Carp which

The home

its islands,

but

it is

It

There

and Japan.

commonly

now

is

lat.

sides

and abdomen,

as the Silver-fish.

Gold Fish.

26, transverse 12.

Golden Carp, popularly known as Gold Fish,

of the

and

Scales:

8.

known

(Linnaeus).— The

Carassius auratns D. 19, A.

is

is

no record of

stated to have reached

domesticated in nearly

all

its

England

is

in

China

introduction into Europe,

in the seventeenth century.

civilised parts of the world,

and under

varied conditions of existence has developed varieties even more numerous and

remarkable than those which are met with in

Europe the form

states that in

and the

in Asia,

above the lateral It

is

moderate

fish

of the

body

usually has a larger

ordinarily

number

of longitudinal rows of scales

is

truly domesticated.

The form

length, thick, so as sometimes to be well is

seen in the other species of the genus.

and obtuse, with the jaws equal and the operculum twenty-five to

body.

from

of the

The head striated.

fin

is

is

of

less

massive

There

are

twenty-eight rows of large round scales in the length of the

The

dorsal

fifteen to eighteen,

The anal

body

rounded, with a

There are usually four rows of scales above the lateral

rows below.

Dr. Giinther

more elevated than

line.

the only fish which

elevation than

home.

original

its is

lin

line,

and seven

has the rays branched, and varying in number

defended

in front ])y

a large, curved, denticulated spine.

has thrcj bony rays, followed by

\\\q

soft

branched rays.

The

CAHASSIUS AURATUS. pectoral

fin

The caudal

rather large.

is

Dr.

Glinther finds

in the vertebral

back

elong-ate the

way

soft rays

or

;

may

it

Occasionally

modified.

races produced

be variously deformed so as to shorten or ;

loss

of the

vary

fins

reduced to a serrated ray

fin is

be absent, without the other the

The

the eyes.

thirdly, in

Sometimes the dorsal

greatly in development.

and a few

may

secondly, in the fins

;

side, as in Carnssins vnhjaris.

chief variaticnis in the domestic

the

column, which

The

moderately emarginate.

is

pharyngeal teeth form a row of four on each

Ill

dorsal fin

being in any

fins

is

associated with

the development of a double anal spine, and Fatio mentions that the anal fin itself

may

The caudal

be double.

on the other hand,

fin,

not always in compensation for loss of the dorsal present with a double in is

fin,

liable to increase,

is

for that fin

sometimes

is

or three-lobed, or even four-lobed, caudal

tail,

fin

;

while

one variety, known as the Telescope Fish, the development of a lobed

tail

associated with large eyes which protrude on pedicles, like the eyes of stalk-

eyed Crustacea.

The legend runs that to

Madame

the Gold Fish was introduced into France as a present

On

de Pompadour.

following terms

:

lubric rivals have maintained

lands,

He

symmetry

of

goes on to say

:

"They

till

its

first

change

the whole body fades,

colourless.'^

and

is it

fins

and goggled

to one side."

In the words of Dr.

age.

Badham

at

last dies

regained

is

In ponds the colours

may

piebald with these colours.

And Buekland

with

In old age

its

body bleached and cheeks

the

when the green

fish

is

soon

is

lost, so

Carp, and Fatio states placed in a glass bowl.

Gold Fish are raised for export refers

three-quarter acres of peat land.

to a

in large

In some of the ponds the temjierature

about three thousand

and summer, and sometimes there

numbers in

German farm near Oldenburg which river Hunte. They cover seven and

the water being obtained fi-om the engines of a

consists of

dark

be silvery, violet, reddish-brown, bright red, and

consists of 12U ponds, bordering on the

The stock

mouth

These points spread and deepen in

scales.

encased in a spangled robe of gold.

In the Seine, Blanchard observes that the colour

that the red colour

100^ Fahr.,

eyes, or the

colours of the fish

" It is at first of a

:

that the fish resembles ordinary brown or greenish

Portugal.

The

indicated by the appearance of small silvery

is

which are dispersed over the

brilliancy

and in

form yield the palm to the silvery Bleak, and darting Dace, while

sooty colour, and the points,

over, but her

of admirers in every part of the civilised

and sometimes the whole body screwed

tint

moralises in the

was soon

are not, however, perfect beauties,

not a few have personal defects, such as lame

vary with

of beauty

the breed, spread their conquests into distant

and secured to themselves hosts

world."

Badham

this circumstance

— " The Pompadour^s reign

is

fish.

hemp

Here they breed

a third brood

in the

in the

autumn.

is

factory.

spring

The

fish

;

hatched

the

in

when they

are

spruifj^ <>'n)\v

known

as

Pennant remarks that "

to a leiii^th of one or

(xlol:)e

In a year

Fish.

two inches

may

tliey

hj

China every person of fashion keeps them

in

autumn,

in the

five inches h)U4'. for

amuse-

ment, either in porcehiin vessels or in the small basins that decorate the

The beauty

courts of Chinese houses. f^ive

and

of their eoloui's

their lively

motions

great entertainment, especially to the ladies, whose pleasures, by reason of

In Europe they

the cruel policy of that country, are extremely limited. ^^

oFtener pass their lives in perpetual circumnavii^.ition of small glass globes.

Buekland says that they should be preserved from the heat

of the

sun and the

must be frequently changed, have a few sprigs of ValUsneria in it, and a layer of duckweed on the top; and that they But in Germany should be fed on scalded vermicelli and small red worms. winter

cold of

that their water

;

their dietary includes finely-chopped meat, ants' eggs,

clotted blood

food

of natural

They seldom grow

and barley. but

;

ponds

in

those at

like

development and show remarkable

and

insect larvte, with

in globes, for want, apparently,

Hampton Court attain Dr. Badham

varieties of colour.

a fine st;ites

that he has watched the evolutions of the large shoal kept in the basin in the

park at Brussels, and has seen the whole corps in close pursuit after some delinquent member, whose

with boneless gums,

all

tail first

one and then another seized upon, and bit

equally eager to hunt

him down and

secure the hrmh.

Evidences of affection between Gold Fish are recorded by Jesse. of

sound

is

sufficiently acute to

obey a familiar

way

assemble them in ponds at feeding-time in this

them

visitors feed

for

we have

in

Tlieir sense

The Chinese

call.

;

are said to

but in ponds where

Europe they presumably detect the new comer by sight

noticed that a gathering never fails to greet visitors on their

appearance at public gardens in which these fishes are exhibited.

In thunder-storms they som(itimes

They

Gold Fish.

die,

but this

is

not a failing peculiar to

are eaten in Switzerland; and have been introduced into the

Mauritius, where they are regarded with favour as an acceptable article of

diet.

In the mills and manufactories of the north of England, where the steam from the engines heats the water in the engine dams. Gold Fish thriv.^ and multiply

them

by no means useless inhal)itants of the dams,

rapidly.

Yarrell regards

since they

consume the refuse grease, which would otherwise accumul.ite on the

surface of the water, and retard

as

its

cooling.

Carassius bucephalus D.

:3/l(),

A.

:5

This species donia.

o, P.

is

1

V,

V. 9, C.

(;/17/(i.

known only from warm

It closely resembles

Scales

(Hkckkl). :

lat. fine, 'Vl,

trans. S 5.

springs near Sahmica,

Camssiax vnlgdrls, but

is

characterised by

in its

Mace-

thicker,

CARASSIUS BUCErHALUS. biunter head, /luiiiilis in

The

much

projecting eyes, and smooth scales

larg-e

heig-ht of body,

of the pectoral

and caudal

profile of the

thicker,

and

118

number

;

and

it

differs

of horizontal rows of scales,

from

C.

and shortness

fins.

head

is

flatter

The body

than in the Crucian Carp.

Over the

less elevated.

pectoral fins the thickness

which

to nearly half the height in front of the dorsal,

is

is

is

equal

about a third of the

entire length.

The head

is

one-fourth of the entire length

and noticeable for

;

it

is

thicker than the body,

The large wide projecting eyes

broad forehead.

its

Their posterior border

nearly one-third the length of the head.

middle of the head, and the width of the inter-orbital space

is

is

are

behind the

equal to one-

half the length of the head.

The mucus-canals

are well developed

naked eye, and situate

;

their pores are conspicuous to the

in small papilla}, which, as in

most Cyprinoids, extend

above and below the eye, along the lower jaw and the margin of the pre-

In form and position the mouth resembles that of the Crucian

operculum.

The

Carp.

fins

The is

The

are similar to those of C. vulgaris.

between the middle of the body and the

scales are not quite so large as in the

marked by small

dorsal fin extends

ray of the anal

first

Crucian Carp.

fin.

The

lateral line

pores, but the scales are not perforate behind the ventral

fin,

so that there are only about twelve to sixteen scales, with

The

scales are

mucus

pores.

smooth, and ha\e the free mai-gin marked with from two to

The colour is only known from specimens preserved in when the upper part of the sides and back are black, on a ground which has a silvery lustre. The under side is a dull yellow. There is a large annular

four diverging rays. spirit,

spot on the tail adjacent to the caudal

Specimens are about

five

fin.

inches long.

Genus:

Barbus

The Barbels form a large genus, widely al)le

diversity of character.

(Cuvier).

distributed,

and presenting consider-

Dr. Glinther remarks that a further division of the

168 species which he enumerates must appear highly desirable; yet adds that nothing would be more contrary to the idea of natural genera, since the transition is

perfect

from one extreme species

size of the scales, the

to

the

other.

He

believes that the

development of the third dorsal ray, and the form of the

snout are useless as generic characters, because complete series of intermediate

forms are met with. 8

The

lips, too,

present in the same species variations which

— THE FRESH-WA'I'KH

114

have been is

ref^^anled as of g-eneric

so variable tliat

it is difficult

or four of these api)endagcs.

value

FISIIKS (tF FI'Uol'E.

and

;

tlie

number and

size of the barbels

to distiiif;'uish whether a species possesses

two

Hence

and

not easy to define this genus

it is

Barbus

the chai-acters given by Dr. Giinther himself are not readily grasped. chavactei'ised as

having the third longest simple ray of the dorsal

enlarged, and often

the dorsal ventral

the

fin,

is

is

fin ossified,

with never more than nine branched rays in

and those branched rays commence opposite to the root of the

The

iin.

mouth

serrated,

;

anal fin

arched

;

is

The eye has no

short and high.

may

the barbels

fatty eyelid

The

be four, two, or absent.

;

lateral

runs in the middle of the body to the tail. The pharyngeal teeth are 3 3 rows, in the formula 5 2, usually five on one 2, or 4

line

side,

——

——

in three

and four on the other (Fig. 45).

This

large

genus

with four barbels barbels.

And

;

may

divided

be

three

into

sections

two barbels

secondly, fishes with

:

third,

;

—

fishes

first,

without

fishes

to facilitate identification of species these groups are further

divided according to the

number

more than forty

than

or less

in the

of scales

lateral line,

which

Other characters are found

thirty.

may

be

in the

presence or absence of pores or tubercles

on the snout, and the absence or presence and condition of the third dorsal

when

which,

ray,

and

size,

on

rations

in

it

exists,

varies

having or wanting

its

margin.

in ser-

The fringed

condition of the barbels and size of the 45.

— PHAKYNGEAL

mouth furnish other TEETH OF

characters.

in view of the facility with ternal soft parts

have preferred to make the

But

liAIlHt'S

VULGARIS.

primary

characters of the third dorsal ray.

classification of

The greater number

may

vary,

which ex-

we should

the genus upon the of the species live in

the fresh waters of India and the East Indian Archipelago; but the genus

widely represented in Asia and Africa, and

number

of species decreases

westward

Barbus vulgaris The

fin

formula of this species

is

to

is

two

in

France and one in Britain.

(Fleming).— The Barbel. differently stated by almost every observer,

from which we infer a greater variability of characters than admitted, or the existence in some localities of types which

make

commonly

is

a transition

towards other species J),

8_5/S—

<),

A.

is

not rare in Europe, though the

3-5, V. 2/7— S,

P.

1/15—

]

7,

C. lU.

BARBT^S VULGARIS.

The Barbel

an elongated head, and the mouth somewhat under the pro-

jecting fleshy upper

The

food.

the head in the

has the body fully five times as long- as high, nearly

(Fig. 4G)

cylindrical, with

their small eyes tail

These

lip.

have been compared to

fishes

pigs,

on account of

and the routing, burrowing movement of the snout

part of the body

is

much compressed

taking

in

In old individuals

laterally.

equal to about one-fourth of the length of the

is

young

The

fish.

eye,

which

about one-fifth the length of the head, subsequently becomes

is

one-sixth or one-seventh of

than in the adult

The angle

115

its

length, and the eyes are at

first

nearer together

which they are separated by twice their diameter.

fish, in

of the aperture of the

mouth extends back

to the nares.

The

pro-

longed fleshy nose, which thickens with age, extends over the thick upper

Fii^-.

The barbels

of the upper

The

to the nares.

The short long,

— KAKHU.s

vuLG.\uis (fleming).

jaw elongate a

and there

is

and commences a

and

a long

one-third that length.

little is

mouth

flat

arch from the occiput to the dorsal

in

down

the body

fin

it is

;

the ventral fin;

front of

longer than the other rays

This

back would reach

laid

of the top of the head rises convexly to the

dorsal fin begins half-way

serrated posteriorly,

with age, but would always reach

little

barbels of the angle of the

The contour

beneath the eye. occipital region,

46.

lip.

;

its

bony ray

the last ray

has been compared to the

fin.

higher than

sail of

is

is

about

a Thames

barge.

The anal it is

fin is

placed far back in the middle of the hinder half of the body

higher than long, but

It is truncated behind,

its

though

longest ray its free

have the rays as long as in the anal vent.

The

margin fin,

;

shorter than that of the dorsal.

is

is

rounded.

but these

pectoral fins have rays of about the

fins

The

ventral fins often

do not reach back to the

same length. The

tail fin,

accord-

ing to Heckel and Kner, consists of seventeen jointed rays, which are supported

by rather shorter pseudo-rays, to the number of ten

in the

upper lobe and eight

ill

FISHES uV EUROPE.

TTIK Fin'>II-\VATKl;

IK;

The eaudal

the linver lobe.

iin

evenly loLed; and

dce])ly emarginate,

is

pointed at the extremities.

The

cover the entire body except the pectoral region

scales

numerous and small

;

they commonly increase in size fi'om

back towards the

of the

the largest

tail;

There nuiy be from sixty to seventy of

caudal

the

Ihi,

scarcely

is

according to Blanchard, though

counted in the lateral line

from

is

as long

as the eye.

between the ear and the base

a line

in

they are

:

the fore part

number commonly

the

There are from

sixty-two.

fifty-five to

eleven to twelve rows of scales above the lateral line, fourteen to fifteen rows

below

it,

though Blanchard counts thirty rows

scales are longer than deep, lancet-shaped

marked with radiating

The

The

in the height of the body.

They

their free margin.

at

are

lines.

lateral line is nearly straight,

and

in

The

the middle of the body.

cephalic canals are not very distinct, except the branch in the sub-oi*bital ring,

which forms many long depressions.

The pseudo-branchiae

])ores.

rakers of the

The

first

The branch

gill-arch are spatulate

colour of the back

to the lower

are free, rather lai*ge,

olive-green, gradating into

is

are pearly white.

The cheeks

fine

The

has a similar tint, often with a bluish border

dorsal Iin

is

is

bluish; the

the other tins are red, the

;

in the Salzach in

But Blanchard

from forty to

fifty

The growth for fifteen or

And

refers to individuals

from the Volga that weighed

of the Barbel It

fishes, insects,

The

tenacious of

is

rapid.

is

found throughout Europe in

fish is

substances

life,

and

lives

all rivulets, rivers,

and among mountains.

It feeds

on

mollusca, mud, and especially u])on the excreta of

and the great length of the intestine may be taken

:

vegetable

young

Heckel and Kner mention

1853 that weighed twenty-five and a half

lakes, both in low-lying districts

animals

often two feet

pounds.

twenty years.

worms, small

fish is

pounds in the Danube, where, however, specimens

to ten

have been caught weighing eighteen pounds.

pounds.

The

Barbel varies with the locality.

size of the

and weighs eight

an example taken

and

belly

brown.

The long,

a paler tint on the

The throat and

black spots, and the speckling

sometimes continued down the sides of the body.

iris is

the gill-

glisten with golden tints, but the sides of the

head and operculum are speckled with

tail

;

and curved inward.

which becomes greenish-white towards the belly.

flanks,

jaw has large

and pectinate

largely contribute

to

sustenance.

its

to indicate that

Barbels

when

grow

larger

are reputed to live in association with Ciudgeon, but as they

leave their early associates, and become solitary.

The Barbel and the

tish

first

then

spawns

in its fourth year, in

becomes banded, and often

May

or the beginning of Juno,

ac(|uires

a reddish or orange

BARBU.S VULGARIS.

The spawning' period

colour.

mentions that the

on gravel, and at the breeding season the

moving one behind the

fish is

cooked

;

fish

and that the

fish.

The eggs

are deposited

form troops

The old females swim young males bringing up the

other.

most places reputed poisonous, and

results.

It

is

of about a hundred,

in front, followed

by

The

in

rear.

roe

is

always carefully removed before the

is

yet Bloch records that

without unpleasant

seed^

and colour of millet

ova do not exceed eight thousand in a full-sized

the old males, with the

Bloch

with atmospheric conditions.

varies

are of the size

eg-g-s

117

it

was eaten by himself and

commonly reputed

his family

to produce effects like those

According to Dr. GiAnther the males develop more rapidly

of Asiatic cholera.

than the females, and when only six or seven inches long are seen pursuing the females.

The

flesh is white.

It

is

valued in some countries, but not in others.

England Barbel were formerly eaten and

Mr. W.

valued.

that at the installation of the Archbishop of York, in the sixth year of

Edward the Fourth, Barbel appeared " Chronicle "

Holinshed's preservation

Barbel

is

is

mentions

King

in the dinner feast in the second course.

Barbel

as

one

of

the

fishes

vv^hose

provided for by law; and in 1G5(J T. Venuer writes that the

" of very pleasant

taste, of

good nourishment, but somewhat muddy;

the greater excel the lesser for meat, because their superfluous moisture

amended by

At

In

Mitchell records

S.

is

age.""^

the present day there

declares that the

Thames

is

a prejudice against the

fish,

and Dr. Badham

angler, having hauled a noble Barbel from the water,

weighed, registered, and frescoed his full-length portrait on the walls of the inn, gives the carcase boiled in salt

the

to

landlord's cat.

But he

also

states

Barbel will be found by no means despicable fare.

Blanchard,

himself from pronouncing any personal opinion, as having

matter of

fish,

reminds us how often the sign "

the traveller on the banks of the Loire.

Milanese against Barbel the

fish

in

Rome.

kept for a few days will be

The

that

simply

and water, and eaten cold with a squeeze of lemon-juice, the

may

Heckel in

And

Aux

trois

who excuses

no taste in the

Barbeaux " invites

in Italy the prejudice of the

be balanced against the excellent reputation of

and Kner recommend that

Barliel should

fresh spring water before being eaten,

when

be

their flesh

found fairly well flavoured. species is stated

by Graells

in the rivers flowing into the

to occur in Spain.

In Russia

Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.

it is

found

THE FUE.Sli-WATER FISUES OF EUROPE.

JL8

Barbus plebejus D. 3/8, A. 3/5, V^ This species

(Fitr.

47)

Lateral line (HI— 75, transverse

9.

is

(Valenciennes).

limited in

said by Graells to occur in Spain.

its

The

species.

it

as a

47.— HARKUS PLEHEJVS

and

body thicker and more rounded, in

the preceding-

(v.^LENc).

differences in the tin rays are sufficiently unimportant to justify

Filippi in regarding-

enters

!.

distribution to Italy and Dalmatia,

It has the

with a shorter blunter snout, and the scales are smaller than

Fig-.

14— 17/1

good

it

as but a variety of JJ. vnhjarh.

species,

Dr. Giinther, however,

though he would unite with

it

the Barbies eq/ws

(Fig. 4S) of the x\ustrian ichthyologists, while hesitating to billow Canestrini in

uniting with

The head

it

the Barhiis eqnes of Cuvier and Valenciennes.

is less

the length of the

than a quarter the length of the body and alxnit one-lifth fish.

At

the gill-apertures

it

is

twice as long as broad.

BARBUS In the young the head it is six

and

mouth

The

frontal region

and with age the eye recedes a

barbels of the upper

jaw reach back

mouth

the anterior margin of the eye^ the barbels at the angle of the

Both are longer than

back to the operculum.

The dorsal it

dorsal

and caudal

but the sides of the

and

thin,

fins are thickly

tail,

and

eqnes (Fig. 48),

covered with fine blackish-brown dots,

the anal and ventral fins

is

over one foot long.

is

scarcely five inches long.

Barbus caninus D. 3/7—8, A. 3/5, V.

The body cylindrical

ai-e

The

usually unspotted.

:

lat.

much

(Cuvier).

18— 52,

transverse 10/13.

the same general form as in the

Its height is nearly one-fifth of its length.

the caudal

;

Scales

9.

of this fish (Fig. 49) has

preceding species.

fin

is

Fig. 49.

The

tail is

— BAKiius

CANINUS

(ci'Viek).

The head

is

one-quarter the length of

the body.

The eye

barbels of

the upper jaw are short, and those at the angle of the

is

less

The

is

Both

The back

blunt and small.

is

sei-rated.

rather

This

tiuncated

fin

is

behind.

mouth

are shorter than in B. plebejus.

very slightly arched.

dorsal fin has the osseous ray no stronger than the others

and not

The

than one-fifth of the length of the head.

reach to the hinder border of the eye.

The snout

sub-

short, moderately forked, with the middle rays

half as long as the outermost rays.

and

like

finely serrated for one-third of its length.

The variety which is found in Upper and Dalmatia, and was regarded by Heckel and Kuer as the Barhiis

largest specimen

Italy

is

to

reach

in Bar/jus vulgaris.

similar in position to that of the preceding species,

bony ray

in size; its

The

fin is

iisli

little

broader than in the j^receding species;

is

The

horse-shoe-shaped.

is

il'J

times as \oug as the eye, in the old

halt'

a half times as long- as the eye,

from the snout. the

and a

is five

CANINUtS.

opposite the ventrals,

The anal

fin

is

is

;

it is fiexible,

higher than long,

hio^her

than long

;

its

THE FRESII-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

I2U

longest rays are loDg-er than rays of the caudal ventral fin are

The

fin

somewhat

harmony with is

The rays

of the

than in the other

lateral line, are larger

along the

their diminished nnniber, but they are

on the fore part of the back and This species

The longest external

dorsah

the

shorter than those of the pectoral.

scales, especially

species in

those of

are shorter than those of the anal.

much

smaller

belly.

characterised by having the

body covered with

entire

larger brownish-black spots, in addition to the small spots seen in the other species.

spots,

The

between the

dorsal,

and caudal

less develoi)ed

on the anal

pectoral,

which are

lateral line

Barbus caninus

is

are

lius fin.

and the base of the ventral

fin.

;

from the Pj'renees and

(juiraonh, are referred by Giinther to this species.

Barbus petenyi 3/8,

snuill

Examples from the River Xuear, which Steindachner

eastern parts of Spain.

D.

with

recorded from Idria, in Austria; from the Arno, and the

northern parts of Italy; from Lauguedoc and Provence

named Barbus

iiecked

all

There are six rows of scales

A. 3/5.

Scales:

This species (Fig. 50)

termed the Sending.

is

lat.

known

It has

55— 6U,

(Heckel). transverse

in Transylvania

an elongated form

both have long rays; the dorsal

is

11— 13/8— D.

and Hungary, where

it is

the anal and caudal fins

;

destitute of a notched

bony ray; and the

fore-part of the back and back of the head are broad.

This Barbel Austrian species. broader

is

one of the best known and most widely distributed of the It is distinguished

behind, less ileshy

li])s,

from H. rtilgarh by

absence

of

the

its

serrated

blunt snout, head ray,

and by the

HI

BAEBUS COMIZA. long rays of the anal characters,

Gunther suggests

which

fiu^,

separate

It

from

distinguished

is

from the B. plehejua, which

it

B.

by the higher anal

certainly agrees in colour, chiefly

which

with

caniiiioi,

and with which

ma}^, perhaps, prove to be identical,

it

Similar

three times as hi<^h as broad.

is

larger scales,

its

elongated.

less

is

with

it

longer caudal, the

fin,

rounded furrowed back, and stronger form.

In front of the beginning of the dorsal the greatest height one-fifth

and one-sixth of the length

The

the length of the body.

large brown-black spots on

It

and

is

anterior barbels are the

found

in all the rivers

There are

shorter.

Von

It

foot.

and brooks of the Mittelgebirge

in the plains of Transylvania

from the Carpathians.

between

is

one-quarter

is

the body, oftentimes touching each other.

from seven inches to one

varies in size

The head

of the body.

Bohemia,

in

and Hungary, but would appear

Siebold records

it

to

descend

from the tributaries

of the

Oder; and Beneeke mentions an example from Braunberg, which presented the characters of this species.

Barbns comiza

(Sti-indachner). above

'.)

D.

3/8— U, A.

3/5, V. 2/8, P. I/IG.

Scales

:

A^-^l

lat. line.

—

below.

5

The body

is

much

produced, inflated at

vulgaris, but

more compressed, with a straight scales in the fifth

profile

and above

lateral line

The eye

the

young

its

relative

is

of the

is

having

;

lips are

head

of the

the forehead being a

lesser

number

body does not exceed

placed high on the side of the head

is

of

four to four and two-

;

in

one-sixth of the length of the head, while in the adult

fish it is

length

in

and there

The body

it.

The height

times the length of the head.

one-fifth of its length.

;

differs

Pikc-like,

The

The general shape

jaws are usually of equal length.

approaches to that of Barhas

is

extremity

its

mouth terminal, and bent somewhat upward.

the cleft of the thin, the

The head

moderately elongated and compressed.

with the snout compressed,

t)

The cheeks

one-ninth.

is

barbels are slender;

the anterior

barbel

are rather

reaches

The

compressed.

back to

the

nostril,

the

posterior barbel extends back to the anterior border of the orbit.

The

anterior

greatest height

height of the

is

half of the

dorsal

contour

is

conspicuously convex

attained in front of the dorsal, and

tail.

The

dorsal

fin

is

is

;

the

double the smallest

opposite the ventral.

The

first

two

and nearly biuicd l)eneath the skin.

dorsal rays are very short

and

The

remarkably broad and long, though rather shorter

visible

bony ray

is

delicate,

im

THE

than

meniLranous ray;

tlu' lirst

The anal

directed (h)\vn\vard.

1T8HES UF

FltESII-WA'l'KR

side

its liiiuler

toothed, with the denticles

is

a shorter

lias

lin

EU1{(JPE.

is

more

lobes are usually ecjual.

The

than the dorsal,

Ijase

pointed, and varies in len^'th, hut does not reach back to the caudal.

The caudal lateral

line

fin

is

deeply

and

forked,

approximately

is

its

the ventral outline

to

})arallel

last three

its

;

scales are on the base of the caudal fni.

The angle

the

The

pitted.

the

0[)erculum the free largest scales

anterior part

of the

and marked with many

The colour Tagus the water

developed behind the eye, and at the forward

cei)halie canals are well

of

slio'htly

is

The

back.

free

border of

the

scale

convex,

is

fine radiating lines.

varies with conditions

fish is of a dirty

of

muddy

In the

life.

waters of the

yellowish-brown, while in the Guadiana, where the

and the bed rocky, the colour

clear

is

becoming silver-grey on the

lustre,

pre-operculum

the

of

edg'c

behind the shoulder-girdle, the smallest on

lie

blue-grey

is

The unpaired

belly.

with

a

metallic

fins

are

usually

spotted black, and a black band margins the base of the opercular region.

The

species

not

is

Toledo, where the local

common name

the Lisbon market,

in

for

Coniha.

is

it

It

is

but

abundant

is

at

regarded by the fishermen

of Mertola, on the Guadiana, as the male of Ckondro.sfoina icillkouuiii/.

Dr. Steindachner

is

of opinion that crosses occur

and BarJjHs bocagei ; and since some

fishes

between Barbns comiza

with the jaws and mouths of Cfiondrostoii/a poli/lcph,

cotniza,

But Dr. Giinther remarks that

such individuals as hybrids. bination

of characters

Barhus

have the characters of

regards

lie

a similar

com-

Cyprinoid genera of Western

distinguishes certain

Asia.

Barbus bocagei The body

of this species

(SrEiNDAciixiiR).

much compressed and

is

portion of length of the head to the body

is

height varies with age, the fish becoming

The diameter

of the eye

is

snout

of the

extends

mouth over

it.

is

its ov.'n

small.

five-sixths.

as

it

gets

'

pro-

The older.

The The

diameter from the extremity of the snout. varies in thickness,

lip

barbels of the upper

The barbels

profile of the

extends in a convex curve to the dorsal

The

more slender

The upper

quite so far as the orbit of the eye.

reach across the orbits.

and

one-fifth to one-seventh of the length of the head,

and the eye is more than twice

The gape

The

elongated.

as one to four

least height of the tail is equal to

head fin,

and the

jaw do not reach back

at the corners of the

is

slightly arched,

much

as in

mouth

and thence

Burbm

vnhjurh.

about one-half of the greatest height

of the body.

The

dorsal fin

commences

in

front of the

ventral,

is

in

advance of the

BARBUS BOCAGEI. middle of the body, and variable; ,the length of

The

the middle third of are represented dorsal fin its

is

by

base

is

length

its

more or

is

The

The broad

The short ventral

deeply toothed

less

fin

placed far back, so that

is

fin,

or

it is

The

may

fin.

the length of the head, and

always longer than the dorsal

is

sometimes much

under the middle of the dorsal

is

always shorter than the anal

fin is

pectoral fin

This

The scales

fin is

The caudal

fin.

may

be slightly

The

than high, and have a fan-like ornament.

above the pectoral

The

throat.

is

seldom as long as the head.

scales are longer

are

it

;

be five-sevenths of

deeply notched, with pointetl lobes, of which the lower

the longer.

in

superior hinder outline of the

anal fin

rays sometimes reach to the base of the caudal

shorter.

very

is

but in old examples the serrations vanish, or

;

slight irregularities.

slightly concave.

though the height

long,

about one-half of the length of the head.

unjointed bony ray

or fourth

last

higher than

is

its

1^:3

lateral line

larger

the smallest are on the neck and on the

fin,

runs along the middle of the

canals extend from the inferior border of the orbit.

and cephalic

side,

The number

of perforated

scales in the lateral line varies

from forty-six to fifty-one

on the base of the caudal

There are eight or nine rows of scales between

fin.

the lateral line and the dorsal

and the ventral

fin,

and

rows

the last three

between the

lateral

lie

line

fin.

The lowest and

fifth

pharyngeal tooth

two succeeding teeth are remarkably

The colour

five

;

a mere

is

needle-point

but the

;

large.

varies with the locality.

In cold clear water the back

is

dark

green or deep golden brown, with greenish spots; the sides are lighter, and the belly whitish. is

dirty brown,

s^Dotted

In

muddy

and

lakes

rivers,

The

and the belly yellow.

with warmer water, the back

young

fishes

are sometimes

with brown.

This species

is

found in the ponds,

rivers,

and lakes of the

Spain, and reaches a length of one and a half to two feet.

with in the east of Spain, but

is

common

in

It

interior of is

not met

the Tagus, Douro, Minho, and

Xucar.

Barbus

sclateri (Gunthee). above

D. 11, A.

8—9.

Scales

:

8

kit. line

below

45—46. 8

This Barbel reaches a length of seven to twelve inches, and at present

known only from the Guadalquivir, dorsal

fin

in

Spain.

very strong and sharply serrated.

pressed, nearly as high as the head

is

It has the

The body

long, and the height

is is

bony ray

is

of the

somewhat comabout one-fourth

THE FKKSII-WATEl;

124

OF

KISIIES

The head

of the total Icn^-th, oxclusivo of the caudal I'm.

depressed, with a pointed and

The

inferior in position.

somewhat

EI'IIOPE.

Hat ahove, rather

is

mouth

prolonw'ed snout, so that the

is

the barbels are rather lon<^, the u))per

lips are thick,

barbel reaehino^ beyond the front margin of the orbit, and the lower to the ang-le

The eye

of the pre-operculum.

is

front of the middle of the head,

in

diameter being' one-sixth of the length of the head in the full-grown two-fifths of the length series of scales

The

dorsal fin

lateral line

commences

The anal

the caudal.

fin is

in the

The caudal

and the ventral

when

fin is as

laid

The

line.

The

;

excluding

fish,

the length of

backwards

its

base

is

does not extend to

it

long as the head, but with the middle ray

one-third of the length of the outer rays, so that

pointed lobes.

five longitudinal

fin.

middle of the length of the

very narrow and pointed

fully two-fifths of its height, but

the caudal.

There are four or

of the snout.

between the

its

and

fish,

it

is

deeply forked and has

pectoral fin extends back to the twelfth scale of the latei-al

ventral fin

somewhat

is

shorter than the pectoral, and

commences

opposite to the spine of the dorsal.

The

scales

have numerous radiating

The

rays.

colour

with a silvery lustre, and a darker stripe along each dorsal

and caudal

is

uniform greenish,

The

series of scales.

fins are blackish.

Barbus chalybeatus This Russian Barbel has the body and

The head somewhat resembles that

of

fins

(Pallas).

marbled and spotted with bhu-k.

3Ii-'iffHrn/(fi /'os.s?lis

form

in its elongated

and colouring. The snout is conical the upper jaw extends beyond the mandible. ;

The

lips

are

describes

There are

fleshy.

below, the lateral

line.

ten

series

of

and

above,

scales

Individuals reach a length of nine inches, but

eight

Nordmann

no specimens above seven inches long in the south of Russia. It rivers between the Black Sea and the Caspian, and is common

found in the

the south of the Caspian Sea, where

found

in the

Among

it

enters the River Koora.

It

is

is

in

also

Sea of Aral.

Russian Barbels Dr.

in the small rivers of the

Grimm

enumerates

Crimea; and many other

River Koora, and described by Kessler,

Fili})i)i,

(Kessler)

Jh/r/jios tditricii.s

species, chiefly

found

in the

Giildenstadt, and Gmelin.

Hyiikid ]?etween Barbus bocagei and Chondiwstoma polylepis. Professor

Steindachner found a

(iuadiana, by no

above lumu'd. similar

means

rare,

It has ihe

l)arlicls to

fish

in

which he regards

Rivers

Tagus, Ebro, and

as a hybrid

between the species

the

form and pharyngeal teeth of

the jaws, and a serrated Ijouy ray to the

jaws, especially the lower jaw, have

the

Jnirbi'-s hocntjci,

tlorsal

lin

;

Init

with the

same broad, cutting, horny sheath

;

ATTLOPYGE HUGELir. which characterises

such as occur in that genus.

on the interest of this observation should nation of character

is

Chondrostoma, and the form and

the g-enus

species of

striping" of the scales are

125

found

in

it

Dr. Giinther remarks

be confirmed, since a Hke combi-

Cyprinoid genera

of:

Western Asia, which are

certainly not hybrids.

The

fish is

sometimes seen in the

fish

markets of Madrid.

Steindaehner also records hybrids h^iwe^rv Barb as comiza and

willkom.mU from the Guadiana, at Mertola. shorter, the

mouth

Clio ndro stoma

In these examples the snout

rounder, and less inclined

downward than

in

B. comiza.

is

It

resembles that species in shape of body, in curve of the neck, heig-ht of the dorsal,

and robustness of the four saw-like bony

the scales and sheathing- of the jaws

it

rays,

and the

barbels.

In

resembles Chondrostoma willhommii.

Another hybrid appears to be formed by Barbus

graellsii

and Chondrostoma

niiegii.

Spanish specimens, which have a denticulation of a more slender

and barbels, and

long-,

bony ray

projecting' snout, are

small form

of head,

a feeble

in the dorsal, strong-ly-developed lips

thought by Steindaehner to indicate a

bastard between Barbus comiza and Barbus bocagei.

Aulopyge

GrENus: This remarkable

fish

Barbels and Minnows.

has the body naked, intermediate in shape l^etween It has four barbels

teeth in a single row on each side.

the anal

fin in

(HeCKEL).

;

and four chisel-shaped pharyngeal

The ventral

fin

has a serrated bony ray

the female supports the urogenital tube.

The genus has been found only

Aulopyge

in

Dalmatia and adjacent

districts.

htigelii (Heckel).

This species (Figs. 51, 51) has a very pointed, small, eonically-elongated snout, and

and

it

sides, or

is

distinguished by

may

its

naked skin, which

be marked with blackish-brown spots.

fishes differ so greatly in

is

silvery on the back

The male and female

appearance that we will notice each separately.

fully-grown female the body

is

much higher than

the dorsal outline rises from the back of the head to the dorsal

spicuous curve.

The head is

is

The depth conical

of the

and pointed,

body it is

is

nearly one-quarter of

In the

young, and

in the males or

fin in

its

a con-

length.

half as broad as long (Fig. 5ÂŁ)

;

the eye

rather small, nearly in the middle of the head, and separated from the opposite

HO

THE

Fi{Ksn-M-ATEi; rrsiTEs of Europe.

The

eye by twice the orbital diameter. eye than the snout

can close

shaped

it

it

;

;

defended at

it is

nasal opening front edge

its

The small mouth

like a valve.

is

the snout projects over

Both

that are not fleshy.

the

mouth being

body at the

The

dorsal fin

the ventral

fin, is

tail is

mouth, which

The rounded

barely equal to the diameter of the eye.

to the tail than the head.

it is

it is

at the

— FEMALE. The depth

one-third the greatest depth below the dorsal

higher than long, though

ex-

covered by lips

is

pairs of barbels are short, the longer barbels

commences nearer

which

nearly horizontal and horse-shoe-

VL'I.OPYGE HUGEI.II (HECKEL).

corner of the

nearer the

fokl of skin,

does not reach as far back as the nasal valve.

tremity of

of the

is sing-le,

by a

It

is

fin.

opposite

fully half as long as the head

truncate behind

its

;

second ray

is

markably broad and strong, and the third deeply and strongly serrated length at

its

hinder edge.

down

All the

;

veis

the entire succeed-

ing rays are jointed, and divide three times. ')2. UNDER SIDE OF Til FE AULOl'YGE HUGELII.

Fig.

The anal

—

dorsal,

and

is

from

This species

truncate behind. all

other

known

is

is

fin

is

posterior to the end of the

as high as

mix, with a short base.

distinguished

by the remarkable con-

fishes

dition of the anal aperture in the female.

The

intestine

and the urogenital system both leave

the body in a thick, Hcsh\' tube, which first

ray of the anal

fin

in

front,

is

united to the

and near the ex-

tremity of that ray this tube has two openings, the urogenital being

posterior.

A

somewhat

dition has been described in the male of the

genus Anableps.

The succeeding rays

of

—

.53. AXLOFYGE HVGELIi: LATERAL LINE AND SKIN, SHOWING I'IGMENT SFOTS.

Fig.

similar con-

American the anal

tin

divide dieh(»tomousl\

AULOPYGE HUGELII. The ventral and

u:

pectoral fins are moderately developed

The

lobed and deeply notched. is

irregularly

waved aud curved

The

placed in close series. distinct,

lateral line ;

Tiie male Aulopyg-e

cephalic canal are very

obscure.

is

always smaller than the female, and rather ap-

is

Minnow,

The height

Leiiciscns p/ioxinus.

than in the female, the curve of the back

is less

hig-her, the pectoral shorter, the anal fin

commences

the female.

o4.

— AVLOPYGE

farther forward,

HVGELII (hKCKEL).

is

and the

tail

fin of

MALE.

There

55 shows the pharyngeal teeth.

Fig-.

body

of

the dorsal fin

flatter,

is

caudal often contains two more jointed rays than are found in the

Fig-.

evenly

fin is

opens externally by simple pores, which are

it

orbital branches of the

but the mandibular branch

proaches to the shape of the

the pectorals do not

middle of the body, but

in the

is

;

The caudal

reach to the ventrals, nor the ventrals to the anal.

cloacal tube, the vent being in front of the anal fin,

is

no trace of the

and the

and

intestinal

urogenital openings being behind each other, in the usual way.

The young

fish

has a relatively longer head, the body being only three and

The height

a half times as long as the head.

of the

the eyes are relatively larger, the frontal region frontal outline,

In this

fish

and the dorsal

fin is as

the ground colour

sides

and on the back.

dots,

which may be

The

is

patches or broad bands.

The

iris is

body

relatively less,

deep.

is

becoming greenish towards the

show brownish

powder

is

smaller, with a convex

high as the body

silvery,

sides often

like scattered

is

(Fig. 53)

greenish-yellow.

grey, but the dorsal and caudal fins have their rays

or blackish spots

or gathered

The

fins

and

into large

are yellowish-

marked with more

or less

regular transverse rows of black spots.

The

internal organs present

distinct stomach, biliary

The

duct

intestine

some

distinctive modifications.

There

and there are no pyloric appendages to the stomach.

opens,

as

in

the

is

no

The

genus Anableps, well

above the stomach.

down

the entire length of

makes three convolutions

as

it

coils

THE FKESII-^AWTEK

13S

the ventral cavity.

There

versely.

The

OF EUROPE.

FTSTTES

air-blackler, as in other Cyprinoids, is divided trans-

a round and short anterior part, and a posterior part which

is

ends in a blind point, and

is

Tender the termina-

provided with an air-canal.

common

tion of the air-bladder, the lobes of the ovary or milt unite in a

by which their ripened elements are urinary

The milt and

bladder.

discharg-ed.

There

is

and double;

are symmetrical

ovaries

ovaries are closed sacs, which run the whole length of the ventral cavity

common

smaller behind as they join in the are

much

less developed,

urogenital canal.

and do not extend

common

The miit

lobes

far into the ventral cavity, but

skin

coloured

is

form

In the male

urethro-genital opening.

abdominal

the

the

and get

their small glandular lobes similarly unite in the outlet of the bladder to

a

duet,

a small pear-shai)ed

with

a

black

pigment.

The

size is variable

;

the largest

known females

are five inches long. AHVNGKAi, TEETH OF AVLOl'YGE HUGELII.

rp|^|g

^^^

^^^^

1840, in the

fish

unknown, and Heckel records

arc entirely

f5j.g|.

discovercd

by Heckel -^

markets of Dalmatia.

in

Its habits

only from the brooks and rivers

it

of Dalmatia and Bosnia. It is eaten in Bosnia

cooked

Genus The Gudgeons The

to Europe.

Both have simple mouth.

two

in oil,

:

and

is

Gobio

stated to be well flavoured.

(Cuvier).

are a small genus, closely allied to the Barbels, and limited dorsal lips,

fin

The pharyngeal

no spine.

has

and there

is

teeth are in

or three in the secondary.

The jaws

are

equal in length.

a well-defined barbel at the angle of the

two rows

They

:

five in

the princiiml row, and

are hooked at their extremities.

The

gill-rakers are very short.

Gobio

fluviatilis (Rondel).— The

Gndgeon. above

D. 3/7, A. 3/G, V. 2/7—8, P. 1/11—15, C. 19.

Scales

:

lat. line

below

The body

of the

Gudgeon

(Fig.

<if

the body

;

the eye, which

.5(5)

is

The head

and a third higher than wide. is

Oh

40—44. ^h

four and a half times as long as high, is

more than one-quarter of the length

near the top of the head,

is

about one-fifth of

GOBIO FLUYIATITJS. its lengtli.

The horizontal mouth

covered by the fleshy

is

The form

mouth.

we might be

that

were

it

The short

teeth.

of the head

The

frontal outline rises

The greatest depth

times the depth at the

The

dorsal fin

the corners of the

varies so

much,

especially in length,

by which the extreme forms are

from the blunt nose

of the

body

is

two and a half

rather less than half-way

is

to the hinder region

which becomes more flattened towards the dorsal or

two and a

third

tail.

front of the ventral

little in

Fig. 58

are at

inclined to suspect specific differences in diverse individuals

of the head in a regular arch,

a

57)

and does not

eyes.

barbels

not for the insensible gradations

connected.

fin.

(Fig-.

lips,

which are near the

reach back so far as the nasal apertures,

shows the pharyngeal

1:29

It

fin.

is

down

the body, and commences

higher than long.

Its height is

almost

GOKIO FLUVIATILIS (rONDELETIUS).

equal to the depth of the body, but the last ray first

branched ray.

dorsal.

It

is

less

The anal

cover the as

vent.

The

The

is

only half as long as the

is

similarly truncate

behind,

ventral fins nearly reach to the anal, and always

pectoral

long as the dorsal

is

placed well behind the termination of the

developed than the dorsal,

and higher than long.

is

fin is

fin,

which

high, reaches

back as far as the beginning of the dorsal.

The caudal with

its

fin is

evenly lobed and forked,

outer rays longer than those of

the dorsal.

The back and sometimes brown

sides are blackish-grey,

or

even fawn

colour,

-HEAD OF GOKIO FLUVIATILIS, SEEN FROM ABOVE.

spotted with dark green or black, especially

along the lateral line and back.

Sometimes there are about seven

in the lateral line, which have often a tendency to pass into !)

a

ocellate spots

band.

The

THE FRESTI-WATF.K FISHES OF EFROPF.

:10

1

dorsal and caudal fins are usually spotted in Austrian specimens; the dorsal and

The

anal fins are spotted in French.

The

yellowish g-round.

There

a

is

spots are blackish-hrown, on a reddish or

iris is g-olden.

variety

the

oi'

grey

fish,

transverse hands on the silvery-white helly

;

with

back,

the

at

four

dark

commonly

while another variety,

darker in colour, has the body spotted, often with a yellowish band at the side of the tail.

The of a

are deeper than

scales

circle,

The

long-.

is

the segment

fifteen

to eighteen

free edg-e of each

by the termination of the

notched

finely

radiating grooves which ornament the sur-

The

face.

canal

the

in

line

lateral

is

cylindrical.

The are five

largest specimens found in France

and a half inches long.

The Gudgeon

is

common

in

brooks,

and

is

met with

in

marshes.

lakes,

rivers,

-PHARYNGEAL TEETH OF It

FLUVIATILIS.

springs of Teplitz, in Croatia.

underground, and

will live

is

found in

warm

Adelsberger Cave, and in the

the

It prefers clear

running water, with a sandy

or ]K'bbly l)ottom.

These

and

Those

flesh.

They begin

spring.

small

are

live in large shoals,

fish

decaying

and

to

a

of

spawn

May

in

blue

pale

and feed on worms, fish-spawn, plants

which inhabit lakes ascend and lay

or June,

colour,

under stones.

the

their

streams

in

eggs, which

The spawning

is

prolonged for about a month, and in the autumn the fishes return to the lakes.

The period

rapidly,

and

is

of incubation

tenacious of

life,

mentions the intestinal parasite, It

and

is

in

is

it

is

good

In England in that

it

It is

country as

The Gudgeon

in

September and October

is

is

Its flesh

rarely eaten, it

is

well-flavoured, and

is

reputed

especially esteemed as a breakfast delicacy in

though

reputation was formerly

its

has always been on the Continent.

probably universally distributed throughout Europe; but,

although the ancient Greek writers a])pear to have written warmly praise, it has not

Spain.

;

estimated that about one million are captured in the year

to be easy of digestion.

as

enemies,

Filar'ia ovata.

between the bridges of the Seine.

Paris.

many

caught both with the rod and net, chiefly

Paris

The Gudgeon grows among which Blanchard

about four weeks.

but has

been recorded from Greece, and

is

at j)resent

in

unknown

its

in

;

GOBIO URANOSCOPUS.

Gobio nranoscopus In this species

body

(Fig. 59) the

and the arch of the back

is

131

(Agassiz).

more elongated than

is

The barbels

lower.

in G. flnviatilis,

are longer; the eyes are

placed obliquely, so as to be directed upward, more towards

The

and caudal

dorsal

marked with The body

are frequently

fins

length of the head,

about six times as long as high

is

or,

Fig. o9.

G. fiiiviatUu

;

the opposite eye, is

similarly

the eye

and

horizontal

attached at

its

is

spots,

the forehead.

but sometimes

running transversely. its

;

thickness

it ;

is

is

The head

— ooKio

its cleft

its

(Fig. 60)

is

by

its

commences opposite

The

the head

own diameter from The mouth

does not i-each to the uares

The

dorsal fin

to the ventral.

is

the barbels

;

tail is

pressed from side to side than in the preceding species, so that

it

fin,

more elongated than

diameter from the snout.

angles reach back to the operculum.

be relatively cylindrical.

more

rRANOscdi't

separated

large,

twice

is

about four and a half times the

taking in the total length of the caudal

just under one-fifth of the length.

in

from

one, two, or three series of blackish dots,

of the fish

than two-thirds of the height; the body

is

free

it

less

com-

appears to

only slightly higher than long

All the other fins possess relatively

longer rays than those of Gohio fitviatilis, the pectoral reaching as far as or behind the beginning of the dorsal, the ventrals

reaching to the anal, while the terminal rays of the

more deeply-forked

tail are as

long as the head.

According to Giinther, there are scales above the lateral line, seven

but

Von

Siebold, Meckel

six

and a half

and a half below

and Kner, and other

;

writers,

agree in reading five rows above the lateral line and four

the

below fin

;

60, HEAD OF GOBIO URANOSCOPUS, SEEN FROM ABOVE.

and there are differences in reading

formulae, the Continental writers giving nine rays in the dorsal and

seven in the anal, while Giinther counts ten in the dorsal and eight in the anal.

THE FRESIT-WATER FISHES OF

132

The trunk and fins may be free from spots, or a row of extend down the back and lateral line. The tail has

diffused pigment.

large

brown

spots

may

a dark border, and the dorsal fin

middle.

This species

is

may have

a dark transverse band in the

usually from three and a half to four and a half

inches long, occasionally reaching five inches. in

Austria,

in Bavaria,

Gudffeon.

and

ET'EOrE.

in

in the

the Iser.

Save and Its

Idria,

It

but was

is

found in the Salzach,

first

found by Agassiz

habits are similar to those

of the

Common

—

—

—

—

1:^8

CHAPTER

V.

FRESH -WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER PHYSOSTOMI {continued).

GROUP LEUCISCINA— Genus

Leuciscus

The Rudd, and

:

its

Varieties— The Ide—Leuciscus

—L. adspersus—The Eoach — L. pigus— L. —The Chub —The Dace —L. illyricus L. pictus — L. svallize— L. ukliva — L. turskyi — L, microlepis — L. tenellus— L. muticellus the Minnow — L. hispanicus — L. arcasii — alburnoides — L. iriacrolepidotus — L. arrigonis L. lemmingii — L. heckelii — L. pyrenaicus — L. polylepis Genvs PAstAPHoxiNus Genis Tinca: The Tench Gexus Chonbhostoma C. nasus— C. phoxiaus — G. genei — C. knerii C. rysela — C. polylepis — C. willkommii. aula

friesii

L..

:

LEUCISCINA.

Group:

LeUCiSCUS

Genus: Leuciscus Gliiitlier

is

(Cuvier). Cypriuoid

one of the most important g-enera of

groups with

it,

in

Dr.

tislies.

an assemblage termed Leucisciua, the genera Cteno-

pharpigodon of China, Mt/lopharodon of California, Parajohoximis of Dalmatia,

Meda of

Columbia

the

North America, Chondrostuma

of South America, Tinea, Leucosomus of

Europe and Western Asia, Orthodon of

represented

River.

in

Eui'opean

Its

sj^ecies

and AcroeJiilns of

California,

allies

all

belong

to

genera

poorly

but Dr. Giinther enumerates in his catalogue

;

no

fewer than thirty-five species of Leuciscus in the Old World, and forty-nine

These species, however, have been divided by modern

species in America.

naturalists into a multitude of genera, little

The genus,

value.

body covered with imbricated line of the

to the ventrals is

;

is

the aual

The

rather short.

intestine

are

the

;

;

the lateral line runs along the middle

the dorsal

generally has

fin is

may

admit

lateral

ten

least

opposite to the ventrals dorsal fin

is

behind

;

of

line,

and

being subdivided by the characters

and

the

name

rays

in the

anal

but when the anal ventrals,

Secondly, the species with divided, so that the

rays,

be conical or compressed; the

dorsal

with the pharyngeal teeth

species

have at

almost always opposite

from nine to eleven

the

they

fin,

fin

name

and anal in

some Continental writers limit the genus Leuciscus type as

which have

by Cuvier and by Giinther, has the

few convolutions. species

pharyngeal teeth,

the

there

fin

it

jiharyng-eal teeth

short, with

The Old World of

scales

or a little below

tail,

founded on characters

as umlerstood

to

a

-fins.

single series

First, ;

and

such species of this

and have the dorsal

fin

has but nine rays, and the the

type

Psejidojokoxinus.

pharyngeal teeth in a double row are sub-

Plio.i'iiins

has been used for those which have the

1

THK FRKSH-WATEi; FISHES OF EUHOPE.

31

incomplete; while types with the lateral line complete have been

lateral line

named

Sqaliii-s,

Id us, Scordinius, and

divided primarily by the

than

fifty or less

than

number

lifty,

The American

Telestan.

of scales in the lateral line,

species are

which

is

more

and minor divisions are based on the position of

the dorsal Hn and arrang-emeat of the i)haryngeal teeth.

Le-aciscus erythrophthalmTis

(Lin.).

— The

D. 11—12, A. 1:3—15, V. 9-10, P. Ki, C.

The

fish

Continent;

known it

is

in

England

Red-eye

as the

is

7/1

7/().

widely distributed on the

the ^iarf in Sweden, the Scardala of Italy,

France, and das Rothaiige oi

Germany

(Fig-.

RticLoL.

le

JloloKjle in

01).

The Rudd has an elevated body, with a narrow oblique terminal mouth, the The origin of the dorsal fin is con-

angle of which reaches under the nares.

CS

Fig, ci

line

and ventral

fin,

(l.INN.lCrs).

There are three rows of scales between the

spicuously behind the ventral. lateral

KHVTHUOI'HTHALMIS

and the belly behind the ventrals forms a sharp

edge covered with scales; but the species

is

extremely variable, and the pro-

portions, measurements, and colour vary with sex, age, is

four times as long as high in the

in old females, in

which the back

height diminishes to one-third.

two and a

half times as

much

vo^^'iii" fish,

conspicuous curve.

rises in a

The body

and habitat.

is

At the

tail

the

compressed, so that the height

as the thickness.

the eye varies with age, being one-quarter

The body

and three times as long as high

The head

is

is

as high as long;

of the length of the head in the

LEUCTSCUS ERYTHROPHTHALMI^S. young-

fish,

or sometimes more, while

than one-fifth of the length of

is less

it

The forehead widens with

the head in the adult.

135

ag-e

the dorsal

;

fin is

nearer

to the caudal than to the snout, higher than wide, with its longest ray as long as the

The vent

head.

is

behind the end of the dorsal and imme-

in a line

diately in front of the anal

In the male

fin.

the pectoral fins reach to

fish

the base of the ventrals; the ventrals are equally

long, but do not reach to

the vent.

All the fins have the rays

rather longer in the males than in the

The

females.

latter,

on the other hand,

have the bases of the anal and dorsal fins relatively

Fig. 62

elongated.

shows HARYNGEAL TEETH OF

Fi2-. &>

the pharyngeal teeth.

LEUCISCUS

ERYTHROPHTHALMVS.

The scales are strong, firmly adherent, and overlap each other considerably their free border,

they are longer than wide, rounded at

;

and more truncate behind.

There

is

a central knot, from

which three or more furrows or canals radiate, and between these there are

Hence the concentric

usually several indistinct furrows. sinuous,

and the

free border of the scale

scales are in the lateral line,

and a half below, ami, according

largest

The number According

from thirty-nine to forty-two. and a half scales above the

to Dr. Glinther, there are seven

growth are

The

and exceed the diameter of the eye.

of scales in the lateral line varies

five

of

lines

slightly undulating.

is

lateral line

and

Heckel and Kner, four rows above

to

and three below. In clear running water the back of the polished steel, with blackish silvery, the anal

and ventral

fish

has the shining aspect of

smears; the sides are brassy-yellow, the belly fins,

and more rarely the

the bases of the caudal and dorsal are usually black extremities, but the bases of the anal are nearly

fins

colourless,

become red

fins are

white

though sometimes tipped with

orange-yellow, with red flecks. their fins

and ventral

dorsal, are blood-red;

the caudal

;

The young

at the margins,

year that the full coloration

of

and

are paler-coloured

it

is

not

the mature fish

The

red. ;

red at its

the pectoral iris

is

in the first year

the end of the second

till is

is

;

acquired.

The

colours,

however, vary with the locality, and differences have been which characterise the fish in different parts of Europe.

Day mentions

Dr.

that

when taken

from deep water the colours are similar to those of Roach or Dace.

A

variety with black

fins,

especially

the ventral and anal,

is

found in

the lakes of Northern Italy, in the ditches of the rice-fields, and in the Engadiue.

and

It is

known

as ScarrJola in

to the Italians as the

some

localities,

DeviFs Fish (Pesce del Llavolu)

and Pioffa

in others.

;

THE FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

136 In

Rudd

size the

Hungarian lakes one

does not exceed one foot

—but

nine to ten inches

— as in

some

and

of the Swiss

a good size; the weight

is

from

is

a half to two pounds, though English specimens have been recorded

and.

which weighed from two to three pounds.

The Rudd

is

met with

cautious and rapid in

hence

its

in

company with the Crucian Carp and Tench,

frequent in ponds and lakes.

is

It feeds

on

and Fatio has attributed the dark colour of the

to an

exclusive diet of dark green

—LEUciscr.s

ekythrophthalmvs

in the Norfolk waters with the red

cious of

life,

and on that account

It

spawns

worm,

some is

varieties

taken easily

dekgle (heckel and kneh).

at sunrise

and sunset.

It is

tena-

used as bait for the Pike.

in April

or

May, and

its eggs by the margins of The eggs number about 100,000.

lays

streams where aquatic plants are plentiful.

The skin

in

It

and furnishes food for Perch, Trout, and other predacious

It breads freely, fishes.

is

fins

vegetable growth.

(LiNNit;us), vah.

worms, and water

insects,

})lants,

Fig-. 63.

is

movements, prefers water which moves slowly, and

of the head

and back

at this time

becomes covered in the male with

little asperities.

The

It lives for about four or five years.

much

valued as food, but

Yarrell

is

mentions having seen

Ilungerford

in

flesh is too full of

bones to be

considered better eating than the Roach it

;

and

exposed for sale by the dozen in the old

Fish Market, which stood on

Railway Station

The

it

the

site

of

the Charing

Cross

London.

variety which Heckel and

Kner distinguished under the name Dergle

presents minor dilferences of aspect (Fig.

dark-linned variety hcspcrldlciift, which

is

G-'i).

It approaches closely to the

found not only

in the

north of Italy,

LEUCISCUS EEYTHROPHTHALMUS. Lut in the Island Cherso, which sharper^ the

anal

;

it is

mouth

chiefly

Fig. 64.

lies

met with

— LEUciscuis

in Bosnia

But the snout

the east o£ Istria.

to

wider, the dorsal fin

137

is

hig^her

than

long-,

is

and similar to the

and Dalraatia, where

it

is

common

in

erythrophthalmus, var. plotizza (heckel and kner).

the Rivers Kerka and Zermagna, and

is

disting-uished

by the

local fishermen as

the Dergle.

A is

second variety, originally indicated by Bonaparte as L. scanlufa (Fig. G5),

characteristic of Italian waters,

and

is

known

in Italy as the Cavezzal

;

it is

'-..7^.<%<,'

Fig. 65.

also

—LEuciscrs

ervthrophthalmus, variety scardafa (honai-arte).

found in the Narenta,

FescJikegl.

in Dalmatia, and is there called t\\Q Pesqnelei, or The only characters which distinguish it even as a variety are the

more abrupt angle at which the lower jaw ascends, the slightly concave of the forehead,

and the horizontal outline

of the

abdomen. The

have a regular fan of rays, which indent the convex contour of each free border.

The

sides of the

head have a mother-of-pearl

colours are not otherwise remarkable.

profile

scales (Fig.

lustre,

Qii)

j^osterior

but the

—

THE

138

A

FliESII-WATElt FISHES

()E

ET'lJUl'E.

uamed by Heekel and Kner Plo(i::a (Fig. 0-4), is also The name Plotizza is White Fish, and those authors apjoear to have considered the

third form,

Dalmatian, but has been met with at Livno, in Bosnia. locally given to

verdict

as to the distinctness of

fishermen

of"

nomenclature.

The unpaired

the typical Rudd.

Tlie

are ratlior

fins

of the frontal

pri)lile

fishes

region

is

long,,

scientific

horizontal,

The

in

and the is

higher fin are

than

shorter

on

but the longest rays of the anal

dorsal outline less convex.

than

binding

more feebly develoiied than

dorsal fin

dorsal.

It reaches a

named by

the Austrian

those of the

length of fourteen inches.

A — .SC\LKS:

LATEKAL

a,

authors L. tuarrophUuiliinis (Fig.

ABOVE THE

LINE

'^

'

"^'"^

only in the Tyrol, where

I.ATEKAL LINE.

the

The body

to seven inches. all

is

Red Carp.

67.

the

lisli^

and

is

— LEUCISCUi

Its

it

common

covered with a net- work

the fins are grey, except the ventral.

Fit--.

ol'

fourth variety was

Leuciscl's scaudaj-a

Fig. G6.

The head

is

It is

<>7).

length of

is

two

black pigment;

lYTHROl'lITHALMUS, VAlt. MACKOI'llTlIAl.MlS.

or

tributed throughout Europe, and

is

of distinguishing

by names,

and merge which

is

may

local

varieties

recorded from Asia ]\linor.

lead to a recognition of

in each other, but

substantially the

is

same

Most

of

three rays with concentric marking, and the

largest scales are scarcely two-thirds of the diameter of the eye.

naturalists,

as

from three

one-lifth of the length

three and a half times the length of the eye.

the scales have only

known

distinguished

is

ill-suited to

if

It

is

followed out persistently by

the steps

by which

species vary

giving a conception of the

in all localities in

dis-

This habit

which

it is

found.

fish,

— ;

LEUCISCUS IDUS.

Lenciscus idus The

tish

is

known

the Aland

in Prussia,

Sweden

in

It

.

named

nearly

all

as the

Id ;

— The

in

Germany

the Continental

in Austria.

It

is

placed

The

writers.

Dace, Rudd, and

Minnow

is

moderately elongated and

sixth of the total length

The eye

is less

;

diameter in the mature

followed by

the Roach, Chub,

compressed

;

its

height

the head

of

is less

is

is

one-

only one-

than half the height.

separated

it is

its

own

and sepa-

fish,

rated from the snout

dia-

meter.

age.

by a single The forehead widens with

The mouth

is

in length,

and the angle of the mouth

the jaws are equal

;

reaches only to the nares.

forms

allies,

its

The length

fish.

from the other eye by twice

small

in a distinct

(HXN.T'IUS).

the greatest thickness

;

is

than one-quarter of

the length of the head

membrane

by Heckel

(Fig. 68).

the length of the

of

the Nerfiing

is

grouping of Dr. Giinther,

larger

however, preserves the species in association with

The body

it

Idus, and in this sub-division of Lenciscus he

DUS

quarter

Ide.

the Gd)<e in Silesia, Bratfiseh in some parts of

is

Hungary, and the Gangling g-enus,

(Lin.).

139

AHVNGEAL TEETH OF LErCISCUg

The mucus

numerous

folds

IDUI?.

on

the throat, and they are covered with delicate papilla', some of which put on the

appearance of teeth. 3-5.

The

The pharyngeal

dorsal profile

at the hinder part of the

is

teeth (Fig. 69) have the formula 5-3

moderately and evenly arched, with a depression

head

;

the ventral outline

is

similar.

;

THE I'JtESIIWATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

140

The

dorsal fin

of the

It

fish.

iu

is

about the middle, or rather behind the middle, of the leng-th

nearly as hig-h as the head

is

is

The ventral

not so deep as the dorsal.

and reach

dorsal,

The

to the vent.

The caudal

extend to the ventrals.

The

is long-.

aniil

fin

in the

is

is

nearly as high as long, but

fins are

placed rather in front of the

posterior third of the length of the body.

It

and do not

pectoral fins are rather short,

deeply forked and evenly lobed, with

fin is

terminal rays longer than the head.

its

The

lateral line is sub-parallel to the ventral outline,

point between the ventral and anal

The

are rather smaller

scales

concentric

;

than

upon the

scales, head, 02:)erculum,

the back the tint

is

abdomen

is

sides are whitish, the

The

golden.

they have strong

;

The largest truncate. At spawning-time white

iris is

and

May,

tendency towards

Von

Siebold,

In

During*

blackish-blue, with a metallic lustre

all

the

;

and the head and operculum are

silvery,

yellow, with dark spots in

violet.

ray of the pectoral

the colours are conspicuously

its

caudal fins are grey-blue or violet, while the other

though, according to

first

age, locality, and season of the year.

spring and spawning-time, in April and

On

lowest

is

than the diameter of the eye.

the colour varies with

bright.

Chub

the

in

The attached border

with a few radiating grooves. scales are smaller

fin

its

with the rounded free border slightly festooned, and marked

stria;,

tubercles appear

and reaches

fins.

The

upper part.

and

dorsal

more or

fins are

red

less

the fins have a reddish tinge, with a

autumn

the

colours

grow darker

:

the back

becomes black or greenish-blue, but the brassy or golden lustre changes into yellowish-white

;

only the ventral and anal

In the young the red colour of the

remarkable in the anal

fin

and the back

;

fins retain

fins is

a dull red colour.

and

brightest,

is

then

much

paler,

is

especially

and has some-

times a brassy tone.

These five

about one foot long, and commonly weigh four or

fishes are usually

pounds.

They

occasionally reach a length of eighteen or twenty inches,

and then weigh upwards of are found in

six

pounds in the Danube, but larger specimens

North Germany.

Its habits cause

it

shallow streams, and

to prefer pure cold water, so that it

lives in

deep

])laces in

winter.

common

it

is

not

It

is

not confined to

in

fresh w^atcr, being found in the Baltic and about its islands. It in the

a

fish

is

timid,,

evening;

but crafty, and comes to the quiet surface of the water only it

much sought

swims after,

rapidly.

It lives for eight or nine years.

but when fished

for,

bait used consists of grasshoppers, dung-fly, or small fishes.

when It

boiled in salt water becomes yellowish or red, like is

widely distributed in Eastern Europe.

is

not

line,

the

It

whether with net or

Its white

flesh

Salmon Trout.

According

to Dr.

Grimm,

it is

LEUCISCUS 0EFU8. found

over European Russia, as far north as Petcliora, but

all

the Caucasus. is

found in It

taries.

There

It

is

abundant

is

in the middle

met with

in

Belgium and the eastern part

known

a variety of this fish

Golden Carp, a Ide agree in

orf/i.'i

sort of

all

it

more durable

is

is

The

belly

longitudinally to the tint of the

is

chiefly

rial

The

is

tail,

abdomen.

The terminal rays are white.

proportions, the

number

of

scarcely inferior to the Gold Fish, while its

and specimens kept many years

;

The back and

serve their original colour perfectly.

orange-red.

the Golden Tench or type, for the Orfe and

scales are the same.

In magnificence of colour vermilion tint

like

is,

The

the essentials of structure.

and number of

tribu-

its

common

fish

Albino variety of the

Danube and of France.

Golden Ide, the Orfe, or Gold

as the

This

oi Linnttus.

absent from

is

and southern parts of Scandinavia,

the rivers of Central Europe, and in the

all is

Nerfling; the L.

rays,

141

A

silvery.

in spirit pre-

sides are vermilion

or

broad indistinct band of violet tint runs

and divides the deep red of the back from the pale

All fins are red at the base and white at the points.

of the caudal fin

and the

rays of all the other fins

first

In Austria

golden-red, with a black pupil.

iris is

found as a cultivated

this variety

examples being preserved in the Impe-

fish, fine

ponds at Laxemburg Castle, near Vienna, and in preserves at Munich, and According to Bloch, the Orfe has forty-five vertebrae and

Diinkelsbiihl.

twenty-two pairs of vertebrae

and

ribs,

but the Gangling

Dr. Giinther gives the number of

the species at forty-seven,

vertebi'ae for

twenty-six in the body, and twenty-one in the

A

said to have only forty-one

is

fifteen pairs of ribs.

tail.

variety of the Orfe, originally brought from the Tyrol,

ornamental waters species,

in

Austria, and was regarded

which they named L. miHialus.

is

kept in various

by Heckel and Kner

The head

is

as a

larger and longer, the

back of a paler red, the sides devoid of the median violet band, the abdomen while the sides are marked with blackish transverse bands, which

reddish,

extend over the trunk and head.

It has about the

same weight and

size as

the Orfe.

Another variety of Leucisctts idus the

name

distinguished by Dr. Giinther under

is

known from the river Muonio, a tributary Tornea, forming the frontier between Sweden and Lapland, where it

of the

of L. lapjwniciis.

It

is

The height

reaches a length of seven or eight inches.

one-third of the total

the origin ventral

of

dorsal

fin

is

fish,

nearly

of the

body

is

exclusive of the caudal

vertical

over

the

region

about

fin,

and

of

the

fin.

Leucucus v.. 9,

the

length of the

horijsihcnicus (Kessler)

has the

fin

with thirty-seven or thirty-eight scales

formula D. 11, A. 11

in the lateral line.

— 13,

There are

THE FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EFROPE

142

seven rows of scales above the lateral line, and two and a half rows between the lateral line and the root of the ventral

very obliqne mouth, and is

is

The head is broad, with a The heig-ht of the body

fin.

one- fifth of the length.

one-quarter of the total leng-th without the caudal

It

fin.

is

found in the

Dnieper.

Leuciscus aula

(Bonaparte). above

D.

11— H,

A.

11— 1£,

V. 10, P. 15—17, C. 19.

Scales

:

lat. line

37—46.

below This species in

Europe

(Fio-.

70)

is

a southern representative of L.

Fig-. 70.

thick, with

a terminal

—LEUciscrs

In the youno-

as the thickness. its

elevated, the head short

is

diameter

is

The eye

is

the body

In

old

is

length

;

is

its

is

four times as long-

age the height

relatively larger in the

The

moderately arched. it is

dorsal fin

is

when mature, twice as great

young, but

about one-fourth of the length of the head.

The

frontal bones between the eyes increases with age.

region

and

snout, but the upper jaw projects fish

high, and usually three and a half times as long as high

thougli the proportions are variable.

44

found only

aula (honai'aute).

mouth and obtuse

slightly beyond the lower. as

The body

south of the Alps.

riitilns,

commences

in

maturity

The breadth

of the

profile of the frontal

in the

middle of the

a little higher than long, truncated behind, so that the last ray

half as long as the

first.

The anal

fin is

rays are shorter than those of any other

the length of the longest one.

The

much fin.

less

developed in height, and

The

last ray is two-thirds of

pectorals are

but moderately developed.

LEUCISCUS RUBELLA. and become relatively small

The

venti-als.

caudal

are too short to reach

to the

The terminal rays

of the

ventral fins extend to the vent.

The

longer than the head.

fin are

They

in old age.

143

lateral line descends

angle of the operculum towards the ventral to the middle of the

Under

tail.

fin in

the dorsal

the lateral line

fin

from the upper

a concave curve, rising again is

in the lower

third of the body.

The

largest scales on the lateral line are longer

than the diameter

surround a central thickening, and there

of the

Consecutive

eye; they are similar to those of the Roach, and are strong.

strife

is

a variable number of radiating rays, usually five to six,

many as

but sometimes as

eleven,

between which the rounded border of the scale

is

The smallest

festooned.

scales are

towards the two extremities of the body, and along the middle of the back.

The colour

of the back

is

ai*e

from the caudal

fin

A

The abdomen

fins

are colourless, but exhibit

and

locality.

They

silvery-white, with

fish

According

The

golden band often exists above

The

or less of a golden tinge.

are sometimes grey,

and the

The

colours

pectoral, ventral,

become a

little

and anal may

dim with

age.

does not often exceed six inches in length.

they have the

males are relatively few.

to Fatio, the first

ray of the pectoral

air-bladder

is

fin

At the breeding season

thickened.

large and constricted in the middle.

The pharyngeal

vertebrae.

A more

some amount of variation with age, season,

have a yellowish or reddish tinge. This

broad black band extends about the lateral

to the operculum.

it.

is

of leu-

CISCUS AULA,

sometimes golden-

green and sometimes yellow. line

7L-pharvngeal teeth

^'S-

a pale olive*-

green, but the sides

teeth are in a single

row

There are thirty-six

of five on each side,

and

resemble those of the Roach (Fig 71).

The and

is

species

is

common known

in the north of

provincially

Spain and Portugal.

It

is

as

Tr/otfo.

Italy in both lakes and streams,

It

is

found

in

Dalmatia, and in

nowhere valued as food.

There are two varieties of this species recognised by Heckel.

The variety

which, following Bonaparte, he names L. rubella (See Frontispiece) has the

form more elongated, and the head higher than anal fins higher than long.

high, and

five

The body

times as long as the head.

in front of the dorsal fin; as

relatively

is

in L. aula, with the dorsal

The

dorsal profile forms a flat arch,

compared with Leiiciscus aula, the dorsal

higher in this variety, and has the base shorter.

dark brownish-green colour

;

and

said to be always four times as long as

fin is

The back has a

the pectoral, anal, and ventral fins are reddish

;

THE FRESH- WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

144

and the

band of a lead-blue

lateral

tint^ so characteristic

either wanting- or only partially developed.

inches.

It

known north

not

is

length

Its

of the Tyrol, but

of Leitciscns ciuIk, is

from two to

is

six

found in Lake Garda and

is

other Italian localities, in Istria and Dalmatia, and at Brusa, in Asia Minor.

Many it

and Fatio, refuse

authors, like Canestrini, Giinther,

recognise

to

even as a variety, because intermediate forms can be found, and individuals

of the species

Leucucus aula present characters found

more convenient

seems to us

it

to recognise the variety as exhibiting a direction in

species Leuciscns aula tends to

as to regard the fishes

Von

become modified.

which have been referred

but such

in this fish;

a proceeding prejudges the question of specific variation, and

which the

Siebold would go so far

to Leucincus rubella, L. aula,

L. adspersus, and L. ha^ah, as varieties of Lencucus rulilus.

HeckePs second Imosky, and It

variety, L. hamlc,

found only in Dalmatia, where

is

known under the name Basak, and

locally

Moreover, the body

back.

is

Hence the head

size of the forehead,

is

and has small

is

is

own

The dorsal

diameter.

scales on the

nearly one-quarter of the length of the

The eye

relatively larger than in L. rubella.

one-quarter of the length of the head, and its

it

Drusino, near

di

so attenuated that its height is only equal to the

length of the head, and the head

snout by

Lago

in other localities (See Fhontispiece).

remarkable for the small

is

occurs in the

fish.

large, being

removed from the rather pointed

is

fin is

described variety, and has a shorter base.

is

higher than in the previously

There

is

no trace of the longitudinal

lateral band.

Leuciscns adspersus

(Heckel).

— 16

above 15

D. 10, A. 10, V.

9, P. 14, C. 19.

Scales

:

lat. line

.58—60

below This

is

the

is

In aspect

it

The length is

is

known

fish also occurs.

small

;

—

7.

another of the fishes of Dalmatia described from a small lake near

Imosky, which

The lake

6

and the

deeply sunk, like a crater, as the Jessero rosso,

The

species

is

among

the surrounding rocks.

and has a subterranean

locally

known

outlet, in

which

as the Gaorlzc (Fig. 72).

somewhat resembles the Minnow. of the head

entire

is

body

equal to the height of the body; the scales are is

spotted with blackish-brown pigment.

on each side a single row of pharyngeal teeth.

the preceding species, the head the eye one-quarter of the

is

As

There

in the variety bosaJi, of

one-quarter of the length of the body, and

length of the head, similarly distant from the

snout, and also one and a half times its

own diameter from

the other eye.

8

LEUCISCUS RUTILTTS. The ventral

fins

145

male extend over the vent to the

in the

;

first

ray of the anal

The At spawning-.time the

but in females they are shorter, and do not reach to the vent.

fin,

more developed

pectoral fins also are

in the males.

females have a fleshy thickening at the base of the dorsal

fin,

and the anterior

half of the base of the anal fin becomes similarly thickened with fatty pads.

The terminal rays The and

of the caudal fin are not longer

free

from radiating

At spawning-time especially

than the rays of the dorsal.

marked with

scales are soft, easily detached,

close-set concentric rings,

They have a firmer consistence

rays.

in the males.

the scales in the female are, to a large extent, wanting,

on the back

;

when

but even

all

the scales are present they never

.EVCISCUS Ansi-EKSIS (HErKEl,).

overlap each other at the sides, and are only just in contact. scales closely

resemble those of Parapltoxinits

The abdomen dai'k

the only part of the body which

is

brown pigment.

work, and this

The spots often run into each

maybe

In character the

alepidotiift. is

not spotted with

other,

forming a net-

seen on the caudal and dorsal fins, and sometimes on the

The pectoral and ventral fins are always colourless. At spawning-time the region round the vent is much swollen

anal.

females, and behind the vent there

The length

varies

from two

is

to four inches

most constant distinguishing characters of

Leuciscus rutilns

;

and the small

size is

(Lin.).

— The Scales

:

lat. line

below

as the

head

and

in

is

fish

resembles the

is

—

5|.

between one-sixth and one-fifth of the

Rudd

in the deep,

some parts of Germany the same name 10

7

42— 44

body somewhat elevated, being about as high

long, while the head

This

length.

one of the

Roach. above

(Fig. 73) has the

the

this species.

D. 13—14, A. 12—14, V. 10, P. 16, C. 19.

The Roach

in

a reddish prominence.

is

compressed form of body

applied indifPerently to both.

THK

I(i

The month

fi;k

half times, or only three difference

is

and a half times

two diameters

of the orbit,

Fig. 73.

The

female.

are large and

on each

live

is

two small.

of the

mouth, which

The

inter-orbital space

and

is

An

— LErcisns

is

sharply

it

sometimes goes no

is

equal to from one

rather wider in the male than in the

iutih

s

(linn-.i^-s).

formed of four

The pharyngeal

which two

to six bones, of

teeth are in a single row, usually

though sometimes there may be

As

a

This

jjcculiar to certain localities.

is

The angle

sul)-orbital arcade is

side,

on the other.

the leno-th of the head.

reach to the front of the orbit, though

farther back than the nares. to

in

sometimes one diameter from the snout, and some-

is

times distant half as far again.

may

and may be contained four and

of the eye varies,

not dependent on age, but

eye of the same size

inclined,

upper jaw searoely projects beyond the

terminal, and the

is

The diameter

mandilde.

of ErHoi'K.

fisiiks

^^A^I•;l;

in all other Cyprinoids,

when

six

on one side, and

a tooth

is

five

broken, the base

removed, and a new tooth grows in the depression.

The

dorsal fin

than

in the

Rudd.

down

situate on the convex back, nearly half-way

is

length of the l)ody, and behind the origin of the ventrals This

fin is

;

the

but farther forward

higher than long, with the last ray half the

length of the longest ray, so that the slightly concave posterior border has a truncate ai)pearance.

The

pectoral fins

scarcely longer than the ventrals.

ray of the dorsal l^ise fin

and of

is

;

it

its rays.

is

The

less elevated,

The ventrals

are usually feebly developed,

anal fin

commences behind the

but varies, both in the length of

also vary in

form and length.

deeply notched, and the lobes are ])ointed.

lono'cr than the head.

and last its

The caudal

The terminal

rays

are

LEUCiSCT^S RUTILUS.

The

greatest height of the

The

lateral line

and

is

but the largest are at least equal to

scales vary in size with the individual,

They

marked with concentric

are

few rays, which form slight festoons on the

centre

the

of

The smallest

scales are

growth

lines of

The thickened

free border.

and the whole of the exposed part

scale,

pigment granules.

blackish

The

firmly adherent, has a median portion and lateral angles.

the diameter of the eye. a

fin,

canal opens

its

;

rounded at the free edges, with the sides horizontal.

scales are

attached end, which

and

tail.

simple pores.

line of

The

The

three times the depth of the

is

runs parallel to the ventral border as far as the anal

nearer to the ventral border than to the dorsal border

is

by a

body

147

spotted with

is

found on the anterior

part of the back and pectoral region.

As

in allied fishes, the colour

with conditions of existence, and

varies

The

Ijecomes most brilliant at the spawning season, especially in the males.

colour of the upper part of the body

becoming

blackish.

commonly

silvery,

The

some

is

sometimes

tint of blue or green,

sometimes yellowish,

sides are brighter,

The

with a bluish or greenish tinge.

belly

l>ut is

nidre

silvery-

white.

The spots,

ventral and anal fins are red

though

old individuals this

in

smeared with

The

red.

The Roach grows weighs five

;

the dorsal and caudal are grey, with red

The

and they often have a blackish border.

less

iris is silvery,

is

the

greyish-white,

becomes

others,

but gets dotted with red with age.

than the Rudd, but commonly

to a rather larger size

than two pounds.

pectoral

common with

in

fin,

Its length

usually from twenty to twenty-

is

centimetres, though in the Kurische Haff

it

reaches a length of thirty

centimetres.

Frank Buckland, who was an is

afraid

finest

of

tackle

drawn gut.

every float that

must be The

best hair

The best

The Roach in small

bait

is

is

single hair

known

coloured hair from the tails of horses.

the least bit too big,

A

used.

gregarious.

On

for

is

much

Roach fishing

tells

us that the fish

and

to

gentles, which

is

According to

it

rivers,

it

the

state coach-

sheep^s liver.

fishes,

and even in the

being found

salt

waters of

Its habit

thrives best near to the sea.

Yarrell,

feeds in the shallows at night.

lakes,

it

the long peculiarly

must be fattened on

one of the most widely distributed of

British coasts

catch

better than the finest

Her Majesty^s cream-coloured

and large streams, ponds,

the Baltic.

Roach angler,

excellent

is

is

frequents deeper waters by day, and

Its food

comprises

worms,

insects, fresh-

water mollusca, spawn, and water-plants.

According to national

dish in

Dr. O.

Grimm,

Russia, and the

the Roach

m

demand appears

a to

dried

state

is

be increasing.

quite

a

From

THE

1-1-8

Fin^SH- WATER FISHES

OF EUHOrE.

300,000,000 to 400,000,000 of the Caspian variety of the Roach are eauf^ht

When

every year. thirty-six

fresh they weigh about 7,000,000

poods

pood beino^

(a

pounds Eng'lish), but only weigli half as much when

dried.

In

ISOS one thousand salted Caspian lloach could be bought in Astrakhan for

from sixty

two

shillings

eighty co])ecks, that

to

and threepence;

thousand

unsalted

fisheries.

The

Roach

is

made

into

amount The Roach spawns

together, to the

the

of 150,000 poods,

Jime in England, when the

is

May

and

in April

;

the

at the

roubles)

of several tons of

and exported

Bream

but

;

caviare

it

not

is

from both

exported from Astrakhan. in Prussia,

May

in Austria,

The

become rough.

of the male

scales

(seven

amount

to the

caviare,

from the roe of

separated

and tenpence to

shilling

one pound sterling

cost

roe of the Caspian Roach,

thousands of poods,

commonly

from one

is,

but in 1S72 the price had so increased that one

and

fishes

then assemble in weedy places in shoals, and exhibit those lively movements

which have given

''

the adage,

rise to

As sound

depend on mediaeval etymology, but

to

safe

Roach was incapable

becoming

of

diseased,

as a Roach. ^''

it

It

is

not often

had been supposed that the

and was hence named

after St.

Roch, the legendary vEsculapius.

Lund

says that females ascend

when the

males, and that

stream preceded and followed by

the

females, tired with these attentions, deposit their

eggs, the males rub themselves against the precious deposit, and fecundate the

The young

ova.

are said to breed in the second year.

The eggs number^ according

to

Benecke, 80,000 to 100,000.

that they are greenish, but become red

At

considerable noise and movement.

and are

The

The eggs

easily captured.

for

Trout and Pike.

Bream, Rudd,

The

fish

to the

retires

there, according to Fatio, in a sleepy or

The

fish

is

from ten

to fourteen days.

quickly, and form excellent food

and not only herds with troops of

but breeds with them, forming several bastard

&c.,

In winter the Roach

liable to attacks

stales

for food, being full of bones, but are

sociable,

is

Day

are deposited with

this time the fishes lose their shyness,

They grow

in the best condition in October.

They

boiled.

are hatclied in

much valued

however, not

fish are,

when

varieties.

bottom of the water, and remains

hybernating condition

till

the spring.

from a Leech, and a multitude of

intestinal

worms, which are sometimes so numerous as to give the body a swollen aspect.

The Roach Belgium,

where

it

is

found throughout Europe north of the Alps,

Holland, occurs in

Germany,

France, all

river basins,

Sea of Azov and the Caspian.

Germany Sweden

it

it is

is

die

^forl

;

Flotze

and

in

;

and

In France in

Austria, is

Scandinavia,

in

Britain,

and Russia,

found in great quantities in the

it is

Austria, das

known

as le

Rotliauge,

Holland, df Bldnk-roarn.

G anion ;

or

in j\orth

Botlijlosser ;

in

LEUCISCTiy PAUSINGERI.

Kner

Pleckel and

Constance, large eyes

record that varieties, with the eyes large and forehead

obtained from the

small, are

and deep body, occurs

tributaries,

A

It

is

A

and Flatten See.

found in the Danube and

by having the dorsal

characterised

74.

is

is

and in the Traun and Atter See.

a shorter base, and lower anal

It

in the Neusiedler See

and a broad forehead,

Lake

and

Lemberg-

Another variety, with

more marked variety was distinguished as Leuciscna jjanslngeri

Heckel (Fig. 74).

head.

from ponds in

Oder,

and spread over the north of Europe.

variety, with small eyes its

149

depression.

— LELX'ISCUB

KITILVS, YAK. ]'AU8INGEUI.

and a half times as long

as the

frontal profile rises steeply to the back without an intervening

The eye

The beginning fin is as

one-fourth of the length of the head.

is

of the dorsal fin

third higher than long

The anal

of

higher, with

than in the typical forms of the Roach.

fin

four times as long as high, and five

The

fin

;

its

is

exactly opposite the ventral, and

upper border

long as high.

The

is

more concave than

pectoral

and ventral

in

is

one-

the type.

fins are of

the same

length, and the pectoral reaches nearer to the ventral, than does the ventral to the vent.

The eye has a deep-red This variety

is

iris.

found at Egel See,

The in

largest

example

Upper Austria.

is

nine inches long.

THE

150

oF FFKOPF.

FISIIKS

FIJF.SlI-WATKi;

Leuciscns pigns

(Lac^p.).

7^—8 46—49

above 1).

1:

-14.,

A. 11, V.

P.

1(J,

18—19,

C.

Scales

111.

:

lal. line

below

Como and Lugano,

In the Italian lakes, especially

synonymous with sralant."

lover, so that the

The fishermen

I'^ig.

This

lish

came

75.

— LEUciscvs

the

'^

it

le

word

gardon

autumn Encobia.

piGvs (lackpkd;;).

to be described as a distinct species,

writers from the Leuciscns of the

in

it

a beautiful

is

of P'go, a

Swiss writers have called

Lake Como term

of

there

name

Leuciscns, highly valued for food, Avhich goes by the

4.

and distinguished by some

Danube, which was termed L.

but

r'irgo,

they are, beyond doubt, varieties of the

same is

species,

the

and as the name L.

older,

we

pit/us

give some ac-

first

count of the lake variety (Fig. 75).

The form with

the

of the

head

smaller than in fin is

TEETH Of

Fig.

LEIXISCV;

the head, or a to the hinder

little

j'art

more.

of the heiul.

of

The

the eye profile

I"'ig.

L. nitilits

longer than high.

elongated,

is

and the eye ;

the anal

The head

is

about one-sixth of the length, and the fish

The diameter

long as high.

body

shorter

7(5

is is

about four and a half times as

about one-fifth of the length of

rises

quickly over the

shows the phiu-yngeal

blunt snout

teeth.

LEUGISCUS PIGUS.

The

dorsal fin

is

scarcely higher than long-,

and begins in the middle latively to

height

its

151

is

of the

is

a distinction from

L.

have a greater diameter than the eye

The

the anal

of

fin

re-

The terminal rays

rut'di(ft.

of the caudal fin exceed the length of the head. lateral line

opposite to the ventral,

The length

length.

largest scales on the

they

;

have numerous diverging rays, as in L. rutilus.

At ppawning-time

and

otherwise naked head,

the

the scales are covered with prickly growths, so charac-

The back

Cyprinoids (Fig. 77).

teristic of

coming bronzy towards the

green be-

is

sides; the belly

— HEAD OF LEV-

Fig. 77. ClSCrS

silvery;

is

SEEN

PIGIS,

FUOM BELOW. the anal and ventral fins are nearly black, and the other

weighs three

inches, and often

It reaches a length of fifteen

greyish.

fins

pounds.

The Vienna

variety called as Fritalisc/i,

l)y

Heckel L.

It is also

v'/ri/o

known

in

is

known

the fishermen

to

of

It belongs to

Austria as Nerjlbig.

heckel).

the group of the so-called white

some other as

species.

In the Danube and

food.

fifteen inches,

The head to

fishes.

It

is less

Its fiosh is well-fiavoured its

common than

and wholesome, but

tributaries its length

varies

and the weight may reach about two pounds (Fig. small and sub-conical.

is

middle of the length of the head.

not prized

from

The aperture

of

six to

78).

The breadth between the eyes

The hinder border

half the length of the head.

the Ide and is

is

equal

of the orbit

is

in the

mouth

is

small,

the

reaching under the nares, but the large nares are rather nearer the orbit than the snout. over is

it.

The mouth

The

is

slightly protractile,

and the nose

is

sub-orbital arcade consists of five or six bones.

more rounded

at the base than in the typical L. pig as.

inflated a little

The operculum

The pharyngeal

bones are larger than in the Roach, and the pharyngeal teeth form a single row, six on the

left

bone, and

five

on the right.

THE FRESH-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

JorZ

The

dorsal fin

The

four.

higher than long

one-fourth hig-her than

is

anal lin

slightly

is

anterior soft rays divide four times, its posterior rays

its

;

Its soft rays divide into

long'.

entirely behind the dorsal, has a shorter base,

is

divide three times diehotomously.

The

ventral

are rather

fins

advance of the dorsal, are rounded, and

in

The

rather shorter than the pectoi-als, which are not so long as the head. pectoral fin

is

more rounded than

are

fins

well developed;

in

lower lobe

its

is

the typical

The caudal

L. plgiis.

rather the longer;

its

dichotonious

rays divide three or four times.

The

scales are large,

and firmly attached, largest

the body, and over and under the lateral

times that of the eye.

They

which are found on the

breast.

and on their

are four times as large as the smallest scales,

The

scales

of the spawning-time

which

in

into white points.

rise

often more than the diameter of the eye

On

a sharp, curved spine. set

have the usual wavy concentric

free border a fan of five to seven rays.

At the beginning lenticular spots

;

the males

spring,

The head

below the

develop

Their width and height are

sometimes the blunt cone becomes

the sides of the body they are larger and thicker

than elsewhere, and cover the whole of the free part of the

are rarely seen

less

These scales have a diameter of one and a half

suddenly than in the Roach.

striping,

in the anterior half of

which descends ventrally

line,

They

scale.

lateral line.

covered with similar growths, which often form two longi-

is

tudinal rows, extending, from the upper angle of the gill-opening, forward

The hinder head and

over the eyes.

and they extend round

the nares.

frontal region

They

are

crowned with them,

is

frequently

so

thick-set

on

the principal rays of the dorsal and caudal fins as to give a notched aspect to the rays

;

as large as

there

and the middle rays poppy

remains for some

In

each stood.

life

of the caudal fin are covered with tubercles

After spawning,

seeds.

time a depression

these like a

tubercles scar

their bases are full of salts, but

in

are

shed

;

and

the spot where

when kept

in

spirit

the growths acquire a horny consistence.

In winter the colour of the back bluish, the

the head

is

belly

dark

;

is

silvery,

and the

is

pale greenish-brown, the sides are

and the throat milk-white.

iris

The upper

part of

pale-yellow, with dark spots.

The dorsal fin is paler than the back the jjcetoral fin is transparent. The ventral and anal fins are half-white, half-red, while the caudal is pale-red ;

in

the

middle,

and deeper red at the extremities of the

lobes,

which are

bordered with grey.

At the end

of ^larch,

when

the

first

trace of the wart-like growths appears,

the back ac(iuires a darker green, and the sides put on a violet tint, which

;

153

LEUCISCTJ8 PIGUS.

becomes bluish-red as scales shine

The opercular region and all the is not equalled by any other

extends forward.

it

with an oixalescent splendour, which

The upper part

European Cyprinoid.

of the dorsal fin

becomes reddish, the

and the pale red of the ventral and anal

pectorals yellowish,

fins

changes into

These colours increase

deep orang-e, while the caudal becomes a yellowish -red.

end of April or beginning of May, the back becoming darker,

in brilliance to the

the snout bluish-red, while the cheeks and operculum have a silver ground

with a play of colour which changes to rose-red, or yellow

and

;

and the

fade,

cicatrices

violet,

where the pearly gfowths

left

azure-blue, green,

After spawning, the colours

the fins become bright red.

all

gradually

off

fell

disappear.

There are twenty-seven vertebra? the

The Leachcns It

the dorsal

in

region, and nineteen in

tail.

is

has never

Bonaparte

of

roseas

known only from

is

probably a variety of L. pigus.

the Lakes of Piedmont, and

The

seen a specimen.

differences of

most

is

so rare that Canestrini

proportions are

small

all

and

and unimportant.

The

rose

Fatio suggests that

it

a local pale-coloured variety of L. pigns, comparable

is

colour

to the pale-coloured varieties of the

The

LeitciscKS pigus

As soon

distinctive

attribute

Roach.

as the fishes are seen

it is

taken in great numbers with

on the surface the net

round them, and they are sometimes driven into shallow water. cious its

fish,

to

;

captured by the Italian fishermen chiefly in the

During the breeding season

early morning.

the net.

is

its

is

is

It

extended is

a vora-

which nothing comes amiss which can be swallowed, though

foul feeding does

not affect

quantities the Italians salt

Leuciscus

When

quality as food.

its

and dry

taken in great

in the sun for winter use.

it

friesii

(Nordmann).

D. 11—12, A. 1:2—14-, V. 10—11, P. 20, C. 19. Scales

This species in the

is

:

lat. line

salt

small

(37,

transverse 11/S.

Mond

See in Upper Austria, and

and

is

met with

is

in the

known from

the

Lake

Sea of Azov and the

parts of the Black Sea, and in the central and southern parts of

the Caspian, where

The

—

found in the mountain lakes of Bavaria, like the Chiem See

After See and

of Derkos, near Constantinople, less

CI

it

ascends the rivers Koora and Terek.

species is well defined

scales,

by

its

elongated, nearly cylindrical form, and

though the proportions vary with the

locality (Fig 79).

The

KKSlI-WATKl;

TlIK

151

I'

I

SI

IKS (iF l]V

the body at the beÂť^iiiiiing of the dorsal

heig'lit of

the head, and

is

The head has a bluntly-couieal form, but culum twice

The eye

as high. its

is

not quite so broad at the oper-

diameter from the snout, and half the length of the head from the

The dorsal contour

The

fish.

rather small (one-sixth of the leng^th of the head),

other eye, so that the frontal region, which

contour

is

equal to the lenj^'th of

is

liii

one-sixth of the entire leng-th of the

is

arched as

convex,

is

nearly straight from the pectoral to the anal

is

dorsal fin

commences well

in

remarkably broad.

is

as the dorsal

fiir

but the

fin,

ventral

tin.

advance of the midtlle of the Ijody

it is

;

higher than long, the base being two-thirds of the length of the longest

ray;

it

is

truncate behind, the terminal rays being reduced to about one-

Fig-

vs

79.

The anal

third of the height in front. of the dorsal;

it is

fin is

(noudman:

fin

far behind the termination

is

long, and its base

as high as

The ventral

the dorsal.

FKiKsii

is

as long as the base of

broad, of moderate length, a little shorter than

commencement

the pointed pectoral, and opposite the

caudal

fin is well

the

of

The

dorsal.

developed, evenly lobed, and deeply

forked.

The

scales

form a fan Fisj;.

80.

CVS

— iiKAD

OK

i.kic is-

SEliN

I'UIESII,

are

nearly

edge of the

of fifteen to scale.

The

on

lines

They

the

free

largest scales are smaller than

lUO.V

The of the fish in a concave curve.

During

life

lateral line descends a little

Its

of the

below the middle

mucus-canal opens by sim])le pores.

the colour of the upper part of the head and back

green, the sides are blue-grey, and the throat and

though the two

latter

The

dorsal,

is

blackish-

abdomen milk-white.

abdomen shows behind the margin where

black spot of half-moon shape. blackish,

twenty

than

longer rays.

the diameter of the eye.

AJtOVE.

scale

but

circular,

marked with many radiating

broad, and

pectoral,

become grev towards

it

is

and caudal

tlijir

Every

over-lapped, a fins

extremities.

are

The

— 155

LEUCI8CU.S FRIESII. ventral and anal fins are bluisli-white at

their bases,

sometimes becoming

At spawning-time the males develop remarkably large conical pointed tubercles, vs^hieh grow from rounded bases, like the tubercles of reddish.

The white colour

Leuciscns pi(jus.

name

the

of Perlfisch

this

for

of these thorn-like processes has suggested

The

species.

largest

tubercles

are

found

on the upper part of the head (Fig. 80) and fore part of the back; smallest on the

When

fins.

this

growth takes place the

entire

the

abdomen

acquires a delicate red colour.

The

grows to a larger

Perlfisch

size

than the Nerfling, measuring over

twenty inches when adult, and Von Siebold mentions some examples which measured twenty-six inches

commonly

It

lives in

comes to the surface

when

it

may

;

only at

Von

be about ten pounds.

spawning-time, in

During the spawning-time

line,

the lakes of

May,

on earthworms,

— which, according

Heckel, three weeks

Siebold, lasts a fortnight, and, according to

the Perlfisch are chiefly caught with the

in

half

tlie *first

It then feeds

ascend the tributary brooks.

cockchafers, and small fishes. to

may

the weight

deep water during the whole year, and

and then are

t) be seen in the

In lakes the young Munich fish market, though not much valued for food. fishes commonly live at a depth of fifteen fathoms, but the oldest may be taken in six fathoms.

The

skeleton,

according to Gilnther, consists of twenty-six vertebrae in

the dorsal region and seventeen in the

and two more

powerfully developed

on the other base

;

tail,

which

one fewer in the back are

they are in a single row, six on one side and

five

than in L. pigas.

they are club-shaped, owing to a constriction towards the

;

and the teeth are described by Von Siebold

;

is

The pharyngeal teeth

in the tail

as

more compressed than

in the Nerfling.

Leuciscus cephalus

(Linn^us).

— The

Chub.

D. 11, A. 11—12, V. 10, P. 14—15, C. 10. Scales

The Chub

(Fig. 82),

:

lat. line

which

is

42—16,

trans.

7A/6i.

widely spread over Europe and Asia Minor,

belongs to the division of the genus Leuciscus in which the pharyngeal teeth

two rows, a type which most Continental writers regard

are in

as of generic

importance, and as forming their genus Scpialius.

The body body is

is

less

is

thick, but slightly compressed, with a very broad head.

more than than

half

five

the

times the length of the head heiirht.

The head

is

;

lono-er

The

the greatest thickness

than hi^h, and

the

— TIIK FliK-^lI-WATKl; FISilKS uV KL'Kol'E.

150 breadth

of the

the head

symphysis and

eye,

less

front of

in

is

The nares

in a fold.

dorsal

It

is

its

at

the

The

dorsal profile

and ventral

similar

is

fins. is

much

base measures less than half the length of the head.

somewhat truncate behind, but the

The anal

of the longest ray.

as the base of that fin, but it

The

thickened

is

which begins nearly in the middle of the body,

fin,

The

the middle of the head.

widely separated than the orbits.

higher than long;

leng-th

are rather large, nearer to the snout than the

to the ventral profile, as far as the dorsal

The

nearly half the

is

between one-fifth and one-sixth of the length of

is

longer than the lower, which

scarcely

is

between the eyes

roo;'i()n

hinder border

its

;

upper jaw

frontal

The eye

of the head.

fin is is

last

ray

is

more than half the length

well l)ehind the dorsal

not so high, and

its

base

its

;

margin

as long

is

slightly convex.

is

ventral fins are in front of the dorsal, and do not reach back to the vent.

The caudal

fin

broad and strong, not deejjly forked, with the lower lobe

is

and

.slightly the longer,

longest ray

its

is

The

nearly as long as the head.

jointed rays of the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins sub-divide three or four times.

The line,

large and

scales are

strong

;

the largest, which are over the lateral

On

measure one and a half times the diameter of the eye.

and abdomen, the

scales are smaller

are one-quarter of the

with concentric

lines,

of the

size

The

largest.

The

lateral

line

is

are

scales

rays,

the cephalic mucus-canal

tail,

sub-parallel

marked

finely

which scarcely the

to

A

mucus-canal opens by short, simple pores.

its

the back,

the smallest, which are on the throat,

and have a fan of eight or ten

indent the free margins.

margin, and

;

ventral

branch of

indicated on the pre -operculum by large pores,

is

and another branch extends over the eye to the nares.

The

number

Glinthcr, there

of

may

vertebra in

the

skeleton

varies

according

;

to

Dr.

be tweuty-five or twenty-six thoracic, and eighteen or

nineteen caudal vertebrse, so that some varieties have two more than others.

The

facial

bones of the skull are weak, in comparison with

The ethmoid bone

is

as broad again as long.

ermost sub-orbital bones,

which

in

are well developed in this species.

The bones

other

The

The

species of the

third

its

other parts.

supra-orbital and hind-

genus are small,

sub-orbital

associated with the gill apparatus are strong.

bone

is

small.

The pharyngeal

The pharyngeal and hooked, with the formula 5*2 2'b.

bones are small, elongated, and in the form of a pot-hook. teeth (Fig. 81) are long, compressed,

The

colour of the back

or shining-silver

;

operculum have a the

iris is

is

blackish-green, changing on the sides to yellow

on the throat

it

brilliant rose-red

becomes reddish-white.

The cheeks and

and golden glimmer, the

golden yellow, with dark green spots.

The

dorsal

and, like the caudal, red at the base, tiiougli the latter

is

fin

lips is

are red

;

blackish,

sometimes

olive.

LEUCISCrS (ErHAT.US.

157

The anal and ventral

and sometimes margined with Line.

fins are

The

but the rays are more intense in colour than the interspaces. scale over the base of the ventral has

All the other

a similar red colour.

scales

have a black pigment spot

wards the middle of their

The

y^^^(/^ ^\

f*^Pv#'p'

—

young

colours of the

those of the lower

^

/^V»JI^^~Vli>!ii.

^~~-

lowish,

\

"^^

black,

deep red, spine-like

and while

especially

fish,

fins, are pale,

or yel-

sometimes spotted the

to-

free margins.

caudal

fin

is

with quite

black. Fig.

81.— PHARYNGEAL TEETH OF LEuciscus

Jq England

Chub

thc

attains

a

CEPHALtS.

length of

and

may weigh between

weight

is

commonly

five

and

six pounds.

four to five pounds

Fig. 82.

—LEUCiscrs

nine pounds, in the Austrian lakes. the same as in England.

;

but

upwards

of

twenty inches,

In the Danube and Neckar it

CEPHAxrs

its

reaches a weight of eight or

(lin.).

In France and Germany the

size is

In the colder and higher Swiss lakes the

much

fishes are

smaller.

The Chub

is

found indifferently in the lakes of mountainous and low-

lying country, and in brooks and rivers.

Hundreds

bottom.

young

of

fish

may

It rather prefers a gravelly or sandy

often be seen

swimming

together,

till

shadow of a cloud or some noise disturbs them, when they dart away arrows.

worms,

This flies,

sj)ecies is

more voracious than any other Cyprinoid.

and other insects when young, but as

deeper water and larger streams, fishes shell,

it

and

if

becomes predatory, and

rats,

lives

when

frogs are abundant feeds on them, while, exceptionally,

which

is

is

known

as the Mouse-eater,

It lives

on

grows older frequents

captures the fresh-water crayfish [Astacus fluviatilis)

At Strassburg the Chub water

when

it

a

like

and

is

it

on small

casting its eats mice.

reputed to eat

not improbable, since one individual at least has been found

TIIK KHHSII-WATKl; FISHES OF Kl'KorK.

15S in

r]niT'l:iii(l

with a rat partly swallowed

about one pound a

when

year

According- to Buckland, they are very catch, and

much

But

In any case the

Chub

It is excellent food for Pike.

remains motionless

in the

(judgeon or other small

When

in

company

it

stream

till its

years.

fish is

not

to

much

It

is

is

a not unimportant source

shy but often cunning.

It

prey appears, and then rushes on some

which instantly

fish,

nine

was hard

national taste varies, and Blanchard

us that in some localities in France the

of food supply.

increase in weight

like the horse that

good for nothing when caught.

sought after by English fishermen. tells

Chuh

in its throat.

well fed, and live for eight or

disap])ears

down

its

huge

gullet.

advance slowly along the banks on an exploring

will

expedition, but under the influence of pleasure or fear,

moves with surprising

speed.

mouth

Its

angler has to

not sensitive, and

is

with bread, cheese,

for it

with the net, and

its

appetite

is

always ready for what the

Fatio mentions that in Switzerland the hook

offer.

cherries, gooseberries, or plums.

Meckel and Kner

state that

during the period when the elder

which they cease

heads with sunken eyes

large

as the sickness

is

;

baited

taken

is

in

bloom,

grow, become thin, and get

to

when they must be removed from the ponds, They

infectious.

is

also

In ponds they

these fish suffer from an eruption of the skin and often die. are liable to a sickness in

is

sometimes speared with a trident.

said to be

is

It

with parasites, internal and

are infested

external.

Chub June

in

with the temperature. night.

month

spavin during the

The eggs

stones and gravel.

May

of April or

France and North Germany, and June

in

The spawning occupies eight

England,

in

Austria

;

Large troops

of fish assemble

or

or ten days, or a fort-

and numerous, deposited near

are small

May

the date varying

to the banks, on

and spawn together, pressing

against each other with lively movements, often jumping' out of the water, till

the spawn

is

deposited

;

when they

leave the. locality.

The males

at

spawning-time develop tubercles, which are largest on the head, but extend

down the scales of the back, and upper parts of the sides. The air-bladder is large, somewhat constricted and slightly bilobed in front. The intestine forms two great curves, and its length exceeds that of the fish

;

the stomach

is

large.

This species

is

exceedingly variable, and some of the varieties have a local

importance as geographical representatives of the type described.

Jj.

Thus the

Bonaparte (Fig. 83),

is

essentially a southern variety of

cephalas, though Steindachner attributes

it

rather to age and individuality.

Jjciicixcas ciiredamcs of

Since, however, this type

is

met with

in

S])ain

and Portugal, especially

in the

Tagup, Douro, Mondego, and Albufera Lake, throughout Italy and Dalmatia,

LEUCTSCrS CErilALT^S. and

IS

some

not recognised in the north of Europe,

of the characters in

which

it

differs

it

and a half times the

mouth

flatter

The nares

length

than the ventral contour. ;

its

than

dorsal fin

than

has a longer and

and anal

Fig. 83.

fins divide

— LKUCiscvs

The anal

The caudal

is

fin

is

rather

evenly-lobed, and

is

The jointed rays

fin.

The back

three times.

c'ei>h.a.i,i s,

the dorsal profile

;

behind the middle of the

is

the terminal fork penetrates to half the length of the of the dorsal

flatter

by two

are separated

63^68

base.

its

the northern form.

in

fish

the

;

are farther apart

The

longest rays are longer

farther back

be useful to mention

but this amounts only to two-fifths of

orbital diameter,

the length of the head.

may

from the typical Chub.

According to Heckel and Kner the southern head, smaller frontal region and larger

159

is

green with pale

fAVED.vxt's (hox.u-.vute).

v.vu.

bronze tinting on the scales, and the belly

is

All the fins are trans-

silvery.

parent at the bases, becoming darker towards the extremities; and the anal, ventral,

Chub bait,

and caudal

fins,

but

it is

and hides under stones

said to be partial to the living

valued for food, but

is

This variety of the

are often bordered with black.

frecpients deep water,

sometimes taken

:

it

does not readily take

pupa of the silk-worm. nets

in

It is not

which are put down for

better fishes. It

is

found

in

the Po and smaller streams

northern lakes. more elongated variety of the

A

Chub

is

;

in

found

Lake Garda, and other in

Dalmatia.

It

was

regarded by Heckel and Kner as the Leiiciscns albns of B(niaparte, as Giinther is

disposed to think, though Canestrini differs.

in regarding it as a slender

The most striking

Chub

But

all

modern writers agree

(Fig. 84).

characteristics of this variety are the elongated form,

large head, and long pectoral fins. in front of the dorsal fin

;

its

length

The body is five

attains its greatest de^oth far in

and a half times

its

greatest height,

THE FHESH-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

Kid

and

iViui-

The

and a half times the lenf^th of the head.

the pectoral region, and fairly large,

<i;-reatest

being one-fifth of the length of the head

it is

;

The angle

other eye by twice the orbital diameter.

which commences in the middle of the length, anal fin has a similar length of base, but

body.

fins are

is

of the oblicpie

Fig. 84.—

fin.

The

(Is(l,s (El'IlMl^,

1,11

The

much higher than

is

mouth

dorsal

long.

fin,

The

but behind the middle of the

fin,

The long

reach back to the vent.

to the longest rays of the caudal

in

shorter and less truncated behind.

is

rather in front of the dorsal

They do not

is

The eye

separated from the

reaches nearly as far back as the anterior border of the orbit.

The ventral

thickness

equal to half the length of the head.

is

pectoral rays are equal

lateral line descends rapidly over

VAH. ALIUS (hoNAPAKTE).

the pectorals to the lower third of the body, and rises again to the middle of

The length of the fish is from four to nine inches. It tail. by Heckel and Kner from the Kerka, near Scardona, in Dalmatia.

the

regards this

our view,

fish as essentially

it is

](),

recorded

Canestrini

an elongated form of the L. caredanus. but, in

a good geographical variety.

LeTiciscus vulgaris D.

is

A. 11, V.

D— 10,

("Fleming).

P. 17, C. 19.

Sq.

lat.

— The

Dace.

17—52, transverse

S^t/O.

The Dace is characteristic of the parts of Europe north of the Alps. It known in Britain as the (jrainhig. In France it is la Vandoise ; in North Germany it is der Hading ; in Austria, der Hasel ; in Sweden, the

is

also

common name It

is

is

Sidnim (Fig. 85).

a very variable

fish,

varieties as distinct species.

compressed,

with

a

and distinguished naturalists have separated

The form

of the

body

blunt snout, and similar

is

its

elongated, and rather

ventral and

dorsal

contours

;

VULUAKTS.

T,ET'CI,S('US

in the

the

anterior

dorsal

part

the

of

exceeds the

the entire

of

fifth

fin,

greatest thickness

length. is

small, rounded above

rather

and

body.

The

leng-th

of the

Kil height,

g-reatest

which

head,

in is

advance of one-

nearly

The body has a compressed aspect, but the more than half the height. The head is rather

flat

at the

The mouth

sides.

small, with the

is

upper jaw wider than the mandible; and the jaws do not perfectly meet, so that, according to Giinther, a triangular interspace

The angle head

of the

mouth extends back

included at the angle.

The length

of the

four and a half times the diameter of the eye, and the eyes are separated

is

by one and a half times

their

own

Fis- So.—

The

diameter.

ventrals in the middle of the body, and

its

is

as far as the nares.

is

dorsal fin

is

placed over the

conspicuously higher than long

LEunscus vuloauis (Fleming).

base is longer than the head, and the free margin

is

The

concave.

anal

fin is

behind the dorsal, scarcely higher than long, with a base shorter than the length of the head. toral fins are

long as the head.

The

The

ventral fins are broad and well-developed

rather longer.

The

The caudal

fin is

lateral line descends in a regular

scales are very similar to those of the Chuli

;

concave curve.

they are rather higher

than long; measure one-third the diameter of the eye in the young

Each has the

four-fifths the diameter of the eye in the adult.

the pec-

;

strong, evenly-lobed, and as

fish,

and

posterior border

somewhat truncated, with the upper and lower angles concavely excavated. In

life,

the colour resembles polished steel

head, and the dorsal and caudal silvery, often

fins,

The

with a bluish tinge.

the anterior part of the former

may

may

;

the back and upper part of the

be black or steel-blue.

pectoral

and anal

The

sides are

fins are pale red,

be spotted with orange

;

the

iris

is

and

green,

yellow, and red.

The Dace frequents 11

tranquil

tributary

streams

and brooks, preferring

shallow water, but

is

found

skims over the surface. in

OF EFKol'K.

TITK FlJKSII-WATEi; FISITKS

IC):1

some waters

])omf]^

is

and

is

swims quickly and often

It

lakes.

and

vci^etable substances;

ve.f^etable feeder,

but Giinther remarks

abundant the

better nourished.

are

fish

Its flesh,

not valued for food, thous^h in season from October to January.

is

Kner mention that

Ileckel and

any one

rivers

almost entirely a

that where animal food

however,

in

It lives on wor.ns, insects,

at liberty to catch

it

in

Ilpjier Austria, accordin*]^ to old

from four

to five o'clock in the evening-,

custom,

between

Ascension day and St. John the Baptist's day.

The Dace commences to spawn when the warm weather ])e2;-ins, as early as in Germany, but usually in May and June in England. The eggs are numerous and deposited on stones, where they are preyed npon by many March

enemies, so that the species

is

nowhere very

Its habit

plentiful.

commonly swim in shoals. The young remain for a time in the stagnant

is

gregarious,

iind the fish

they are hatched, and as they increase in

move

or tranquil water in

which

become more adventurous, and

size

Yarrell mentions that it is often taken by when fishing for Trout. It is tenacious of life, and valued as bait for Pike; in Germany it is used as bait for Salmon. Buckland records that the late Duke of Wellington invented an apparatus of india-rubber bands by which the Dace is held secure to the hook. The length rarely exceeds eight fo ten inches; and may reach a weight of one pound. It is found in most of to rapid parts of the stream.

fly-iishers

the large rivers of England, but

The best known variety the is

name Lenciscns

in

is

not recorded from Scotland or Ireland.

England

lancastriensis

;

it is

is

the

one-sixth of the length, while the depth

nose

is

rounder

;

Graii/i////, for

The

one-fifth of the length.

is

the scales are rather larger than those of the Dace, with a

greater vertical diameter, and fewer radiating rays. longer,

which Yarrell used

distinguished by a smaller head, which

'^J'he

fins

are a

little

and the upper parts of the body are a pale drab, tinged with bluish-red,

and sharply defined from the paler-coloured lower part of the body. fins are pale

All the

yellowish-white.

In France the varieties which have been distinguished are more numerous.

Blanch ard describes a

Ihe dorsal

fish

which has the aspect and colour of

a

Roach, found

Mariscot, near Biarritz, which in the ])haryngeal teeth and rays of

in the lake

fin

more resembles the Dace.

typical Dace, and the back hig-her.

Blanchard.

Another variety, found

Valenciennes as L.

than in the

/jiir(Hff(i/eiisi.s,\\^^

common

Dace.

The

The body

This variety in

the

is

is

more compressed than

named

in

Lcnci-tcns hearnonix,

Garonne,

distinguished

by

the head less obtuse and more elongated

dorsal

fin is

black, and the fins of the lower

part of the body are orange at the base.

In Switzerland ;md North Ciermanv the varieties meri>e in each other, so

LEUCISCUS RODEN'S.

1G3

Von

that most writers have followed the example of

them

Siebold in uniting-

without an attempt at defining- their geog-raphieal distribution.

Heckel and Kiier endeavoured

Thus the

as species.

downward

— HEADS

OF LEICISC

T.S

garded by them as peculiar to the it

distinguish

several of these varieties

has the head directed rather more

give a relatively convex

so as to

Fig. 86.

to

Leiiciscns chaJi/hanis

j)rofile

to the back,

OF

VILG.MII.--

little river

Kamp

in

VAll.

Lower

and was

re-

ROUEX.^

Austria, where

frequents deep water {see Frontispiece).

Another variety, Leuciscns rodens, rather short head (Fig. 8G, b)

headj and

thickness

its

is

.

is

remnrkable for

The depth

more than half

of the its

its

elongated form and

body exceeds the length

height.

The nose

is

of the

thick and

LEUCISCUS VULGARIS, VAR. ROSTRATUS (hECKEL).

arched.

The

the eye.

Below the

band.

All

scales are rather small, the largest

the

being only half the diameter of

lateral line there is a clear silvery or golden longitudinal

fins

are

transparent,

and the back

is

greenish-blue.

At

spawning-time the males develop black pigment spots, which afterwai'ds vanish. This form

is

found

in

Lake Constance, and

is

probably the

fish

found in the

Neckar, in which GUnther describes a similar development of pigment at the

spawning

period.

Fatio mentions the association with these spots with white'

1 (;

TTiK fi;ksii-w.\tki;

|.

i^ramilations on the

to})

I'ISIFK

•

F KT'ROPE.

head and sides of

of the

body

tlie

in the Da<'e of

Switzerland.

Attempts have been made

Dace

to introduce

into the

Lake

of

Geneva, but

hitherto withont success.

The

variety which was described

which has, is

most widely distributed,

According to Canestrini,

exceedingly rare in Austria;

it is

France, and Belgium,

it

is

dorsal profile

The

Dace

is

JKit

it

througliout

is

absent from Italy,

Germany, Switzerland,

,

a variety

is

known

in the Tyrol as i\\Q Murzlhi;/.

nearly horizontal, but the back rises suddenly from the head.

column

vertebral

tribe,

generally present.

Leueisciis rostratns (Fig. 87)

The

and

lencixcn-'!,

found throughout Euopean Russia, though

being-

absent from the Caucasus.

and

Linnrous as C/jprinns

l)y

therefore, g-ood claims to be considered the type of the

varies a

little,

there being from

twenty-three to

Iwenty-four abdominal, and nineteen to twenty caudal verte])ra\

Leuciscus illyricus D. 11, A. This

South

fish

of

Scales:

1;

lat.

It

has

line

li)

the

high

SS.— i.i

I

cis(

I

51-,

transver:

compressed body and

characteristic of the preceding species^ but

Fii>

—

group of species which arc found

belong-s to a small

Europe.

(Heckkl and Kner).

s

ir

I

is

the

scales

especially distinguished

by the

Mill is (tikckki.

upper jaw being the longer, by shortness of

in

large

all

and kxkh).

the fin-rays, by the

nume-

rous rays on the scales, and by the small size of the eye (Fig. 88).

The head

is

one-fifth of the length of the fish,

exceeds the length of the head. is

The eye

separated from the snout by twice

its

is

and the height

of the

body

one-sixth of the length of the head,

diameter, and the eyes are separated by

about two and a half times the orbital diameter. The mouth extends downward

LEUCISOUS ILLYRICUS. at

165

an ang-le of about 45", and reaches under the nares.

The

but more pointed than in the Dace or Chub. maxillary extend forward over the lower jaw

The

eye than to the snout.

profile

The

fin.

The

ventral profile forms a

dorsal fin

the nares are

;

over the head

abruptly in a sharp curve to the back, which

is

straight,

highest

is

The nose

bhint,

is

fleshy lips of the ])re-

nearer to the

and then

rises

front of the dorsal

in

more regular curve.

opposite the ventral, as long as high, rather truncated

is

behind, with the last ray two-thirds of the length of the longest ray. proportions

of the

anal

and ventral

pectoral

fin

but

are similar,

it

thirds of the length of the head.

edge of a striping

of

difference

from the Chub

tions

the scales

forms a useful

to

speak

The back appears

a little darker than the side.

This

This

to

in spirit

and

;

it

is

with certainty of the be blue-grey, and only

The operculum

is

coppery.

upper part

scales, so that the

reaches a length of thirteen inches in the River Isonzo, which Hows

fish

where

it

is

Sea.

It

is

known from Knin and Sign, name " Klien.'"'

also

D.

1 1,

A.

This species

11— 1:Z, V. is

Dal-

known

8.

Scales

;

(Heckel and Kner).

lat. line

lips,

13—11,

8^0.

transverse

only from the River Rieka, in Montenegro, where

Dr. Giinther describes

reaches a length of five to six inches.

remarkably thick

in

distinguished by the provincial

Leuciscns pictus

it

the free

while the concentric

body has the aspect of being covered with a network.

into the Adriatic niatia,

short.

is

distinguishing

Black pigment margins the free edges of the of the

is

two-

species, since the descrip-

drawn from specimens

impossible, therefore, colours.

fine rays,

The fin

(Fig. 81)).

would appear to be a rare are

caudal

evenly--obed, but the fork

is

almost invisible to the naked eye.

is

the

Its longest rays are only

shows about twenty or more

scale

character

It

It

Tiic

and lower.

largest scales exceeds the diameter of the eye;

the

of

size

shorter

are moderately developed, and

fins

smaller than in any of the species described.

The

is

with the lower

lip

it

as

having

extending across the median sym-

physis as a continuous fold. Th(5 height of the

of the eye

is

body

is

equal to the length of the head.

two-ninths of the length of the head, and

The

half the width of the inter-orbital space.

does not extend back to the front of the orbit

;

is

The diameter

rather

more than

cleft of the oblique

the mandible

is

mouth

overlapped by

FUESII-WATEli

Till:

lGi5

The

the upper jaw.

former

is

dorsal fin

hii^her than the anal.

is

opposite to the ventrals^ and

The

in length.

The

ventral.

pectoral

much

The hases

than the end of the snout.

OF EFKorE

I'ISIIES

and anal

of the dorsal

origin of the fin

equal

fins are

terminates at some distance in advance of the

fin

marked with numerous

scales are

The

nearer the base of the eaudal

There are three longi-

strire.

and ventral

tudinal rows of scales between the lateral line

The body

fin.

There are no spots on the head or the

irregularly mottled with brown.

is

fins.

The habits of the species have not been observed.

Lenciscus svallize 1).

U,

A. 12—13, V.

Lenciscus svuU/ze (Fig. ])resentative of the Dace,

It

fin.

is

•'()),

90.

:

lat. line ii),

transverse 8/8.

known only from Dalmatia,

from which

closely allied to the

Fii^-.

Scales

9.

(ITeckel and Kner).

differs in

it

is

a southern re-

having more rays

in

the anal

Chub, and has an elongated form, with wide

— LEICI.SHS

SVALLIZE (llECKEL AM) K.\EK).

head, large eye, mandible almost as long as the upper jaw, a high dorsal

and its

scales with

length

is

The head

few rays.

the eye

is

The head

is

about four and a half times as

separated from the snout by

width of the frontal region between the eyes the

head.

species,

The mouth

and reaches back

sub-orbital bone

verv narrow.

is

is

rather

is

its

own

margin of the

not larger than the

first,

is

long-

diameter, and the

fully one-third of the length of

narrow, less oblique than in

to the front

fin,

and

The greatest thickness

nearly equal to the height of the body.

half the length of the head.

as the eye;

one-fifth of the length of the fish,

is

orbit.

many

allied

The hinderniost

and the intermediate bones are

LEUCISCU8 UKLIVA.

The

ventrul fins beg-in half-way

16;

down the body.

opposite to the middle of the base of the ventral;

it

The

longest rays are almost as long- as those of the caudal

The anal

leng'th of the head.

tin is

dorsal

commences

truncate behind.

is

Its

which exceed the

tin,

lower than the dorsal, and nearly as long

as high.

The

scales are rather large, being

diameter of the eye

they are marked with

L.

rows of scales between the

and ventral

lateral line

the back

according to Dr. Giinther, are of shining species

found

is

is

to the

larger size of the

The colour

fin.

is

known

dark steel-blue, and the sides,

The

silver.

are transparent.

tins

River Narenta and a lake near Vergoraz.

in the

and

There are more longitudinal

forms a network with wider meshes.

only from specimens in spirit;

The

owing

but,

illt/riciis ;

;

Their borders show an edging

fine concentric striping.

of black pigment, as in scales, it

from three-quarters to four- fifths of the

the free margin has a fan of from six to ten rays

;

The

pharyngeal teeth are hooked and slightly denticulated, and are arranged in

two rows, with the formula

5

—

:Z,

2

—

5.

Leuciscus nkliva D. 10—11, A. This small

lish

11— ]:i.

Scales:

(Fig. Ul)

is

lat. line

(Heckei,).

62— (Jo,

transverse

about six inches long, and has been caught

hitherto only in the River Cettina at Sign, in Dalmatia.

Fio-.

thick, with the nose arched,

91.-1

The

;i,ivA

and projecting

narrow black band runs along each

of

side,

Its

head

slightl}'^

short and

over the small mouth.

above the lateral

A

line.

and a half times as long as the head; but the height

fish

is

five

is

only five-sixths of the length of the head, and

is

is

(heckel).

the body

the height

11— D.

diminished to one-third

of

this

amount

;

the

in

width

the

tail

at

the

—

THE FRESH-WATEIi FISHES OF EUROPE.

168

operculum

The diameter

half the lenj^th of the head.

is

and the

quarter,

inter-orbital space

of the eye

one-

is

about one-third, of the length of the

is

head. The snout is convex, with the upper jaw overlapping- the mandible. The angle of the small mouth does not reach back to the anterior margin of

The

the eye. ventral

anal

fin

middle of the base of the

to the

end of the dorsal,

far behind the

is

and

horizontally,

forked caudal

The

commences opposite

dorsal fin

less

is

elevated,

rays are as long as those of the ventral

its

has

fin

truncated

is

The deeply-

fin.

longest rays nearly equal to the length of the head.

its

largest scales have only one half the diameter of the eye

to twelve fine rays is seen

on the

a fan of ten

;

There are

free border of each scale.

longitudinal series of scales between the lateral line and the ventral

swim-bladder of the females

is

rows with the formula 5"2 the

;

— 2"4

sides are yellow,

five

The

fin.

remarkably small and short, and the well-

developed ovary extends in front of

green

The

Its longest ray is equal to the length of the pectoral fin.

fin.

or

The pharyngeal

it.

.5.

The colour

and the abdomen

tudinal band over the lateral lino

is

teeth are in

back

of the

The black

silvery.

sometimes broken into

two

blackish-

is

longi-

All

fine points.

the fins are orange-coloured at their bases, and paler at the extremities.

Leuciscus turskyi D. This

]{),

is

A.

1 1,

V.

a beautiful

Scales

S.

hit. line

:

70—72,

transverse 15/.5— 6.

(Fig. 92), about six

species

little

(Heckel).

inches long, which

lleckel found in the back water of the river Cicola, at Dernis, in Dalmatia, and

which was named

in

honour of General von Tursky, to

whom

were indebted in making their studies of Dalmatian Hshes. this species resembles the last described, the scales

and the body being marked at the extends over the caudal species

fin

;

//.

and Professor Canestrini, who prefers

which are not markedly

ievelliis,

//.

nldii-u,

.//.

teneUii^i.

70

distinct, has

JJiit

in

L.

while

hirxkji'i,

wc

7o— 75

stated

may

Jj.

by him at

L. ii/irro/c/iix, in

and

microlepis ()2

Ql in

78—80

in

recognising the

be acce])tod as varieties which

it

convenient to sei)arate.

The body of the is

is

fully concur with C'aneslrini

near affinity between these forms, they is

in

which

to unite

proposed not only to regard

but associates with them

although the number of scales

— 72

and mouth being small,

side with a broad longitudinal baud,

L. tiirshiji as a variety of L. nldiva,

and

Heckel and Kner In several respects

body

is

is

four and a half times the length of the head, and the height

three-fourths of the length of the head.

one-fifth of Uic leuolh of the head.

The

The diameter

of the eye

eves are distant one and a half times

LEUCISCUS TUKPKYr.

1(39

their own diameter from each other, and from the snout. The angle of the small mouth reaches back to below the front of the orbit, but is directed obliquely downward, as in the allied species. The first bone of the sub-orbital ring is

remarkably broad and

The

body.

dorsal fin

The ventral

large.

in the

fins are

middle of the

slightly farther back, but its longest rays have only

is

The anal

obliquely

the length of the head

;

truncate, and

is

The

The

as long as the terminal rays of the caudal fin, being one-sixth

latter

is

lower.

is

it

truncate behind.

The

of the length of the body.

ventrals reach back to the vent.

of the diameter of the

scales are two-fifths

Fig-. 92.

—LEUciscrs

eye

;

colour of the back

abdomen

largest

tukskyi (heckel).

between the

lateral line

There are

and ventral

five or

fin.

The

blue-green, the sides are shining golden yellow, and the

is

The black longitudinal band extends down

silvery.

is

lateral line

scales

The

they have numerous rays

on the free border, but the concentric markings are feeble. sis longitudinal series of

fin is less

ventral and pectoral fins are both well-developed.

throughout

its

length.

All the

fins,

to

the

except the dorsal, are deep

orange at the base.

Leuciscns microlepis D. 11, A.

Y.

11,

Scales: lat. line

9.

(Heckel).

73—75,

transverse 15

—

7.

This

fish

has very much the form of the Dace, with the head long and

pointed,

the

mouth

large and

pale yellow (Fig. 98).

four to

It

is

oblique,

scales

very

small,

probably only a variety of L.

and

furf>kt/i.

all

It

the fins is

from

four and a half times as long as the head, and, as in the allied

forms, the length of the head exceeds the depth of the body in front of the dorsal

fin.

The eye

becomes relatively a

is

one-sixth of the length of the head; in old age

little

smaller.

The

I'rontal interspace

between the eyes

it is

THE FRESII-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

17U

twice the orbital diameter in width, and in the adult

The

nares are near to the orbits

The

cei)ha]ic canals are

large

;

the jaws are

is

the same

is a little less

eloni^ated.

the eye

fish

distance from the snout, but in the young- fish the snout

and frontal

ticularly conspicuous in the sub-orbital

under the eye.

reachiiii^

loii<^,

and open, with numerous

pores,

The

areas.

and are

par-

dorsal profile

is

a Hat arch.

The

dorsal

thirty-fifth

fin

commences behind the middle

thirty-seventh

to

The

higher than long.

scale of

longest rays are shorter than

those of the dorsal

The longest rays

Fis>-.

of

the eaudal

in

a

but

As

iin.

fan shape at as

the

the

largest

93.

— I.EUCISCIS

border

free is

band

L. hrrslyi;

pectoral

;

half

but, as

is

abdomen

of the back

is

Vero'oraz

remarks, this

known

as the

is

latcu'al

in

the

River it

occasionally a foot long.

Maldl.

the

eye,

brownishAll the lateral

band

fre-

and other forms.

only found in Dalmatia,

it is

is

no longitudinal

Vergoraz, and in the Lake of Dusino, near Imosky, where

At

<i

to twelve,

of

are of burnished silver.

Canestrini

a length of six or seven inches, and

tho'

have rays diverging

diameter

the

The colour

numerous.

com-

fin

equal to

are

fin

they usually number ten

(juently disappears in L. mtiticeUus, L. anld,

This species

The anal

fin.

rays are shorter than those

yellowish, without a black border, and there

as in

is

MICKOLEI'IS (heckel).

scarcely

green, but the sides towards the fins are

the

of

its

;

in the allied s];ecies, the scales

scale

the rays appear to be

the It

ventral fins are a little in fiont of the dorsal; their

mences Ix'hind the termination of the dorsal of the ventral.

body over

the

of

the longest longitudinal row.

Narenta,

near

usually reaches

LEUCISCUS TENELLUS.

Leuciscns tenellus D.

lU— 11,

This species

A. 11.

is

is

The

scribed.

The lower jaw

scales are smaller

fish is

is

than

in

any

is

— LErciscvfi tenellvs

The jaws are

of the species

of the caudal,

fish,

(heckel).

one and a half times the

is

of equal length

and

its

;

the angle of the

The

mouth

dorsal fin

is

longest rays are exceeded only by those

which are two-thirds of the length

largest scales,

which are on the

They

the diameter of the eye. striping,

The

and

The

of the head.

The

pectoral

long as the dorsal, and the ventral as long as the anal.

fin is as

The

mouth

hitherto de-

long- as the head,

reaches back to below the anterior margin of the orbit.

behind the middle of the

It has a broad

abruptly, the

two-thirds of the length of the head.

head, and the frontal interspace between the eyes

diameter.

rises

between one-fifth and one-sixth of the leni^th of the

Fig-. 94.

orbital

trunsverse 18/8.

about four and a half times as

the greatest height of the body

diameter of the eve

78—80,

lat. line

reaches a leng-th of six inches.

it

long and blnnt.

and the

large,

:

(Hec;kkl).

94) has been recorded only from the neiglibourhood of

(Fig-.

LivnOj in Bosnia, where head, which

Scales

71

lateral line, are scarcely one-quarter of

are delicate, have a remarkable concentric

and each shows on the free edge a fan of

lateral line descends

somewhat

rapidly,

six to eight

and runs

diverging rays.

in the

lower third of

the height.

The colour The is

belly

grey.

is

of the back

silver- white.

and

sides shades

from iron-grey into

steel-blue.

All the fins are yellow except the dorsal, which

—

THE FKKSlI-WATKi;

17:

FISllKS i)V KrilOl'K.

Leuciscus muticellus 1).

Scales

Many

1(1— H, A. 11—12, 10

lat. line

i50,

p.

0—10.

transverse 9

— 10/5 —

0.

Continental writers have referred this species to a section of the

i^cnus Leuciscus^

number

:

(Bonai-artk).

which Heckel named Telestes^

of its pharyngeal teeth,

and

distiniji;"uished

which follow the formula

5'£

—

2"-l<.

by the

But Von

Siebold found that in seventy-two individuals thirty-three had the teeth 5*2 on

the left and 4"3 on the thirtj'-seven

rig-ht,

had 5*2 on each

two individuals reversed

this arrano-ement,

Since this character

side.

.

is

and

not associated with

LTICELLrs (hoXAI'AUTE)

anv other of importance, and is so inconstant, we follow Dr. (xihither in The most obvious character of the ^^roupini^ Telestes in the genus Leuciscus. species

eye

is

down The

the broad black band which extends from the arched snout over the the body to the

lish is

from

(Fig. 95).

tail

five to five

eye

is

The diameter

age and

sex.

In the young

size of the eye var\'

fish

they

the eye from the snout varies, but equal to the orbital diameter. orl)ital

somewhat over the lower jaw.

is

cleft

i)f

is

of

commonl}^ about

The width

The snout

The

with

be more than

of the inter-

space exceeds the diameter of the eye, and

be about one- third of the length of the head. projects

may

Hence the distance

one-third the length of the head. PHAUYNGJIAL TEETH OE LEVCISCIS MUTICELHS.

of the

one-fourth or one-fifth of the length of the head,

but the length of the nose and

Fig. 96.

The

and a half times as long as the head.

height of the body exceeds the length of the head.

may

rather arched, and

the

mouth

is

more

LEUCI8CU>^ MUTICELLIT,S. horizontal than in other species

drawn from the front

ine

The

way down

and

it is

and

;

it

is

The

and the dorsal

pectoral fin

fins

middle scales are about the

enough

the

is

has the shortest

and twice

as long as the

The caudal

The number

rows

in the variety

and

agassizii,

of

There are from forty-eight

from the Danube

fifty-six scales in the lateral

named L. ryseJa. Giiuther found in specimens number varied from fifty-four to sixty. The

the variety which he

from the Neckar that the

large

fin

length exceeds that of the ventral

its

in diiferent localities.

which Meckel distinguished as L.

specimens

in

only half the

is

do not extend back to the vent.

to forty-nine scales in the longitudinal

line in

and

longest rays are as long as the head.

its

remarkably variable

scales is

small, but

The ventral

fins.

forked;

fin is deejDly

The anal

similarly the longest,

is

is

fish,

Its base

Its first jointed ray

higher than long.

twice as long as the last ray.

rays, but its first jointed ray shortest.

the length of the

over the insertion of the ventrals.

is

length of the head largest,

does not quite reach back to a vertical

of the orbit.

dorsal fin begins half

from the Neckar

it

;

173

size of a pupil of the eye,

though some

The

to cover the yellow ring round the pupil.

the scale shows a fan of eight to ten rays.

The

scale is as

free

scales are

margin

high as long.

of

The

lateral line is yellow.

The is

colour of the back

A

of shining silver.

is

dark grey, varying into steel-blue

the

;

abdomen

commences

black, longitudinal band, which often

the tip of the nose, goes through the eye and over the operculum to the It is

body

formed of densely-grouped black pigment has the width of three scales

it

;

spots.

behind the anal

At the fin

at

tail.

fore part of the

the width

is

reduced

to one scale

and a half; but the band widens again, so that at the base of the

caudal

nearly five scales wide.

it is

All the fins are transparent and unspotted in Austrian specimens, but in

examples from the Neckar the at the

base,

Bavarian

fish

and

fins of

the lower part of the body are yellow

this colour is occasionally seen in the

dorsal

and caudal.

have much black pigment in spots on the dorsal and caudal

fins.

In the tributaries of the Danube the largest specimens have a length of about five

inches

;

but the

fish

is

larger

in

specimens nine inches long at Heilbronn

The pharyngeal

teeth have

the

Neckar, Dr. Giiuther obtaining

— and

it is

equally large in Bavaria.

a compressed form, are hooked, and slightly

denticulated (Fig. 90).

This

fish feeds

on animal and vegetable substances, and Giiuther found

small molluscs and beetles in the stomach. visceral

cavity

is

black.

The number of

The lining membrane thoracic

vertebrse

twenty-one, and of caudal vertebra? nineteen to twenty-one. to eighteen pairs of ribs.

is

of

the

twenty to

There are sixteen

THE FKESTI-WATKi;

171

The

OF EUROPE.

FTSIIES^

adherent to the surface on which

The stomach

is

not very definitely divided from the intestine, which makes two folds, and

is

tono>ue

is

The

as long" as the fish.

liver

the intestine and ovary. rather large, and

number

verse thickening which

has three lobes, and

It has

a large green

into the constriction

fits

The air-bladder is small, with its two The fish spawns in March and The eggs

brilliant.

The

fiesh is

and

is

the Neckar Jildfjeoii ,

A

Munich

lish is

it is

and

known

known

which divides the air-bladder.

April, and

its

colouring

then most

is

known

is

esteemed as fodder for other

Laugeu, in Bavaria

as

is

it

was distinguished by Bonaparte

in the north of Italy, it is

in

in

France as

as L. Kanigniji.

more rounded than

as the hinder nares. iinilii-flliis,

The anal

common

body

Its

(Fig. 97).

of the

in the type.

body

is

fins

The diameter

more developed than

are as long as the head.

remarkably fin

has

of the eye is one-

reaches as far back

in the typical

have the shortest rays.

are well J'ornied, and extend })aek ahnost to the ventral. tin

is

The anal

only half the height.

The angle of the mouth

fin is

and the ventral

It

from Milan, from Lake Lugano, theTieino,

The thickness

quarter of the length of the head.

of the caudal

Stro)iier,

MUTICELI.IS, VAK. SAVIGXVI (iM)NAI

and the depth greatly exceeds the length of the head.

is

the

as Gangfisch, in Switzerland as RlesUiKj,

variety of this species

The nose

//.

are

trans-

iu Italy as Vairone.

only eight jointed rays.

of

The kidney has a

as food for Salmon.

Lambro, and the Oloua, where dee]i,

between

deposited in three or four days, and placed upon

I.ErCISLl',>

well

lies

The eggs

portions similar.

nowhere valued for food, but

sold in

In Austria the

is

lower lobe

bladder.

After spawning, the black band at the side becomes paler.

stones.

fishes,

are

its

g-all-

the two ovaries.

6, ()()() in

rests.

it

The

forms

pectoral fins

The terminal rays

LEUCTSCUS PHOXINUS.

175 of the eye.

The

smallest scales are on the fore part of the hack and pectoral region.

The

The

similar to

length

the type

those of

and often scarcely

distinct, is

spawns

It

It

is

found

many and

less

The

then described by

is

scales.

teeth are stronger than in L. luniicellKS, and often less den-

are rather

L. mnticellm

is

This variety lives in shallow water,

May, June, and July, and

row instead

ticulated, usually there are four in the outer brae

band

lateral

All fins are of a pale yellow colour.

with small tubei'cular growths on the head and

Filippi as covered

The pharyngeal

in

but the

v/nfieellii-'^,

//.

visible.

about four and a half inches.

under stones.

colour and longitudinal band

The

have a fan of more than ten rays.

scales

are

more than one-half the diameter

scales are

larg-cst

numerous.

less

This vai-iety

distributed in an oblique

is

The

of five.

verte-

found south of the Alps.

is

band of country in Central Europe.

Wiirtemberg, Bavaria, some parts of Ger-

in France, Switzerland,

Austria, and especially in the tributaries of the Rhine, the Rhone,

and the Danube.

Leuciscus phoxinns D. 10, A.

The Minnow, which l)est

known

Ireland

many

It has

D— 10,

9—10, Y.

Sweden, Eliizor,

and

South Germany and Austria, PfrlUe,

— the

last

obviously referring to is

five

one of the

names, which vary with almost every country.

local

called le Vairon, in

The body

is

England and Scotland, and

in

Dublin and Wicklow (Fig. 98).

in

it is

in

Minno^w.

C. 19.

widely distributed throughout Europe,

France

or SangulncTold

— The

10—17,

P.

injiabitants of the fresh waters of

met with

is

is

(Linn/eus).

name,

like

North Germany,

in

in Italy it

English

the

is

knowu

In

Elrifze,

as Fregarolo

name

provincial

P'uil\

its colour.

six times as

to

long as high, and the height

is

equal to

the length of the head, but the proportions vary with age, since the head

becomes longer

The thickness

old specimens.

in

thirds to three-fourths of the height, giving

The

eye

is

The average distance The mouth

The nose

is

is

in

The

of the eye

dorsal fin

is

is

from two-

one and a half times the orbital diameter.

from the snout

small and terminal;

arched and thickened

the back of the head flat.

body

one-fourth of the length of the head, and the breadth of the

frontal region, between the eyes,

eye.

of the

a sub-cylindrical appearance.

it

is is

;

its

in fact, the

is

equal to the diameter of the

cleft reaches

under the nares.

whole

from the nose to

profile

conspicuously arched, while the back

is

comparatively

opposite to the space between the ventrals and anal, and

about the middle of the body.

Its base

equal to the length of the pectoral and anal

is

short and

fins.

its

greatest height

Its shortest ray

is

is

half the

TIIK FHESTI-WATEi; FTSTIES oF FFlJoPF.

170 leiii:^th

fin

The anal

Tlio dorsal fin terminates opposite to the vent.

of the lonor-est.

may

be truncated posteriorly to half

the anal and caudal fins

is

The length

its leng-th.

The ventral

as long- as the head.

of tail between

fins

reach to the

The caudal

vent, and, like the slightly longer pectorals, are rounded.

fin

is

evenly-lobed, but not conspicuously forked.

The

so low as in other species of Leuciscus.

most

clearly defined over the ven-

rarely to be traced as far as the caudal.

It opens with simple pores,

trals

and

but the

is

last fifteen or

The

is

twenty scales are not perforated with mucus

The

canals.

than the scales adjacent to them

])erforated scales are relatively higher ])erforation

It

not descend

lateral line does

the

;

large and occupies about two-thirds the length of the scale.

is

scales are

remarkably delicate and small

;

LEUCISCIS PHOSINVS

Fig. 98.

marked with a radiating fan

of fifteen to

they are longer than wide, and

(LINN'-^Ers).

twenty rays.

They do not

overlap

and

consi)icuously, but the degree of imbrication varies with the individual

Scales are frequently absent from the under surface of the body as far

locality.

^^ A^.

number along the

wi-^pU,G3fcj

GEAL

The

as the anal fin.

^pyv

R

TEKTH

The Minnow OF

LEiciscvs i-Hoxi-

superim])oscd.

^^y

in

the

One

layer,

black, and contractile

somewhat rounded,

rpjjg

skin

varies

its

variability of colour

is

duller

colour,

expansion and contraction of the or exposed, and this change

is

first

with

the

is

which are

cells,

most abundant on the back, has the

of varied

It

by night than

due to the existence

two layers of pigment

of

The

tail.

to ninety,

colour with the locality.

the other deeper-seated

;

from eighty

when taking food; and

uiorc brilHaut -^^

largest scales are in the

lateral line varies

cells star-shaped,

layer has the cells smaller,

By

majority yellow.

layer the second

is

more or

accompanied by a variation

less

in the

the

covered

quantity of

blood injected into the tissues.

The

colours are

The back

is

most

brilliant at

spawning-time, particularly in the males-

dark brown-green, often decorated with a black line which

extend to the caudal

lin.

The

sides are greenish-yellow

with

a

may

metallic

LEUCISCUS PH0XIXU8.

The angles

lustre.

breast and pectoral

The

dorsal fin

is

are carmine;

and there line

down

the side

exception of the

fins,

The

tint at the base.

the pectoral, ventral,

;

iris

is

Both sexes develop sharp or pointed After spawning the

than the females, and have the frontal

have the dorsal

commonly

profile

from two

are rather shorter

more arched, while the females In the same brood

placed farther back than in the males.

fin

the males would measure

be

The males

and after death they vanish.

pale,

silvery but clouded

sooty-black, with the

warty tubercles, which are characteristic of the genus.

become

three inches, while the females would

to

But

three and a half to four inches.

in

some

localities

Hungary measured

in

recorded, in the

Lake

five

and specimens have been

inches,

The eggs

England, fully seven inches long.

district of

circum-

One such

stances seem to favour their growth, so that giant fish are found.

from Poprad

The

the operculum, and abdomen, which are spotted with

the females are always paler.

colours

black.

is

broken into a line of

is

or dark-grey

At spawning-time many males become

with gold.

;

the throat

usually a blackish spot at the base

is

banded with black

and anal often have a rose

black

mouth

are red^

Sometimes the black

of the caudal. spots.

of the

fin

177

even in large females are exceedingly small, some measuring a millimetre and a quarter in diameter in

May

they number 700 to 1000.

;

and June, but they have been taken

in full bridal colouring

Spawning usually

in

The young usually

when snow was on the ground.

They

appear in twelve to fifteen days, but the period varies with temperature. increase very rapidly in

number, but the individual growth till

Trout and Salmon.

artificially as food for

female

is

;

repro-

are sometimes

Being caught

a net, the

in

taken in one hand, and the male in the other; with slight pressure

the eggs and milt are deposited, and the water

The fecundated eggs

is

then stirred with a feather.

are placed in perforated boxes

in

AVhen deposited naturally the eggs are found adhering stones,

slow

is

They

the third or fourth year.

duction does not take place

bred

occurs

Central Europe in Ai)ril

and sometimes

a

running stream.

to the interstices of

measuring as much as eight inches long by two

in masses

inches broad.

The

accessory gills are comb-shaped.

forming the upper border of the thorax and nineteen in the part of the swim-bladder

females is

it

is

and

tail, is

thin and pointed.

The Minnow

is

supra-orbital bone

is

very large,

fifteen to sixteen pairs of ribs.

The hinder

rounded, and twice as long as the fore part, but in

The

lining

somewhat clouded with black pigment. a voracious

insects, small species of

The

There are twenty-one vertebrae in the

orbit.

fish,

Helix, and

membrane

of the visceral cavity

Fig. 99 shows the pharyngeal teeth.

feeding on vegetable substances, worms, freshwater

mollusca; but

it

pays the

penalty for this gratification of a varied appetite by becoming infested with

VI

J

THE

78

FHES1I-\VATEI{ FISHES OF EFKOPE.

many kinds of entozoa. They eat their own dead, and old fish eat young ones. Minnows prefer clear flowing water with a gravelly or sandy bottom, but are found

by grassy banks and places which

also

They

fishes to reach.

some enterprise and are very

it

would be impossible

and disappear at the

are very shy,

They skim about

curious.

for other

have

least noise, but

in large

swarms

at the

top of the water, and are often found in long processions ti-avelling in search of food.

In hot weather they ascend the tributaries of

In autumn they

Traun Sea.

live

with Gudgeon.

who has ever looked into a small stream, has been way in which minnows constantly arrange themselves

Probably, every person surprised

many other

the Trout and in positions

The Minnow

is

of sociable habit,

species,

which are not

and

and when swimming

is

tails

diverging at

found swimming with

in isolation

accessible to larger fishes.

easil}'-

by the singular

in circles like the petals of

a flower, with their heads neai'ly meeting in the centre, and equal distances.

into the

into deeper water, hiding under roots of

retire

under stones, where they

trees or

rivers, lea])ing over obstacles

They thus extend from the Danube

wherever the leader takes them.

it is

usually

Fatio says

:

" I

have often taken a large number of Minnows in a few minutes, with a single

sweep of a butterfly net held curious

Attracted by the novelty, the

in the stream.

things come to look at the strange object, and, seeing a large

little

opening, approach nearer and nearer to explore enter,

and

the treacherous cavity.

up a quarter

The most adventurous

it.

the baud follow to study the secrets and discover the riches of

all

full of

By

gently lifting the net

it

may sometimes

be taken

Minnows.^'

Formerly Minnows were valued as food.

Dr. Giinther mentions that they

are well-flavoured, but nowhere are they recorded as important in diet, probably

on account of the shyness of the

fish,

and small

size, as well as

the bitter flavour

When

imparted by the gall-bladder, which needs to be carefully removed.

North Germany.

plentiful, they are eaten in

Minnow was

a royal dish

In earlier ages, however, the

and when William

;

Richard II. and his Queen,

in

seven gallons of Minnows.

We

1894,

among

of

Wykeham

entertained

other fishes serv^ed at table were

have no particulars as to the method of cooking,

but Fi-ank Buckland states that they are very good simply fried as whitebait.

At Danzig which has the

Sometimes the to Fatio, are

in

Norway in the

entire fish

is

and the back darker, with

fine

black spots.

covered with elevated black spots, which, according

due to a skin parasite.

In Russia occurs

a variety occurs in the stagnant waters of low-lying districts,

sides brassy-yellow,

it is

found in

great quantities;

all it

swift mountain rivers and brooks, and often is

recorded

to Italy, with the exception of the

Alps almost up to the limit of the snow

in

all

European countries, from

Spanish peninsula. line.

It

is

found

LEUCISCUS HLSPANICUy.

Leuciscus hispanicus D. 10, A. 11, V. Steindachner caug-ht this

fish

it is

The head

the total length.

is

The

rapidly.

of the hody.

The

dorsal fin

The

the

body

from the eye

is

one-sixth of

is

is

fish.

The

equal to the

to the snout is

The jaws

obliquely.

profile rises rapidly to the dorsal fin,

and then descends

twice as high as long, and commences in the middle

pectoral fins are longer than the ventrals, and, like those fins,

The anal

are only moderately rounded.

jointed rays.

distance

The mouth descends

It has

this locality.

of the

ventral fins are in advance of the dorsal and reach back to

The

The

the vent.

known only from

about one-fifth of the length of the

is

than the diameter of the eye.

are equal in length.

63—65.

one-third of the length of the head, and

width of the frontal interspace. less

lat. line

:

The height

an elongated body and pointed head.

diameter of the eye

(Steindachner).

near Meiida, in Spain, in rivulets which flow

and at present

into the Guadiana,

Scales

9, P. 12.

179

Its lower

Minnow and more There are

margin

is

deeply notched.

The caudal

fin is

Its rays are longer

pharyngeal teeth in a

four

higher than long, and has eight

fin is

concave.

longer than in

than the head.

row on each

single

side,

l)ut

Steindachner suggests that since his specimens were small a second row

may

have been developed delicate, cover

later, as

the body than above.

The

side,

and in a third

it is

;

line is

absent

The

dorsal region

the lower larger portion of the body

divided by a strongly-marked black line.

the upper part of the body.

This

fish is

Leuciscus area D.

]

0—11, A. lU— 11, V. 9—10.

This species as it

is

;

and behind the shoulderin another

is

is

form

body with the

There

ai'e

in

brown

or

These two parts are five

black spots over

(Steindachner).

Scales

:

lat.

line

10—46,

trans.

-^^3—4.

It

is

locality.

It

is

known

in

Portugal

Like the Chub

extremely elongated in the

mountain streams of Central Spain and Portugal, and even the better-fed individuals

absent on

three inches long.

limited to the Spanish peninsula.

of

it is

coloured golden

silvery.

Riuvaca, and as Escalo on the INIinho in the north of Spain. varies in

scales are very

present on both sides of the body, but terminates

in front of the ventral fins.

grey

The

Chub.

largest scales are below

In one specimen the lateral

girdle.

one

happens in the

each other very partially, and are larger in the lower part of

in the Ebro.

But

the deeper waters of the !Minho, where plants

THE

isd

I'liKsii-WATKi; KisiiKs (.T

hody

are rounder in

iihouiul,

P])eeimens

as

fin

long-

The caudal

and

usually one

is

as

hi»j^h

often one row of scales more on

is

terminal

fin

one and a half, times

and below the

the jaws are nearly equal

;

teeth are 5

—

lateral line there is

the Tagus and

the other.

mouth

the angle of the

;

There

5.

is

common

Doui*o,

and

in the small is

is

a greyish band

streams about INIadrid

is

it

;

rare in

absent from the south of the jjcninsula.

very closely allied to the Leuehcns aula, of wdiich

is

on

than

fish

side.

This species

It

;

one side of the

The pharvngeal

under the nares.

along the

The

In the short form there are

long as the head.

fin is fully as

is

and

to five

is five

there are seven to eight jointed ra^s in each of these fins.

:

forty to forty -four scales in the lateral line

The mouth

body

moderately arched.

is

and the anal

third,

a

Tiie

fish.

The back

a half times the lenyth of the head. dorsal

of the Ixxly in these well-nourished

the hoin'ht

:

two-ninths of theleni:^th of the

is

i:ri;< iriv

it

may

be regarded

as a geographical representative.

Leuciscus alburnoides D. 10, A. 10—1-2. V.

The body

genus Alburnus, but

more

lat.

line

39—40,

transverse -^^i^I^"

elongated and greatly compressed, with the depth equal to

is

Its terminal obliquely-descending

the length of the head.

and

ryng-eal teeth,

Scales:

8, p. 18.

(Steindachner).

in

differs

it

having

from the

latter in having-

a short base to the anal

or a little less than one-fifth of the total length.

The

the length of the head. diameter, and the eye

is

its

inter-orbital space is

own diameter behind

pharyngeal teeth in a single row on each

side.

fin.

mouth

recalls the

but one row of pha-

The head

The eye

is

a

is

little

a fourth of

wider than the orbital

the snout.

The

There are

dorsal profile

is

five less

arched than the ventral contour.

The free

dorsal

margin and

as long,

ventral

fin

lin is as

caudal

fin

is

commences a

slightly convex.

is is

higher than the anal

high.

is

fin,

thoug-h their bases are equal.

The longest rays

and then runs nearly

scales are relatively large

in the

behind the middle of the body.

middle of the body.

;

Its

about one and two-third times as high

exceed the length of the head.

for the first eight scales,

The

is

conspicuously in front of the middle of the body.

long as the dorsal fin

little

It

The

The

The

pectoral

of the deei)ly-forked

lateral line descends rapidly

parallel with the ventral outline.

they are largest on each side of the lateral line

Each has

its free

border festooned by rays which

vary in number.

A

blackish longitudinal line extends from the snout

down

the middle of

LEUriSCrS AURIGONI^. the body to the base of the caudal g-reen,

with a metal he

The

lustre,

The

fin.

and the abdomen

181

colour of the back

reaches a length o£ four and a quarter inches.

fish

is

bluish-

is silvery.

It

found in the

is

southern parts of Spain and Portug-al, in the tributaries and main waters of the Guadiana, Guadalquivir, Genii, and the Guadiaro, near Gibraltar.

Leuciscus macrolepidotus D. 10, A. This

fish

10—11, \. 9—10. limited

is

indifferently

There

is

and ventral

applied

is

and the

alike,

relatively larg-er in

is

two and a half longntudinal

L. macro-

According to

side.

between the

series of scales

It reaches a length of three to four inches.

fin.

L. arcasii, a

of

Kirivaca

rays are

fin

7,4^

trans.

terminal and the upper jaw slightly overlaps the

is

Professor Steindachner variety

SS—SG,

an indistinct g-reyish band along the

Dr. Glinther, there are lateral line

The

it.

The head

similar.

is

The mouth

mandible.

and to

(Steindachner).

line

lat.

where the name

Portug-al,

L. arcasli,

to

form of the body Jepidotns.

to

Scales:

is

disposed to regard this

conclusion

which

seems

as a large-scaled

fish

be

to

by

justified

his

specimens.

Leuciscus arrigonis D. 10—11, A. 11—13, V. Scales

lat.

:

line

16

—

(Steindachner). 10, P.

11—15. 8

53, transverse

4*— 5.

This Leueiseus has an elongated body, with the greatest height equal to about the length of the head.

In the young

as the head.

form

it is

The body

fish

the eye

is is

about

beyond the mouth.

The

and a half times as long

mature

The snout

is

rounded, and

inter-orbital space

is

always wider

one-fourth of the length of the head.

projects a little

five

relatively large, but in the

than the length of the snout, and increases in width with age, becoming equal to one and two-thirds the orbital diameter. curved, as orbital

in

Jj.

arcasi/,

and the angle

of the

The

to

mouth

is

to the

margin.

There are six pharyngeal teeth in one row on the right.

cleft of the

mouth reaches back

The

dorsal fin

is

two-thirds of the height of the

dorsal, or slightly in

of the anal fin

is

left sitle,

in the middle of the length,

advance of

it;

fin.

its

The ventral terminal edge

longer than that of the dorsal,

])ut

with

fin is

is

on the

and

five

its

base equal

opposite to the

rounded.

the height

The base

is less.

The

THE FRESH-WATKi; FISHES OF EUROPE.

182 caudal

fin

shorter than

is

specimens the

lower lobe

its

The base

by

of the ventral

and ventral

The

fin.

The

pectoral

Y.

found

The body

is

When young

P.

\),

deli-

to the ventral margin.

between the

lateral line

The abdomen is

spotted with lateral

extremity of the snout, in the fore-part of the prolonged

is

profiles

the

to

tail.

In

remarkably arched.

are

In individuals four and three-quarter inches

Some specimens

exceed a length

Xucar, and in Lake Una, in Spain.

in the

Leuciscus lemraingii 10, A. 10,

is

The blackish longitudinal

margin.

long the eggs are as large as millet seed. is

scales

reddish-yellow, but the caudal

This species spawns in April.

It

of each

an elongated scale at the

grey, shading into steel-blue.

body; it extends over three scales, and spawning females both dorsal and ventral

of six inches.

is

lateral line is jiarallel

hinder

the

at

is

fins are

especially at its

band commences

There

half to five series of

a

The back

fin.

golden yellow.

in

The

The hinder margin

sti'ong.

to fourteen rays.

six

There are four and

black,

long and

scales are rather

cately festooned

1).

and in young

lobes are pointed,

sometimes slightly the longer.

considerably longer than the ventral.

fin is

is

head;

the is

14—10.

Scales:

(Steinuachner).

lat.

line

59—6-3, trans. -^^^-^^

elongated, and compressed, with a moderately arched back.

the height of the body

is

less

than the length of the head, but

mature individuals the height may exceed the head-length.

between one-fifth and one-sixth of the length of the

fish.

The head

is

The mouth

is

small, semicircular, and inferior, so that the strongly-arched snout projects more or less visibly beyond the lower jaw. anterior nares.

The

The angle

moderately fleshy.

lips are

The

one-qiaarter of the length of the head, or a little less.

between the orbits in the old in

young

The

fish

jjrolile is

of its base.

so high.

fin is

The anal

Its free

forked caudal

Its height

iin.

fin

margin

iin is

is

by some small

is

at least half as

;

it

much

The

its fin.

evenly lobed, and longer than the head.

The

ventral

is

fraction.

dorsal fin

usually opposite

is

more convex than in the dorsal

scales are small, rounds

is

again as the length

has nearly as long a base, but

shorter than the caudal.

The

below the

frontal interspace

more markedly curved than the back.

begins in advance of the middle of the entire length to the ventral

is

of the eye

never equals twice the orbital diameter, and

individuals exceeds the orbital diameter only

ventral

mouth

of the

The diameter

rays are not

The The

deeplypectoral

rounded.

marked with many concentric

rings,

and a fan

LEUCISCUS HECKELII. o£ eight to thirteen rays, line

more

is

show

which sh'ghtly festoon

183 its

free border.

most eases the formula 6^5, though the formula

in

The

lateral

The pharyngeal teeth

or less parallel to the ventral contour.

5

—5

is

occasionally

met with.

The bouy

A

flecks.

but

is

metallic lustre, and the

blue-grey, with

of the body

sides

is

abdomen

dark blue-grey band extends from the eye to the base of the

form of L.

is

and head have innumerable black

distinct only in specimens in which the black spots are

It recalls the

It

dark

is

The upper

silvery.

tail,

few in number.

adsperstis of Dalmatia.

abundant in the Guadiana, and

less

Guadalquivir

frequent in the

Its length is six inches.

at Seville.

Leuciscus heckelii D. 13, P. 17, V.

9,

A.

12—13,

Scales:

19.

C.

(Nordmann). lat.

43—46,

line

trans.

d.

This large species of Leuciscus has the height and form of a Bream, but

more

Rudd.

like the

In a full-grown individual the height head

The snout

at the top.

mouth, which of

is

in

is

;

it is

thick,

rounded and thick, and extends beyond the small

The eyes

medium size, and placed rather higher than in the Rudd. The scales are lai-ge, adherent, and harder than in the Rudd The

dorsal

fln

ray

is

is

terminal border

is

concave.

lateral line

The

and ventral

it is

The lower fish is

fins ai-e pale

known

fin,

and

branched

twice as high in front as behind,

The proportions

of

the anal

series of scales

fin

are

between the

with some bluish-grey on the head and

The eyes

are yellow, with silver

and red

darker

bordered

yellow, the dorsal

with black. This

Its first

fin.

fish is entirely silver-white,

back, and pale yellow on the sides. tints.

;

There are four and a half longitudinal

similar.

they usually

above the middle of the base of the ventral

somewhat longer than the head

its

;

are

five rays.

consequently placed farther forward than in the Rudd.

and

The

and rather flattened

consequence has a somewhat inferior position.

have from three to

is

fourteen inches.

to

one-third of the total length.

scarcely one-sixth of the total leugth

is

from eleven

Its length is usually

only from the Crimea.

fin is

;

all are

181'

VKESlI-AVATKi; FISHES OF FriioPF.

'J'lIK

Leuciscus pyrenaicus D. Jl, A. II

This

is

—

1:2,

common

a very

Scales:

]0.

\'.

(Gintheu).

44—16,

line

lal.

trans. 8/0.

species in the middle and north of Spain^ but also

oeenrs in the south in the Guadiana and Guadalquivir.

In the north

reaches

it

a length of nine to eleven inches^ but in the south varies from nine to five

The proportions vary

inches in different streams.

almost amount to

head, and

The height

with almost every

little

The

is

twice

space

inter-orbital

may

length of the head, but

long-er,

exclusive of the caudal

upper surface

Its

is

slightly

and two-thirds in the

contained, twice

is

specimens are

equal to the leng-th of the

is

length,

total

long as broad.

as

districts

body

of the

about one-fourth of the

is

The head

convex.

In mountainous

varieties.

thinner, and darker.

fin.

a

and when the northern and southern forms are contrasted the differences

river,

be one-third of the length of the head in some

The diameter

of the

eye varies from less than one-fifth to one-sixth of the length of the head.

Less

specimens;

than

its

own diameter The

even in front.

front of the orbit.

separates the eye

cleft of the

The jaws

from the snout.

are nearly

moderate mouth scarcely reaches below the

The hiudermost

The intermediate part

first. is

than twice the diameter of the eye.

it is less

sub-orbital bone

of the sub-cn'bital ring-

rather larger than the

is is

broad

the third bone

;

scarcely narrower than the fourth.

The

origin of the dorsal

lateral line,

fin is

opposite to the fifteenth or sixteenth

behind the root of the ventral

little

higher than long, and has

little

forked. fin is

and a

The

pectoral

fin

margin

free

its

but

fin is

The ventral

There are three longitudinal

of the head.

of the

fin is

The caudal

straight.

terminates far in advance of the ventral.

more than half the length

s(;ale

The anal

fin.

series

Some small specimens have only thirty-nine to forty scales in the lateral line, and many of these are only Other examples have as many as forty-six scales. The half the usual size. of scales between the lateral line

scales

more

show numerous radiating

and ventral

strite.

Dr.

fin.

the colour to be

(Jiintlicr states

or less uniform, sometimes with a well-defined

brown spot

at the base

of each scale, so placed that the s]iots form longitudinal series.

In the middle of Spain

it

spawns

in April,

but earlier

young when only two and two-third inches long already In Portugal It is

common

it is

known

as

BonUdo

in all the rivers of the

Steindachncr wlin

tiist

or

Tio/juHiii/io,

the south.

in

The

breed.

and

in

Spain as Cacho.

south of Spain and Portugal.

described these fishes,

regarded

them

as

Chub.

'

LEUCISCUS POLYLEPIS.

And

185

he mentions also some very round specimens, with short noses, protruding

eyes, thick

with roug-h

leathery skin,

slender

scales,

intestine,

sterile variations

organs feebly developed, which he regards as

and sexual

comparable to

those of the Carp.

Lenciscus polylepis

(Steindachner). '

D. 10, A. 11, Y.

9,

P. 15.

Scales

68—71,

lat. line,

:

^•'"~

transverse 5

This

the head.

The

The eye

is

increases with age. cleft of the

The

orbit.

is

known

greatest height

is

own

its

It pi'ojects a little

is

more than

equal to the length of little less,

and

The arching of the snout beyond the rounded mouth opening.

diameter.

mouth does not reach back

inter-orbital space

f 6.

only from Croatia.

fish is rather less or rather

one-quarter of the length of the head, or a

sejmrated from the snout by

The

The

long and compressed.

is

times as long as the head.

five

is

four and a half inches long,

little fish,

The body

—

to

below the anterior border of the

rather convex, and its width slightly exceeds

the diameter of the eye.

The

origin of the dorsal fin

in advance of the middle of the fish.

is

considerably higher than long.

fin is

the head.

The height of the anal

The ventral

fins are shorter

fin

Its base is less

The

than half the length of

exceeds the length of

its

base by one-fifth.

than the pectoral, are placed in front of the dorsal,

The caudal

and do not reach the vent.

fin

deeply forked;

is

longest

its

rays are shorter than the head.

The

scales are small,

than long.

The

remarkably

delicate,

The

the smallest are on the neck.

fin;

The

fourteen rays on each scale. overlap, but

lie

next each other

The

lateral line

few

scales in front,

scales

;

;

free

where

margin shows a fan

lateral line

of the back

is

of eight to

do not

above the lateral line they overlap one-half.

descends rapidly.

it

they are rather higher

advance of the ventral

scales in the anterior ventral region

parallel to the contour of the

runs

between the

The colour

and thin

largest are near the lateral line, in

and ventral

abdomen, except for a

There are

five to six

rows of

fin.

dark grey, shading into steel-blue.

There

is

a

dark band, three to five scales wide, along the side of the head and body,

above the lateral fins

line,

formed

of black

are orange-coloured at the base,

rays of the caudal and dorsal fins are in

two rows,

5.

Spawning takes

2

—

spots.

The abdomen

and yellow

show black

2. 4.

place in June and July.

is

silvery.

The

at the extremities, but the

points.

The pharyngeal

teeth

THK FKKSII-WATI

186

by having- the body

free

from

rudimentary and do not overlap. line,

but this

(Bleekeu). two

a small geuus C(jnipi-ising'

is

are eoniined to the Adriatic region of the <^uished

OF EUROPE.

ParaphOXinUS

Genus: Paraphoxinus

FFSIIES

more

line is

of fishes wliieli

species

Balkan peninsula.

scales, or

It

is

distin-

covered with scales which are

Scales, however, extend along the lateral

The mouth

or less incomplete.

is

in

The other characters

are,

for the

most

The

terminal.

a single row on each side, with the formula 5

pharyngeal teeth are

part, similar to those of the

—

1.

Phoxinus

type of the Genus Leuciscus.

Paraphoxinus alepidotns much

This remarkable species (Fig. 100) has

(Meckel).

the same relation to Leuciscus

that Aulopyge has to Barbus, in being free from scales.

height of the body

is

Yi<^. 100.

greater.

The thickness

of

—

1'

VRVTiioMM

body

is

not

The back

two-thirds of the height. is less

In the adult the

equal to the length of the head, but in old females

is

viEi'iuoTus (iieckel).

s

less is

it

than half the height, nor more than rounded.

than two-ninths of the leng'th of the

fish.

The length

In males

it is

a

of

the head

little shorter.

The diameter of the eye is from one-fourth to one-fifth of the length of the head. Its own diameter separates it from tlie snout, and the frontal interspace between the eyes

is

one and a half times the diameter of the eye.

The

angle of the obli(|ue mouth scarcely reaches back to the anterior nares, which

the lips round.

The

prulile

is

body becomes higher and more

The jaws

are equal,

and

very like that of the Minnt)w, but with age

tlu'

are near to the cyo, and rather elevated in ])osition.

(•()uq)rcssed.

The

dorsal

fin

begins l)ehind

llie

PARAPHOXINUS ALEPIDOTUS.

187

the middle of the body, and somewhat behind the origin of the ventral s it

higher than

is

The anal

fin

and more truncated behind than

long-,

lower, and nearly

is

are

fins

also

The vent

and but

small,

rays of the caudal

the lateral line, as far as

The

scales.

lateral

it

extends,

is

the

tail,

it

foi-med

The longest

the scaleless body, though

is

by a single row of easily-detached

descends over the ventral

line

Minnow

In some individuals

are

pectoral

fin.

characteristic of the fish

or fourth of the height of the body, lateral line of the

fins

The

longer than the ventral.

little

behind the termination of the dorsal

is

ventral

vent.

to the

;

Minnow.

not moi-e than four-fifths of the length of the head.

fin are

The most remarkable

The

high as long.

as

more feebly developed, and do not reach back

the

in

and

rises

to

the lower third

tail.

It resembles the

fins

towards the

in its variations.

reaches to the end of

while in others

it

may

terminate in

The

the middle of the body, or even earlier.

marked by an

cephalic mucus-canals are well

unusual number of pores thickly-placed in Fig. 101 shows the pharyngeal teeth.

rows.

101.

The brown,

colour

the

of

sides

the are

back

blackish-

is

paler,

with

The

belly

varies

is

points of black

fine

to nearly four inches.

This species

is

found

pigment.

The length

All the fins are yellow and unspotted.

silvery.

from three

TEETH PHOXINUS ALEPIDOTIS

steel-

marked by

blue longitudinal bands, and are

—PHAKYXGEAL

in

Dalmatia at

Sign, and in the Narenta, and also occurs at Livno, in Bosnia.

Paraphoxinus croaticus

(Steindachner).

D. 3/7—8, A. 3/7—8, V. 2/6—7.

While the

Plio.r/nelliin

ahpldoim

with

concentric

(Ileekel)

has scales only along the

with remarkably small delicate ovate scales

lateral line, this species is covered

ornament, so arranged in shallow pits as

to leave slight

interspaces between the adjacent scales.

In the

lateral line

the scales

together, and pointed behind

;

number

sixty-three to seventy, are closer

but the lateral

line,

which

is

nearly parallel to

the abdominal contour, does not always reach to the caudal

terminate in the region of the anal

The proportions

of the

body vary with

six or seven inches long, exceeds

specimens,

five

inches long,

it is

fin,

and may

fin.

age.

The height

the length of the head

;

in old individuals,

while in younger

only two-thirds or three-fourths the length

TlIK FlJESII-WATKIt FISHES

188

back

of the head, unci the profile of the

the leno-th

and

five-sixths;

The

half.

the head

of

to the

is

then

is

leug-th of

young the

in the

OF KUROl'E.

and the thickness

equal to half the length of the head, while in the adult

eye

blunt.

length

the

thirds of

The

in

The mouth

is

the

anterior

There

lino of the orbital border.

behind the middle of the body, and

as long as that of the dorsal,

is

its

The

larger and pointed.

is

The course

fin is

of the cephalic canal

is

The back

is

abdomen

silvery with

a

fin is

is

some

Its base

is

genital papilla

wider and shorter in the female

The

pectoral fin is

deeply notched and evenly lobed. defined by

dark green, with a metallic

is

The

not so deep.

fin is

white spots on the thick skin of the head, which lustre.

The

golden spots on a dark ground.

is

commences

it

;

The anal

small and fan-like.

is

round.

angle extends back to below the

behind the end of the dorsal.

ventral fin

first

The snout

head.

higher than long.

but the

The caudal

then nearly

is

the

dorsal fin has short rays

placed in front of the anal aperture, and

than in the male.

of

at

is

becomes two-

it

a wide interspace between the anterior

is

The

distance behind the vent, and

third

and

oblique,

and posterior nasal apertures.

is

and the body

the head,

of

placed

is

grown

fully

one to four and a

leng-th is as

relative

in thickness with age,

fish increases

When

flatter.

the body as one to four and

numerous is

The

side of the

yellowish tinge.

pores,

which form

greenish-black or brown. scales

have the aspect of

body

is

and the

paler;

The broad blue longitudinal

band, which extends along the middle of the side, coincides with the lateral line only at its

This species

commencement and is

found only

at its termination.

in the

subterranean brooks and rivers of Croatia

which occasionally emerge from the rock.

German

it is

Genus: The Tench by many *'

type,

Tinca

name

Croatian

is

Piuri

;

in

the lateral line

is

was

Its small scales are

The

incomplete.

and has no

(Cuvier).

which had been recognised under the generic name Tinea

of the earlier naturalists,

Regne Animale."

ventral,

Its

called Graaild.

spine.

are moderately developed.

first

accurately defined in Cuvier's

embedded deeply

fins are

in the thick skin

short; the dorsal

is

;

opposite to the

The mouth has a barbel

at its angle

There are short lanceolate

gill-rakers,

;

the

and

lij)s

rudi-

mentary pseudo-bra nchiu'.

The pharyngeal teeth

are

wedge-shapeil, slightly hooked at the ends, in

a simple row, with five on the left side, and four or live on the right.

TINCA VULGARIS.

Tinea vulgaris

(Cuvieu).

—The

10— U,

15—17,

D. 11—1:3, A. 9—10, V.

The Tench

(Fig. 102) has the

in leng'th,

and may be a

or a little

shorter.

The thickness

little

of the

own diameter behind

— TINCA

fish is

about one-half

is

midway between

mouth

is

two and a half

The

nasal apertures

opens at the extremity of the snout, and

it

;

The jaws

and the small barbels have a length equal Fig. 103

shows the pharyngeal

is,

than in

-with

fin,

the previously

a

are equal, the lips fleshy,

to one-half the diameter of the

slight indentation in the

described g-enera,

The height and

may

occipital region,

of the tail

is

greater

be equal to half the

fish.

All the fins are rounded. tail,

The hinder

teeth.

however, more marked in males.

greatest height of the

its

body ascends in an even, moderate curve from the

of the

snout to the dorsal

which

is

its

the extremity of the snout, and distant

the orbital ring and the extremity of the snout.

rather small

The contour

height,

YfLGAULS (cvVIER).

angles incline upwards under the nares.

eye.

its

of the eye

one and a half times

diameters from the eye on the other side of the head. are

Its

long- as hio^h.

The diameter

sex.

The eye

about one-sixth of the length of the head.

Fig. 102.

C. 19.

longer than the height of the body,

measurements vary with age and

all

P.

Tench.

body about four times as

head varies

])ut

189

than to the snout

;

its

The first

dorsal fin

ray

is

is

rather nearer to ohe end of the

rudimentary, and

is

counted as an

THE FRKSH-WATER FISHES

190

ET'IiOPE.

by Von Siebold, but

osseous ray by the Austrian writers and

the second ray

(ÂťF

;

this fin are

equal to two-thirds of the heig-ht of the body.

is

not close to the vent

The

fin.

fifth

;

is

it is

as deep as the

tail,

The anal

and as long

The

and sixth rays are the longest.

dorsal

the

;

rudimentary

as the i:)ectoral

ventral fins are a

two rays

first ;

high

is

At

depth varies with sex.

Von

ing to

ment

accord-

The

reach back to the vent.

and they do not reach

;

ray becomes thick

first

and very thin

the male

the

the longest are the fourth

The longest

to the ventrals.

in

pectoral fins have thinner

are almost equal to those of the dorsal fin; the tail

fin

first,

of the reproductive organs has

rays, the first scarcely stronger than the others to sixth,

as

Siebold, the fins are alike

taken place, the in

fins

is

but the

TEETl

VULGAIil.S.

These

lin

;

male and female, but after develop-

in

female.

little

are often

sometimes the

deep as the dorsal

PHARYNGEAL

of fin

advance of the beginning of the

in

Fig. 103.

by

i^^nored

is

The longest rays

imperfectly developed.

Dr. Giinther

is

rays of the tail

evenly rounded, with

a very slight emargination.

The remarkably small

scales

shine

through the thick greenish-brown

epithelium of the skin as a number of glistening golden points. over a hundred on the lateral

The

line.

scales are

much

appear to be, for only their extremities are seen while they are

They

to the fish.

numerous

The

striae,

concentric

are narrow, rounded

at

still

attached

both extremities, marked with

which radiate longitudinally from a point near the base.

striae

are very wavy, and

arranged round the basal point.

There are from thirty-two to thirty-three scales above the

lateral line,

eighteen to twenty-five below, to the base of the ventral line at first descends in

of the

The mucus-canals

system of the head

is

The

and

lateral

a curve from the operculum as far as the middle

and

is

fin.

then prolonged in a straight median line to the middle

of the body, tail.

There are

longer than they

cylindrical.

The mucus-canal

well developed, with numerous pores.

There are twenty-

are short

and

three or twenty-four of these apertures on the pre-opereulum and lower jaw.

They

are even

more abundant on the

sidi-orbitid

ring,

on the anastomosing branches of the frontal and secretion of

mucus from

these canals

and the

numerous

and not

less

occipital

region.

lateral

line

is

The

so great that

it

forms a thick stratum over the body, and renders the Tench as slippery

as

an Eel.

The colour

of the

Tcndi varies with the water.

NVhen

it

lives

in

niuddv

TINCA VTTLGARIS. water

colours are dull

its

common

Its

brilliant.

but when found in clear water the

;

tint

is

remarkable

transparent brassy glitter. belly

The

colour

The

becomes greyish-white.

paler on

is

dull golden

The commonest type

glimmer; but the

with the condi-

This variety

The eye has a golden

is

the brightly-coloured one with the

Golden Tench, Tinea anrata,oi Cuvier,

so-called

and dark

spots

one of the most beautiful of European

fishes.

has a pale golden hue, with red

on the body.

is

the sides,

colourless, reddish-

are

fins

violet, their colours, like those of the fish, vai-ying

tions of existence.

often

fish is

a dark olive-green, shading- into black, with a

and on the brown, or

191

lips,

circle to a red or

flesh-coloured

brown

fins,

iris.

more brightly-coloured than the females. Like the young fish they have the head larger, the fore part of the back move arched, and all This character is most the tins except the caudal more strongly developed.

The males

marked

are

in the ventral fin.

reaches a length of one foot and a half, and, in Carp ponds in

The Tench

Germany, often grows

weight of

to a

six,

and, occasionally, eight pounds,

but south of the Alps a weight of twelve pounds

Maggiore

but in rivers

;

grows quickly, attaining a quarter

It

three quarters of

a

pound

among

hole

and

pound weight

if

in the first year,

three

in length

from the eye

weighed eleven pounds nine ounces, and had grown into a

is

singularly tenacious of

England, as at Peterborough,

day out of

from Lago

the roots of trees so that escape was impossible.

The Tench

sale,

of a

second, and

Tench which measured thirty-three inches

of a

to the caudal fork,

recorded, as

pounds in the third. Yarrell, quoting from Daniel's " Rural Sports,"

in the

It lives for six or seven years. tells

is

rarely heavier than three pounds.

it is

it is

life,

and in the eastern parts

not sold put back again into water. its

It

is

said

an

to live

may

exist

entire

minutest

element, and can exist in water which contains the

quantity of oxygen gas, and

of

often brought to market and exhibited for

during summer in the dried-up

mud

of

ponds.

Professor Canestrini has described a singular arrangement of the bones and

muscles attached to the base of the ventral the

fins in

abdomen may be drawn inward and upward.

as aiding in

the male Tench, by which

He

regards this arrangement

the discharge of the ripe milt, a view which Fatio supports

by

many fishes rub muddy habitat which

remarking that the stones and hard substances against which themselves in the breeding season are absent from the the Tench delights year than

in.

In ponds and marshes the

when inhabiting

lakes and rivers.

females spawn earlier than the younger ones.

May

to

And

fish it

is

spawns

earlier in the

asserted that the old

The spawning season

August, and the eggs are deposited near the banks.

The

lasts

fish

from

assemble

TIIK I'KKSH-WATKK FISHES

][}:l

OF EUKOPP:.

in o^reat

numbers, and each individual of thre3 pounds^ weig-ht deposits about

•'300,000

small yellow or greenish eggs.

The eggs may

to the bottom,

fall

but are usually attached to water plants, especially Potamogelon, sometimes

known

There

Tench weed.

as

The young

female.

The Tench

is

an

bottom, resting on

at

ai-e

two males attendant on one

least

are hatched in a week. idle or

its fins as

meditative

fish

upon four

feet.

which passes much

takes more exercise, and occasionally comes to the surface,

though smacking the

moves with the swiftness of an arrow, and may bury

the help of

its

In spite of

its

a protection against cold, and pass the season in It enters the

closely a])proaches hybernation.

with the abdomen

thin,

In the summer, according to sleep,

during which

it

on

lies

side

its

may

it

and may be brought it

Von

flat,

a

It

the

itself in

mud with mud as

motionless condition which

mud,

the late autumn,

fat, in

in the spring.

Siebold, the

Tench enjoys a

as

though dead

its

but

;

if

siesta or day-

itself in

mucus

is

is

The

the mud.

has numerous

fish

repugnant to many carnivorous

mud which

fish.

contains

captured with the rod or net, or weir basket, without

In the fen country of England Tench are often highly esteemed.

;

Dr.

off

the mucus with

warm water

fiesh

Its

Badham

states

is

white and firm, and prized from

that at Florence

it

is

is

mode

of

Sweden

ague who the

so

it is

eats

to Italy.

rightly held superior to any fish

food which enters the market, but mentions a prejudice of the old Italy, that

Some

before the fish

others prefer to remove the skin, but this depends upon the

cooking.

It

much

summer.

farmers are content to wash

cooked

when

roused by blows,

sufficiently

feeds on vegetable substances, insects, mollusea, and

difficulty, in

it

emits a sound

to the surface with a stick without being disturbed,

and enemies, but

orgauic matter.

it

be seen on clear days motionless on the bottom,

awakes and swims away to bury

parasites

when

In the winter Tench commonly burrow into the

fins.

and re-appears

on the

habitual apathy, on an emergency,

as it

lips.

of its life

But towards the breeding season

women

of

impregnated with marsh malaria as to infect any one with

it.

Nevertheless, to tempt us to eat

following as a g'ood

way

of serving

Tench.

it,

The

Badham mentions fish

is

cooked in a

gravy sauce, containing raisins, currants, pine cones, kernels, with the '' stew. It is then brought hot to table, other ingredients of an " Agrodolce

rich

and eaten with the fish,

juice of lemon.

Or, take enough water to just cover the

add a quarter of a pint of vinegar, a bunch of thyme, an onion, some lemon

peel, a little scraped horse-i-adish, boils.

When

water over the

and

salt.

Put

in the

Tench before the water

cooked serve with a sauce made by dissolving two anchovies in fire,

and add a half a pint of stewed oysters, a quarter of a

pint of shrimi)s and melted butter.

Garnish with

j)i(*kled

mushrooms and lemon.

CHONDROSTOMA NASUS. The Tench was formerly used

193

for external application in

held to absorb poisons from the body, or act as a poultice.

regarded the Tench as the

physician

fishes'

spared by the Pike and other voracious excellent bait

;

medicine, being'

The

and believed that

it

older writers

was therefore

but anglers find

fishes,

it

be an

to

and more than twenty young ones have been taken from the

;

stomach of a Trout. It

is

distributed in every

muddy

streams or all rivers

districts in

European country, not only which

and in most

large or small,

in the small sluggish

abounds in England, but in

especially

it

of the lakes,

not in

if

It

all.

is

also

recorded from Brusa, in Asia Minor.

Genus This genus

and south of

ChondrOStoma

:

almost limited to Europe.

is

the

Alps and in

while another species extends valley of the Tigris.

genus

are, first,

The

Spain,

(Agassiz).

Distinct

species

range farther east into Asia Minor, and the

its

characters which unite these species together into a

the presence of a hard, brown, horny covering to the lower

jaw, which forms a kind of beak

;

and

secondl}^, the

pharyngeal teeth are knife-

may

include from

number

of teeth on

shaped, not denticulated, and arranged in a single row, which five to

seven teeth on each side, though occasionally the

the two sides in the tail.

is

The

unequal.

The

dorsal

fin,

which

is

base with not fewer than ten rays.

membrane

abdomen

of the

is

The

The

in Russia

and

The

fine.

black.

(Linn.eus).

Scales

absent from Britain,

continent of Europe, north of the Alps.

and

anal fin has a rather elongated

gill-rakers are short

D. 12, A. 1:3— 11-, V. 11, P. 15—10, C. 19, is

lateral line terminates

inserted above the root of the ventral,

Chondrostoma nasus This species, which

The

are small.

scales

has never more than nine branched rays.

lining:

north

occur

and the Balkan peninsula;

Italy,

It

is

is

also

:

lat.

hue 57—02,

trans.

widely distributed on the

found in the Turkish

rivers,

throughout the river systems of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov,

and the Caspian, and does not appear to extend beyond the Caucasus.

met with

in

the rivers which flow into

It occurs throughout

generally

13

—

known

Germany, and

as the

N/lsi/i/f/.

in

the southern part

of

most parts of Austria, where

In France

it

is

It is

the Baltic. it

is

popularly recognised as

/f

of EruoPE.

TiiK fi;ksh-\vati:k fishes

1<)1.

Xe~.

found

It occurs

and

in rivers

the principal lakes

common

in

lakci^, in

Graells,

and, according to

Jiclii-inm,

in

mountain

plains and

Spain.

in

and

districts,

is

of Switzerland as well as those of Hung^ary,

It

is

present in

and

as

is

Transylvania as in the low lands by

the elevated streams of

DixirA\g (Fig. 104).

It prefers

deep water, and feeds on

kinds of aquatic plants, but especially

all

on conferva), and vegetation growing on stones, which

is

neatly removed by

But

it

readily takes animal

the scissor-like action of

its

transverse horny lip.

spawn

substances, preferring the

of other fishes,

worms, and many kinds of In some places

small animals, though the diet varies with the district.

mud and decomposing

reputed to eat

Fig. 104.

mud

substances, and

— cuoxDRosTOMA

NAsrs

it is

certainly burrows in

(lixn.t;is).

At Wiirzburg, in Bavaria, moment of being caught

in search of food.

it

as tke Spitter, because at the

it it

popularly

is

known

vomits the triturated

food which was between the pharyngeal teeth.

The length

of the head

height of the head

is

is

one-sixth of the length of the entire

two-thirds

its

length

the dorsal

fin

;

exceeds the length of the head.

length of the head

is

its

bital diameter. its

LOW.

cleft

The

The eye

is

one and a half

diameter from the snout, and the width of

the frontal region between the eyes HEAD OF C'lIONDKOS Fig. lOo. TOMA NASLS, WEEN FROM )tE

The

four and a half to five times

the diameter of the eye.

times

fish.

the depth of the body in front of

The mouth

is

is

twice the or-

remarkably horizontal;

being nearly straight

in

the transverse

direction, while the lateral cleft reaches back to the

anterior nares (Fig.

to have been dorsal pmlile

Both jaws have horny margins, and that

10;")).

jaw forms a thin edge.

The

noticed by is

all

nose, which

is

peoples, extends

of the upper

arched, and cons2)icuous enough

markedly over the mouth.

niudi less convex than the ventral contour.

The

dorsal

The lin

CHONDROSTOMA NA8US. commences

slightly behind the ventral, half

fourth hig-her than the length

195

way down The anal

of its base.

the body, and fin,

is

far behind the termination of the dorsal, has as long a base as the latter,

height

its

is

equal to

its

length.

pectorals are feebly developed,

The caudal

ventrals.

The

and

The

ventral fins do not reach the vent.

though

one-

which commences

their longest ray exceeds those of the

evenly-lobed, deeply-forked, and about as long as

fin is

the head.

The parts

The common form

young

the scale in ;

but

In

diameter.

There are

The

medium

The

between the

is

fins

some

is

;

and ventral

the sides are paler,

The

many

covered, like that of

skin,

are of tlie

red, like the

is

localities these fins are

brassy, often with a red speck.

region,

On

size of

diameter of the eye.

lateral line

a metallic blackish-green

and upper lobe of the caudal

in

;

The usual

abdomen.

the back, but the lower lobe of the caudal

and pectoral

fixed border.

one-fifth to one-fourth the diameter of the

size the scale is half the

is

silvery towards the

dorsal fin

longer

sub-hexagonal or sub-

is

descends so as to be slightly concave.

lateral line

colour of the back

becoming

different

in

to three-fourths or nine-tenths of the orbital

five longitudinal series of scales

The

fins.

from

amounts

it

fish of

size

a fan of six to ten diverging rays.

is

fish varies

in old fish

of the long scales

two remarkable festoons on the

ovate, but there are always

the free border there

form and

in

sometimes higher than long, sometimes

body, being

the

than high.

eye

They vary

scales are firmly attached.

of

same colour as anal,

ventral,

The

orange or purple.

iris

but especially in the abdominal

other allied fishes, with points of black

pigment. Dr. Giinther described from Tiibingen a beautiful coffee-coloured variety, in

which the colour was most intense at the

golden lustre, but the scales

— which were

at the free edge with silver.

Schsefer

tail.

The whole

larger than usual

had a

boi'dered

Similar fishes were previously described by

from the Moselle as Gh. anratns.

This species

is

usually about eighteen inches long, and

exceeds three pounds

;

but in Central Europe

nine inches to a foot

long,

it

is

its

weight rarely

brought to market from

weighing one pound and a

half.

greatly esteemed for food, being one of the most bony fishes reaches the fish markets of France and South

where

fish

—'Were

it is

About

bought by the poor at a low fifteen

tons

are

Germany

It is

not

known, but

in great quantities,

price.

taken every year in two or three weeks near

Augsburg. It

spawns in April and

France,

when

it

May

collects in shoals,

in

Germany, Switzerland, the Rhine, and

and seeks the bottom in gravelly places

;

THE FRESH- WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

19G

Bloeh states that the whitisli ej^ir'S number them to be as large as millet- seed, and of a Heckel and Kner mention that this species spawns in

where the stream flows swiftly. Fatio found

nearly 8;000.

greenish

August

tinge.

Danube, but the statement

in the

spawning in other parts

of the spring

may

that spawning

is

open to some doubt in face

of Europe,

though

it

well

is

known

At the breeding

by unfavourable weather.

be delayed

season the male acquires the conical warts which are usual in Cyprinoids

the female they are limited to the skull and the sides of the snout.

but

in

The

colours then

become more intense, and, according to Benecke, the abdomen becomes black.

German specimens

grow extremely

deposited, the fish

make a rustling

in Switzerland

Neckar Dr. Giinther found

The bones

jump along the with many

infested

to be free

it

from

and a

in the orbital ring,

fifth

harmony with the

size of the

North

is

being

and often

surface of the water.

entozoa, but in the

parasites.

The

of the face are wider than in other Cyprinoids.

bones are small, owing to the

bones, in

is

in

the spawn

active, pressing against each other,

noise with the fins as they

The Nasling

When

infra-orbital

second, third, and fourth elements

bone unites these to the

The pharyngeal

skull.

teeth they carry (Fig. 106), are thick and strong.

There are twenty-seven thoracic vertebrae, and twenty-one in the

tail.

There

fish.

After

are twenty-one pairs of ribs.

The making

intestine

a

is

fold in

several coils,

and then runs back

and surrounds the in

nearly three times as the lower part

The

intestine.

of

This species

gall-bladder

is

The milt

it

forms

a

spiral

has two

liver

of

lobes,

long and yellow, and situate is

blood-i'ed.

The

posterior

twice as large as the anterior part.

very variable, but the varieties are limited in their geo-

is

graphical range.

is

The

to the vent.

the upper part of the right lobe.

portion of the air-bladder

long as the entire

the abdomen,

Thus the

coifee-coloured variation already referred

to

and Neckar, originally distinguished as Chondrostoma

as

found

in the Moselle

ratns,

and popularly known in Germany as Gold Nose and Golden Mackerel,

varies

the

still

further at

abdomen

golden-green.

is

White

The back becomes golden olive-brown, and

Trier.

dull brown. scales

aii-

All the scales are broadly bordered with

jiale

patches are scattered over the body.

The

in

dorsal fin and upper lobe of the caudal are golden green, are red, as in the ordinary Nasling.

and the other

Both the dorsal and anal

fins

fins

have

fifteen rays.

A

bluish variety, C/iondro.sfoiiia ccrniU'Scciis, has been recorded in Western

France by Blanchard, from the Rivers Doubs and Ognon.

The whole body

has a blackish-grey tint, with a bright steel-blue iridescence. lateral line the scales are spotted

Below the

with large black points, and similar spots

CHONDEOSTOMA NASUS.

197

occur round the eye and in the opercular region^ though in some individuals the black punctation

and the other

The

in the Niisling.

The

faint.

is

dorsal

and caudal

The mouth

are slightly yellow.

fins

The

more pointed.

scales are

There are six pharyngeal teeth on each

have a grey

tint,

rather narrower than

dorsal fin

This

side.

fins

is

is less

elevated.

reaches a length of

fish

nine and a half inches.

Blanchard distinguishes another variety as Ckomlrostoma dremai, which

found

is

Southern France, in some tributaries of the Garonne, as well as

in

in that river at Toulouse.

Its colour

is

very similar to that of the last variety.

The upper

part of the body

a bluish-

is

band

grey, with a slaty longitudinal

above the in

some

lateral line,

though

it is

on the scales are dense about the

The

line.

faint

The black spots

individuals.

and anal

pectoral

lateral

are

fins

-I'HARYNGEAL TEETH OF CHONUKOSTOMA NASUS.

dotted with black on the rays. The head is

shorter.

The operculum

is

nearly

The scales are short. The body is much more compressed. The form of the pharyngeal bones is distinctive, but the number of teeth is six on each side.

square, and larger than in other types,

In the Rhone there

is

another

Chon(lro.sto)iia

with six pharyngeal teeth,

by Blanchard

closely resembling the foregoing varieties, but distinguished as

C/i.

The body

rliodanensis.

yellowish, with fine black spots scattered

is

The mouth

over the head and upper parts of the body.

The concentric are

more

on the scales are

striae

It

slender.

is

less

D. 11, A. This delicate

many

taken at Lyons, Avignon, and

Chondrostoma phoxinus 10—11

Scal(

little fish at first

lat.

line

scales,

88—90,

and

narrower.

other places.

(Heckel). trans.

sight closely resembles the

an elongated body, with extremely small

much

is

The pharyng'eal teeth

numerous.

six

Minnow.

It has

pharyngeal teeth on

each side (Fig. 107).

The

greatest

depth

of

body

the length of the head, but the high. is

The breadth

of the

head

is

horse-shoe

shaped,

is

of

five

the

fin

is

equal

as long it

to is

length.

The nose

over the upper jaw.

The small

little

rather

dorsal

and a half times

not quite half

is

moderately arched, and projects a

mouth

front

in fish

than

its

semi-circular;

and

its

cleft

THE FRE,ÂŤ;n-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

198

under the naves

extends

On

108).

(Fig-.

each side of the lower jaw are

three small pores.

The eye

is

one-quarter of the lenc^th

The

diameter from the snout. the outline of the abdomen. to the is

tail.

The

dorsal fin

profile

of

of the

in front of the

is

The

one orbital

is

a greater curve than

and then sinks

The anal

middle of the body.

wide, and

are rather

The

do not reach to

evenly-lobed caudal fin

is

Fig. 107.

— CHOXDROSTOMA

PHOXIXUS

The longest rays

vent.

length of the head.

The

as long as the head.

fin are

ventral fins are under the

tlie

of the pointed pectoral fins are four-fifths of the

fin

bases of these fins are equal

and about half as long as the head; but the rays of the anal

only two-thirds as long as those of the dorsal. dorsal,

back

It rises rapidly to the dorsal fin, is

far behind the termination of the dorsal.

in length,

head, and

the

lateral line,

The

which com-

(hECKEI,).

mences somewhat high up, descends to the termination of the pectoral, and then continues in a straight course to the middle of the

The

tail.

small scales are broader than long, but their broadest diameter third

of

that

of

the

eye.

is

delicate

only one-

They generally show

six

diverging rays, with relatively coarse concentric striping,

and each has a large colour of the back

HEAD CHONDROSTOMA PIIOX NUS, FROM liELOW.

Fig.

108.

belly white. beautiful

The

is

indefinite area at the base.

pectoral, ventral,

pale yellow.

and anal

ment

spots

become

lateral line.

At both ends

diffused, so as to

fins are

a

Black points occur upon the

part of the head behind the eye, on the shoulder-girdle, and on

above and below the

The

blackish, the sides shining silver, the

of the

form below the

all

the scales

body these black pig-

lateral line

an obscure

longitudinal grey band.

This species

is

found at Sign, in Dalmatia, and at Livno,

in Bosnia.

largest specimens do not exceed a length of five and a half inches.

The

.

CHONDROSTOMA GEXEI.

Ohondrostoma genei D. 11, A.

n, V.

In Italy this

fish (Fig.

name

has the provincial It is

p. 16, C. 19.

9,

109)

Sfric,

is

and

Scales

(Bonaparte). Hue 52—50,

trans. 9/7.

called Lasca, but in

Lombardy

lateral

:

commonly

Tyrol

in the

199

known

is

it

Lan.

to fishermen as

almost limited to Italy, though specimens are obtained from the River

Inn and Bavarian tributaries of the Danube.

from the Rhone

though

its

and

;

presence

it

Dr. Giinther also records

it

has been supposed to occur in the upper Rhine,

there

is

The length

very doubtful.

and a half to about eight inches.

The

s])e(dps

is

varies

from

distinguished by

its

five

semi-

C Fig. 109.

circular

and

— CHONDKOSTOMA

(JUNEI

(lU)N.\r.\l{TE)

mouth, by a dark band which extends over and along the

by the phaiyugeal teeth, which are 5

height of the body

head, but

The eyes

is

its

5

it is

high.

lateral line,

and sometimes 6

equal to the length of the head

is

thiids times as long as of the eye

—

;

the fish

—

is five

The

5.

and two-

The diameter

one-quarter of the length of the relative size diminishes

are separated

by a

with age.

frontal interspace of

one and a half orbital diameter, and they are the

same distance from the snout.

The

other species, the semi-circular

which do not reach back along the lower jaw. dorsal

base

is

fin,

mouth

Fig. 110.

nose

narrower and blunter than in the Nasling.

As

is

There

Both dorsal and ventral

the head.

The

OF CHONDROS-

.SEEN I'ROM

RELOW.

(Fig. 110) descends sharply to the angles,

to the nares.

is

a row of six

anal

fin

mucus pores The

profiles are flat arches.

which begins half way down the body,

as long as

HE.\I)

TOMA GEXEI

in

has

is

the

truncate behind

base

as

long

;

its

as the

THE FEESH-WATER

200 dorsal fin

commences

it

;

higher than

and

long-,

rays are shorter than in other

The terminal rays

The

as the head.

diameter of the eye

The concentric

The

side.

it

The

fins.

not

is

ventral

shorter

little

evenly-lobed caudal are as long

of the

lateral line descends

middle of the

a moderate curv^e, sinking below

in

largest scales are equal in size to half

the

the free edge of each shows a fan of ten to twelve rays.

;

striping

rather coarse, and forms a network in the centre.

is

There are four longitudinal ventral

body length,

in the hinder third of the

its

placed under the beg-inning of the dorsal, and are only a

fins are

than the pectoral.

the

OF EUROPE.

FI.SHES

between the

series of scales

and

lateral line

fin.

The colour of the back is a clear green-grey, with golden iridescence. The sides become silvery towards the belly, with black pigment spots.

A

broad grey bnnd extends over and along the lateral

All fins are

line.

yellowish-white, with beautiful orange borders, and the same colour in the region of the is

yellow, with

mouth and on the

brown and

is

seen iris

silvery specks.

There are forty-two vertebrae, and sixteen pairs of canal

is

The

skin of the opercular plates.

ribs.

The

intestinal

very long, and makes three curves.

Chondrostoraa soetta D. 12, A.

14'

— 15.

Scales:

g

— GO, transverse

57

line

lat.

(Bonaparte). -

8.

This ChondroHi 0)11(1 is

is

known

only in Italy and the Balkan peninsula, and

regarded as a re})rcsentative of

the Alps (Fig. 111).

Chondrostoma

na-sn-s

occasionally specimens are found with the formula 7 straight,

and

;

the height

is

five

less in

is

the snout, and

The

The head

orbit of the eye

the frontal interspace

The arch

of the

mouth

is

is is

is

is

from

The

be

other five

greatest

by

its

own diameter from

intermediate between the condition in It

is

iish

may

all

one and a half times the orbital

The

little

it

;

about four and a half times

sei)arated

the cleft of which reaches under the nares.

dorsal fin

The

as long as the head.

Chondrostoma nasns and Chondrostoma genei.

The

though

are long,

height, as in

in front of the dorsal fin.

scarcely half the height.

and projects a

The teeth

0.

youth than in age

The greatest

and three-quarter times

as long as the eye.

diameter.

is

of the length.

species of Chondrostoma,

thickness

—

knife-like.

The body is high more than one-fifth and a half to

south of

in rivers

It has seven pharyngeal teeth on each side,

is

a broad, rather

snt)ut

is

fiat

arch,

thick and arched,

over the mouth. in the highest part of the dorsal profile, in the

middle of

CHONDEOSTOMA SOETTA. body

the

the length of

;

truncated, so that

The anal in

it,

fin

its

its

base

longest ray

is

is

about four-fifths of

more than twice

begins behind the end of the dorsal

it is

;

commence

slightly in front of the dorsal,

exceeded in length by the pectoral

little

caudal

fin are at least as

The

as long as high,

The

is

and

ventral fins

They

and reach to the vent. fins.

It

heig-ht.

The terminal

are

rays of the

long as the head.

are similar to those of the Nasling, but larger.

scales

scales are

its

as long as the shortest.

too, the last ray is half the length of the longest ray.

but

over the lateral

line,

specimens the diameter of a scale

The

largest

and have two-thirds of the diameter of the

They have very dense concentric

eye.

201

is

striping,

and few

In young

rays.

only one-quarter of that of the eye, while

:Š'

\.M Fig. 111.

— CHONDROSTOMA

in old specimens the lateral scales

number

may

SOETTA (boXAPAKTE).

be nearly as large as the eye.

The

of scales below the lateral line varies, being frequently five or six, but

sometimes seven or eight.

The comb-shaped accessory gills are large. The gill-arches have very numerous thick short rake-teeth, which have a knife-like form, and end in fine

curved points.

The

colour resembles that of the Nasling except that there

green tint on the back and sides, and the instead of being intensely red, are fin

is

grey.

fins of

orange.

is

more of a

the lower part of the body,

In young specimens the anal

During spawning the males become covered with

tubercles on

the head and on the scales of the anterior part of the back.

The length weight

is

vertebrae.

is

usually about one foot, but sometimes fifteen inches.

one pound and a half

to

two pounds.

The

There are forty-four

THE FRESH- WATER FISHES OF

20i

In Italy Nasling-. It

it

It

is

is

known

as the

Savetta.

Its habits are

like

those of the

taken indifferently in large lakes, like Garda, and in

captured with the line and net, and

is

EUIIOPE.

abundant

sufficiently

is

rivers.

to be a

cheap food for the poorer classes, both in Italy and Montenegro.

Chondrostoma knerii D. 11, A. 1^. This

It

is

lat. line 5:i

:

which does not exceed

fish,

little

limited, so far as

Scales

known,

is

(Heckel).

— 54, transverse

six

9/().

and a half inches

length,

in

by a rather blunt head, with four pores on each

characterised

Fig. 112.

the lower jaw, long

— CHONDKOSTOMA

pectoral

pharyngeal teeth on each

is

to the river Xarenta, in Dalniatia (Fig". 112).

KXEllII (hECKEL).

semicircular

fins,

side of

mouth

(Fig. 113),

and

six

The strongly-curved mouth and fewer rays

side.

the dorsal and anal fins distinguish

it

blunter head, longer pectorals, and

from Ch. nasns and

number

CJi. soi'fld,

in

while the

of pharyngeal teeth, separate

it

from Ch. genei.

The and

fish

five

is

five

and two-third times as long

and a quarter times as long as high.

as the length of the head,

The height

of the

head

four-

is

fifths of its length.

The diameter head

;

of

the eye

is

not quite one-quarter of the length interspace between the eyes

the breadth of the frontal

diameter of the eye, and the eye

is

The

fins

The

somewhat higher arch than the ventral resemble

the rays of the anal

those of Ch. goiei, both in

ai"e

dorsal profile

is

the

The

a similar distance from the snout.

angle of the mouth does not reach to the nares. regular and

of the

exceeds

a more

outline. ]iositioii

and form

longer, so that the length of the base

is

;

but

two-thirds

CHONDROSTOMA KNERII. The base

of the height. fins are

203

The

The

The

The longest rays of descends somewhat

in

The

the middle.

free

lateral line

fin.

marked with wavy concentric

scales are

pectoral

shorter ventral fins are

under the dorsal, and behind the middle of the body. the caudal exceed the length of the head.

concavely over the ventral

The

shorter than that of the dorsal.

is

pointed, and quite as long- as the head.

margin of a

The

of twelve to fourteen rays.

scale

striping, with an indefinite spot

shows a fan

largest scales are

There are

two-thirds of the diameter of the eye.

rows of scales between the lateral line and

five

ventral

fin.

The pectinate accessory ^ The

.

cephalic canals are wide, and well developed.

by the

anterior sub-orbital branch can be traced

sub-orbital bone

to

the end of the nose.

on the palate as

folds

It

wide, and the

very

is

canal

The inner mucus skin of the mouth forms

opens by two or three pores.

numerous compact

—

heah of chox113. DROSTOMA KXERII (MECKEL), seen from below.

Fig.

g-iUs are rather large.

_

The

in

other species of the genus,

all

but the margins of the mouth in this species look as though finely toothed, for the parallel free edges

of the furrows

and folds of the skin

of the palate

terminate laterally in a serration.

The

colour of the back

is

a brown or greenish-black.

towards the abdomen, and in the

half

anterior

of

It becomes silvery

the body the scales are

covered with black pigment spots both on their free edge and at the base

behind the ventral

fins.

These spots are found only on the Before the

nearest to the lateral line.

tail

scales

which

lie

terminates they cover the entire

height of the scales.

Chondrostoma meigii (Steindaehner), from Spain, fish, if it is

not a variety of

The

it.

closely allied to this

is

Its

pectoral fins are shorter.

described as semi-circular, and figured as transversely straight

with Dr. Giinther in hesitating to regard

it

;

mouth

is

and we agree

as a distinct species until it has

been more fully described, though the more pointed form of head, more arched back, and transverse mouthy render

its specific difference

Chondrostoma rysela D. ll—l-l, A. 12—13.

The

fish

which

is

thus

Scales:

named

is

Chondrostoma nasus and Zeuciscus

sometimes

resembles

one

of

lat.

line

probable.

(Agassiz).

50—60,

transverse

^=^ 3—6.

generally regarded as a hybrid between imiticellus.

these

species

It

and

is

very variable,

sometimes

the

and

other.

— THE FKESH-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

204^

The

the

cleft of

mouth

always more arched than

is

pharyngeal bones usually have a shallow notch on

external margin; and the pharyngeal teeth are generally 5

there

sometimes an additional tooth in a separate

is

but slightly over the mouth,

jects

resembles Ch.

(jenei in

There are

gated.

the

Q,

mouth

— 5;

but

The nose

pro-

The

but the body

;

5

or

series.

blunt and rounded.

is

snout, and

fins,

fish closely is less

between the extremity of the pectoral

five scales

The

nasns.

Ch.

in

the front part of their

elon-

and the

fin

This type most resembles Leuciscus muticellus in colour, being slaty-

ventral.

grey on the back, silvery -white on the

sides,

A

and white below.

band formed

of spots of black pigment, giving a grey effect, runs from the head to the

but

is

The

sometimes wanting.

margined with black, and there

Sometimes the angle this fish varies

found

of the

fins are

a similar but fainter border to the pectoral.

is

mouth and operculum

from eight to fourteen inches.

in

the Rhine at Basel.

It has

Scales

stated to occur in the

is

no distinctive provincial name.

line

lat.

:

of

very rare, and has been

is

Chondrostoma polylepis D. 11, A. 12.

The length

are orange.

It

Bavaria, in the rivers Inn and Isar, and

in

Danube, and

tail,

orange, but the dorsal and caudal are

68

(Steindachner).

— 75,

— 13

transverse

9.

This

when taken from the

fish,

mountain waters

clear

of Spain,

green on the back, with a wonderful metallic glimmer, and

is

The

The head

except for their black margins, are reddish.

fins,

with blackish -bi-own

flecks,

and

there

is

is

darkish-

golden on the belly. covered

is

blackish fleck on every scale.

a

Specimens from the Tagus and the rivers flowing in the low-lying country are

much

paler,

fine

black

points

brownish

or

olive-green,

on the body

in

the scales are darker at their edges than in

length of sixteen inches, but

is

rarely

markets of Toledo and Madrid. sula as Bixja,

The form dorsal

fin, in

It

is

and there are only

colour,

At the

scales.

uj)per

middle.

its

known

in tlie

of

body

is

elongated.

yoving individuals,

is

is

is

The

the fish

Spanish penin-

greatest height in front of

The

fish is

as long as wide.

age, and

length of the head in the adult. in

in

body

reaches a

the

equal to the length of the head, while in old

relatively shorter.

more than twice

relatively smaller with

longed

the

and also as Madrilla.

individuals the head

It

of fish

more than ten inches long popularly

five

long as the head in the young, while in the adult the head length.

part

The

is

between

The snout

is

and a half times as is

The eye

one-fifth

one-sixth of the varies,

becoming

and one-sixth of the

arched and broad, and

is

pro-

advance of the transversely horizontal mouth, the angle of which

CHONDROSTOMA POLYLEPIS. reaches back to the anterior naves. is

In old specimens the length of the snout

The

twice the diameter of the eye.

with age from

margin

but

;

is

frontal interspace

is

convex, widens

one and three-quarters to two and three-quarter times the

The

diameter of the eye. the body

205

is

dorsal fin

is

opposite the ventral, in the middle of

farther back in the young.

The base

concave.

In proportion and character

it

higher than long

It is

of the anal fin

the free

;

longer, but its height

is

The

resembles the dorsal.

is

less.

ventrals do

not

reach back to the vent^ but end four scales in front of the genital papilla.

The

pectoral fin

is

a

little

The caudal

shorter than the head.

with the lower lobe rather longer than the upper, and

The

scales are firmly adherent,

The larger

margin.

diameter of the eye.

and have a fan

scales are longer

There

is

of

is

twenty rays at the

U,

There species

greater

A. 12, Y. 10.

but

is

little

an elongated scale at the base of the ventral

quivir), or 7

difference

—

its

it

03—07,

lat.

form

in

of

wddth

this

the

which are on each

The body

is

The snout

profile.

is

—

cleft of the

mouth is

slightly

it

widens with age to

The eye

is

usually one-quarter

is

The breadth

head length

is

four and a

of the frontal intersj^ace

one and three-fifths to twice the diameter of the

of the snout only slightly exceeds the diameter of the eye.

relative length of the

head

is

are very similar in proportion parallel to the

much

the same as in Ch. polijlepls

and character.

abdomen, there are usually 64

a scale

is

about the diameter of the eye, but

diameter of the eye.

between the orbits

of

— 6 (Guadal-

usually conically pointed, but

is

of the length of the head, but in old individuals the

border

side 6

in

compressed, with the ventral contour rather

one and one-third times the orbital diameter.

The length

U—o

a constant difference

is

becomes very blunt. The transverse

half times the

^^^~^\ transverse

body and mouth between

but there

;

fio.

(Steindachner).

(Guadiana), though in the latter river the formula 6

more arched than the dorsal in old fishes

:

of pharyngeal teeth,

sometimes found.

curved,

Scales

and Chondrodoma polijleph

number

free

than high, and about two-thirds of the

Chondrostoma ^willkommii D.

deeply forked,

is

longer than the head.

may

be a

little

pointed

Along the rounded

and the

lateral line,

to 00 scales.

or

;

;

The it

ej'e.

The fins

which

is

free posterior

has

numerous

diverging rays.

The is

fish is

The back is

found in great numbers in the Guadiana and

plentiful in the Guadalquivir at Cordova, is

dark bluish-grey, or brown in

a trace of a blue-grey longitudinal

band

though

muddy in the

its tributaries,

and

rare in that river at Seville.

streams.

Sometimes there

middle of the body.

THE

20G

FISHES OF EFROrE.

FHI-:SII-WAT1-:U

Hybrid between Chondkostoma polyeepis and LErciscrs ARCASII. Stoiiulachner found the fish which he thus accounts for as a hybrid in the

River Tara, a tributary of the Douro,

bony covering

geal teeth, and

but the mouth

it

is

The

like Leaciscas arcasii in

upper margin

;

dorsal fin

is

variable

are

The number

The

fin.

character of the scaling.

with strong concentric

striping

The

some

scales,

is

speci-

rows below.

and four to

five

lateral

there

Lrncisciis arcasii

;

are

vary from ;

one

while the others

resemble L. arcasii

than in Ch.

and a fan of ten to sixteen scales

fin

not constant

is

scales are larger

and a half to nine and a half rows of

line,

The snout in

jointed rays of the anal

of scales in the lateral line

intermediate between fifty-two and fifty-nine, and

are eight

;

having seven jointed rays, and a convex

specimen agrees with Ch. polijlepia in having sixty-two

in the

In form, pharyn-

agrees with Ch. polijlepls,

it

others are like Ch. polylepis in having eight jointed rays and

a concave upper margin to the seven to nine.

the north of Spain.

semicircularly curved as in Leuciacns arcasii.

is

not so prolonged as in the former.

mens

in

of the lower jaw,

pjoli/lejjis

rays.

above the

There

lateral line,

In the example with sixty-two scales in the

eleven rows above

it.

The

colour

is

the same as in

a dark blue-grey back, longitudinal bands above and along

the lateral line, and orange-yellow bases to the

fins.

— —

—

—

207

CHAPTER

VI.

FRESH-WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER PHYSOSTOMI

GROUP RHODEINA— Genus

Ehodeus

:

—

— — —

{continued).

The Bitterling— GROUP

ABRAMIDINA— Genus

—

—

—

Adramis The Bream -A. \'imba A. elongatus -A. balleru8 A. sapa A. leuckai'tii A. hjorkna Hybrids A. bipunctatus A. fasciatus Genus Aspius A. rapax Gent's AlburNus A. lucidus A. alburnellus A. inento A. chalcoides Genus Leucaspius L. deli:

—

—

—

:

:

—

—

:

—

neatus— Genus Pelecus P. cultratus GROUP COBITIDINA Genus Misgurnus: M. fossilis— Genus Nemachilus The Loach Genus Cobitis The Spinous Loach. :

:

:

Group Genus Rhodeus

is

prinidie.

This

:

RHODEINA.

:

Rhodeus

(Agassiz).

the type of the Rhodeina, Dr. Giiiither's ninth group of the Cyis

a small assemblage of three genera, limited to

with one species, the Rhodeus amarus

Bouviere of France

—

—the

The

characteristic of Central Europe.

The

veloped only in the anterior part of the trunk.

The mouth

in a single

row

is

la

lateral line is de-

dorsal fin has nine to twelve

branched rays, and extends between the ventral and anal

about twelve rays.

Japan and China,

Germany, and

Blfterlirig of

The anal

fins.

fin

has

small without barbels; the pharyngeal teeth,

of five on each side, are compressed, with a simple furrow on the

bevelled surface.

During the spawning season the male develops tubercles on

the snout, and the female grows a long external urogenital tube, or oviduct.

The genus contains

three species, wliich are all of small size

two

;

of

them

are

limited to China.

Rhodeus amarus D. 3/9—10, A. Scales

The

Bitter Carp

Common Carp and

is

:

3/9,

lat. line

(Bloch).

V. 2/G, P. 1/10, C.

34—38,

transverse

19.

10—12.

a very small fish, intermediate in aspect between the

the Crucian Carp

times as long as high, nearly

five

(Fig.

114).

Its

body

is

about three

times as long as the head, and about three

The head is nearly as high as long, but is short, with The eye is about one-third of the length of the head, and

times as deep as thick.

an obtuse snout. is

placed towards the middle of

which

is

its

side.

The angles

rather oblique, reach back under the nares.

of the small

The

mouth,

nares are double,

with the anterior opening round, and the hinder opening oval.

The contour

rises

from the back

of the head to the dorsal

fin in

a sharp

THE FKESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

208

curve, and again descends even heig-ht

is

equal to half the height of the anal and ventral

and

fins,

The ventral

sheath.

equal

The

where the

tail,

body

dorsal fin beg-ins in the middle of the length of the

The

commences before the termination

fins are

more suddenly towards the

scarcely one-third of the height of the middle of the body.

;

fin

the caudal are thin

scales

longer diameter

is

is

fish.

The vent

is

midway between the

placed

covered with scales which extend round

The

reaches back to the anal. is

the anal

;

and both have the longer rays

of the dorsal,

like a

it

ventral and pectoral

evenly-lobed and moderately notched.

and elongated, approaching a sub-oval form

equal to that of the eye in the adult

The

fish.

their

;

scales in the

young, according to Fatio, are relatively only one-fourth or one-third aslai-ge as those in the adult.

with radiating

lines,

The

The

ten to thirty-five in number.

and the attached margin

abdomen, and root of the

is

tail,

The

sub-convex. are smaller

scales

and more

two

The

AMAHVS.

accessory

The

and

it

gills

entire is

are

The

Fig. 115

shows the pharyngeal

life

free

and

covered with

mem-

has been sujiposed that

this separation of the

not be unconnected with the tenacity of

remarkable.

on the

upper division

mouth

and the peculiar respiration

may

rounded;

lateral line the scales are

of the gill-arches

-I'UAllYNGEAL TEETH OF KHODEUS

is

to seven are perforated.

pectinate.

brane,

edge

wide, and only from one

transversely or

free

on the back, breast,

circular than those

In the

sides.

Fiff. 115.

and are marked

scales partially overlap each other,

for

which

aperture it

this

implies fish

is

teeth.

colour varies with sex and season of the year.

The males

at

spawning-

time in summer develop every year two circular patches of warty tubercles

above the mouth, which periodically disappear, a character

in

which they are

RHODET'S AMARUS.

many

paralleled by

and

the tail

body

of the

the operculum

stripe,

The

in a fiue streak.

pectoral region

Behind

The anal

brown, spotted, almost banded, with black.

is

The

The females

and ends

with rose-coloured or orange-red patches.

silvery,

bright red, with black edges transparent.

each side of

which extends half way along the length

a broad, vertical silver baud, covered with dark violet spots.

is

dorsal fin

On

have a beautiful violet colour.

to the caudal fin,

and abdomen are

The

fin,

an emerald-gi-een

is

The operculum, back,

other Cyprinoids, like Cliondrostoma.

above the anal

sides,

-ZO'S

iris is

fin is

the pectoral and caudal fins are pale in colour and

;

very red above.

are smaller, their height being about four-fifths of that of the

The head is rather longer, but all the fins are shorter than in the At ordinary times there is but little difference between the sexes in but when the male puts on his metallic beauty of varied colour, the

males.

male. colour,

female has the back greenish-brown, with the

The

region, silvery.

steel-blue to black,

All the

line at the

is

sides,

rarely half as wide as in the male,

are pale in colour except the dorsal,

fins

abdomen, and pectora'

The

broad black margin.

iris is

the

middle of the side of

tail varies

from

and often disappears.

which

bordered with a

is

There are

pale yellow, with orange spots.

no bony tubercles on the snout. There

difference in the air-bladder, for although

some

is

divided in both

sexes

shape, this part

fish,

slender in males than in females.

hanging free

which often extends some two-thirds of the like

a

worm

sometimes extending back beyond the caudal Krauss,

The eggs

Stuttgart.

of

it

one behind another.

The diameter

oval shape

are elongated

when

shortened until

The long liver.

Von

The

laid.

it

to a

It

was discovered by Herr

are yellow, and, wdien they

move down

of the oviduct

cylindrical

is less

form within

oviduct, after performing

its

distend the in succession

than that of the

it,

regaining their is

gradually

lie

below the

function,

disappears in a papilla.

intestine exhibits

Siebold found

fragments of

of the anal Hn, and

in front

fin.

a beaded aspect, as they

external oviduct, give

eggs, which

generally

taking a pear

has none of the brilliant colouring of the male, but pos-

fish

sesses a long orange-red oviduct,

length of the

is

it

parts, the anterior third

unecpial

much more

usually

is

The female

into

alga?.

oviduct, so that were

two principal convolutions, which

the entire intestine

filled

with diatomaceas and

The heart-shaped bladder opens into the base of the a permanent structure it might l)e termed the uro-

it

genital canal.

No

one has observed the mode of deposition of the eggs, or ascertained

whether this remarkable tube, which

and nerves,

is

made

is

furnished with

its

own

use of to place the eggs in a secure position.

blool-vessels

2\U This

is

KISIIKS ()F EriiOl'K.

I'lfKSII-WA'I'Kl;

'I'llK

one of the smallest of European

The females

fishes.

from

are usually

one and a half to two inches long, and the males do not exceed three inches.

The

Bitterling- prefers

in rivers it

and brooks.

spawns in April.

flowing water with a stony bottom, and lives

clear

In the Seine

The

it

spawns from

vitality of

the male

is

May

to

August,

female, but both survive conditions which destroy other fishes. useful as a food fish than size

the

and

bitter flavour.

Danube by fishermen

showing that It

is

any other fresh-water In Austria the Perch as bait for eels

;

but

bitter flavours are not grateful to

rejected

in

it

It

less

small

used in

is

by most

is

fishes,

widely distributed

through France, Holland, and Germany

Asia Minor.

is

its

them.

absent from Great Britain and Scandinavia, but

in Central Europe, especially

found at Brusa,

and

will eat it, it is

It

on account of

fish,

in Austria

than that of the

greater

lives in several

warm

s])rings,

;

and

is

such as

those of Toplitz, in Croatia.

A B R AM I D I N A.

Group:

Abramis

Genus:

The Bream family comprises about having the nnal

fin

elongated

;

(Cuvier).

sixteen genera of fishes, characterised

by

and the body, especially the abdomen, com-

ÂŽ '$Mwfiij

^^'

'ki^].

Fig

pressed into India,

ii

116.

— AUKAMIS

ridge or edge.

HKAMA

(l-INNMirs).

Several of the genera are limited to China,

Western Asia, and Eastern Africa, though the group Abramidina

is

ABKAMLS represented in Enrope

211

BKA:\rA.

by Breams, Bleaks, a

of Aspius, and a species

s^Deeies

of Peleeus.

Abramis has the fins,

and the

edge behind the ventral

belly compressed into a sharp

do not cross this

scales

The pharyngeal teeth may be

edg-e.

in one or

simple

two

lips

Both jaws have

series.

lower

the

;

lip

inter-

is

rupted in the middle line in front, and the lower jaw

The

dorsal

is

fin

the body and

Fig. 117.

— PHARYNGEAL

Ti:ETH OF ABRAMIS

tail.

by

vated form.

RRAMA.

no

The

spine.

runs below the middle of

lateral line

racterised

generally the shorter.

has

its

The body

is

cha-

compressed and

ele-

The genus belongs

to the

northern parts of Enrope and adjacent parts of Asia.

North America by

It is represented in

have a smaller number of rays in the anal

fin

several species,

which

than the corresponding European

types.

Abramis brama D.

;3/9,

A.

26—31, V.

This species It

is

the eye

as

2/8, P. 1/15.

remarkable for

Scales

its

:

lat. line

Bream.

51—57, transvers

12—13

6— 7i.

deep body, compressed from side to

side.

about three times as long as high, and more than three times as high

as thick

is

is

(Cuvier).— The

(Fig. 116). is

The head

about one-sixth of the total length; and

is

one-fourth or one-fifth of the length of the head.

curved in a horse-shoe form.

The snout

blunt.

is

The mouth The pharyngeal teeth,

in all species of the genus, are notched at the extremity

typical Breams, are in a single

row

on each

of five

;

and, as in

side (Fig. 117).

The

all

dorsal

commences behind the middle of the body its base is much shorter than height. The fin is abruptly truncated behind, with the first ray four

fin

;

its

times as long as the last. The anal fin is much longer than high, and is between one-third and one-fourth of the length of the body it is situated behind the dorsal. The ventral fin is placed in front of the dorsal, and scarcely reaches back to the vent. The pectorals reach back to the ventral ;

fins.

The caudal has the lower

lobe longer than the upper,

the length of the base of the anal

long as the longest ray of the dorsal

The

scales

fin,

and equal to

while the shorter upper lobe

is

as

fin.

are firmly adherent, soft, higher than long, and

rounded at

THE

21:2

the

free

The

basal border

are small, but

back of the skull, which

sides of the

fan-like pattern of ten or twelve

is

from

free

The colour

gills are free,

of the

on the

The

scales.

lateral

and the mucus-canals

and

of the head are obvious in their extension to the eyes

scales

smaller scales occur

still

line extends in a curve parallel to the ventral outline,

shaped accessory

The

irregularly festooned.

is

abdomen

throat and fore part of the

on the

marked with a

end, where tliey are

diverging rays.

fishes of EUUurE.

i'i;!:sii-WATEi;

nares.

The comb-

and well developed.

back and upper part of the head

is

black or olive-green

;

the sides are yellowish-white, with a silvery lustre, and dark scattered pigment spots

;

the throat

is

reddish, the

with black spots, and

abdomen

The

silvery.

the fins are bluish-black

all

;

iris is

golden yellow,

but sometimes the early

rays have a scarlet tinge.

The Bream

varies in size in different parts of Europe.

In Russia, wdiere

it

occurs as far north as latitude 63^', large specimens weigh eight pounds, though

the fishermen speak of

Bream weighing

weight at Novgorod

one pound and a half, and at Astrakhan a

is

But the weight

pounds.

ished everywhere,

owing

fifteen or

twenty pounds.

of the fish, as well as the

to the increase of fishing

The average

little

over three

number caught, has dimin-

and the long time which the

Bream needs to attain to a large size. The Bream is one of the larger in the Danube and Lake Constance, where it may be a foot and a half six inches high,

and weigh

ten pounds; and various the weight has reached

five or six

German as much

pounds.

long,

In the After See the weight

writers refer to as

fishes

is

heavier fishes, in which

twenty pounds.

In North Germany,

the length reaches sixty to seventy centimetres, and the weight ten to twelve

pounds, though Giinther mentions fifteen pounds and a length of two or three In France the size and Aveight are

feet.

In Norfolk a Bream known to be three-quarters, and measured

once from the Serpentine, in

fifty

less,

not exceeding eight pounds.

years ohl weighed eleven pounds and

We saw a Bream taken two feet two inches. Hyde Park, which weighed between seven and

eight pounds.

The Bream

lives

in

rivers, lakes

and marshes; and, according

ponds,

(like

to

Thun and Wallenstadt), shallow

Eckstrom,

is

found in the sea

off

It prefers waters with a strong stream and muddy Norway and Sweden. In summer it remains at the bottom, between water plants, or clay bottom.

and burrows

the

in

mud, often betraying

the disturbed slate of the water. insects,

It

its

of

to

the angler by

water plants, worms,

and mud. is

a

of

fish

social

habit,

often

assembling in large numbers, and

apparently following the leadership of some able Kin<i'

existence

Its food consists

Bream.

It

is

a

cautious, timid

(ish,

fish,

known

in

France as the

with the lacultv of hearing

s(7

ABRAMIS BEAM A. that

iieute,

it

spawning-.

cohnir.

It

at

any

and

noise,

disturbed by noise even durino;

is

preyed upon by most carnivorous fishes and water birds.

is

much from

suffers in

away

flies

It

313

is

worms, the

intestinal

and grows well

easily transported,

It

becoming' thin, and pale

sufferers

in

ponds, but

good

is

when put there. Chaucer, however, seems to have th(jught otherwise; for we learn from the prologue to the " Canterbury Tales'^ for nothing'

:

-'

Full

many

And many

a fair partritcli had a Breine and

many

lio

a

ou inewe,

Luce

in stcwe."

Blanchard mentions that before the palate had become educated by the introduction

Bream was held

Carp, the

of

great honour, as

in

have inferred from the French proverb, " Qui n hrhne

The it

fish

is

sold

is

many

In Norfolk Bream

sell at

Benecke says that

Bream spawn generally The males

with treaclierous bones."

Hebrew

or June, but possibly earlier in favourable

first

on a voyage of discovery to find out the

and the females arrive

usually carried on at night, and

first.

move

Passover, and in Lent.

May

soft grassy places on the banks,

for the fish

is

In favourable weather the spawning*

days, but

if

the weather

is

The

lips. is

The spawning-

old fish lay their eggs

accomplished in three to four

unfavourable the

The eggs

water without depositing the spawn.

later.

accompanied by considerable noise,

and smack their

rapidly,

virtues

its

by some people to Carp.

in

traA'el

a mis."

no way disagreeable,

and spring the larger Prussian specimens

in vdnter

are very tasty, and preferred

in

is

half-a-crown a bushel, and are chiefly eaten in

the middle of England, during the

is

fiavour

kinds of cookery, rejects " r]abl)y solids filled

localities.

its

we might -ses

Badham, who investigated the

but Dr.

not to be disdained;

of fishes with

As

at a low price.

^leut hnniicr

fish

descend again to deeper

are one

and a half millimetre

in diameter, yellow, are dejiosited on water-plants to the iiumber of 200/JOO to 300,000,

The

and hatched

scales of the

asperities,

in a

few days.

male at the breeding- season become rough, with

those seen in

little

may be light or dark. At the same time, tubercles, many other Cyprinoids, are developed on the head in old

which

;

like fish

they remain for a long time, and have been observed as late as October.

Bream

readily takes bait at spawning'-time,

not easily, since the in winter as

many

fish

by a net inserted through

as one

and

is

then caught with a net, but

disappears at the least noise. holes in the

In Prussia ice.

hundred tons of Bream are sometimes obtained

In the Caspian

the

Bream

is

it is

Benecke

captured

states that

in this

way.

remarkably abundant, the annual take

THE FKESII-WATKi;

:14.

amounting

28^500,000,

to

according-

The value

and the large

About

twenty-seven roubles a thousand.

to

The

species

of Europe, but

fishes sell at

from

twenty-four

four hundred thousand poods

amount.

generally distriinited throughout the

is

but this probably

of the fish vai'ies

though some writers have stated the

are exported annually from Astrakhan, (juantity at three times that

Grimm;

Dr.

to

includes the other species of the genus. sixty copecks to one rouble per pood,

OF FA'EOrF.

FISIIKS

north

and middle

not found south of the Pyrenees and Alps.

it is

Heckel, as long ago as

described a

1S:5,5,

Bream from the shallow Austrian

lake called the Neusiedler Sec, which has been found nowhere else, and rare

even there.

It

Fii^'.

common

has

lis.

no

— AliUAMIS

with the other forms,

AhraHi'iH

ccltild,

distinctive

and appears

name

amon<''

liKAMA, VAU. VICTILA (lIKCK KI.).

This variety was named the

termed Bream.

is

is

fishermen, and, in

be a local race, distinguished by having

to

the body more elongated, the head large and long, with larger eyes, and it

has the

the body

fins is

longer and more pointed

from the extremity of the nose. ventrals lish

;

(Fig. 118).

The

colour of the body

is

fins

All the (ins are spotted

greenish-grey,

greatest height of

own diameter way down the Heckel and Kner term this with black. The g'cneral is its

pectoral fins reach half

and from the sharp outline of the

the Pointed Bream.

The

The eye

one-quarter of the entire length.

reddish-brown on the upper part of

the head, and a shining lead colour on the sides and abdomen.

It

is

usually

about eight or nine inches long.

Other yields a

local races are

form common

found in

in various

parts

some seasons about

of

Europe.

IVIetz,

The

]\Iosclle

which Blanchard has

ABRAMTS BEAMA. named Abramis vetida,

in size,

geJiini.

more

and development

Mr. Gehin says

Common Bream.

body

it is

21—23, V. 10—11.

11, A.

a very good

Scales

The

(Fig. 119).

tail

behind the dorsal

greatest height of the

is

grey

scales tinely spotted

(Linn/eus).

lat. line

:

scales

fish.

This species, characteristic of Eastern Europe, keeled back of the

^''he

fins,

The pharyngeal teeth

with

silver- white,

Abramis vimba D.

of

In colour the upper part of the body

striking-ly re-curved.

slaty-blue, with the rest of the

with black.

Ahramh

It closely resembles the Austrian variety,

elong-ation of body,

are said to be shorter than in the are

215

is

transverse 10 J/9.

by the

easily recognised

and by the projecting snout

fin,

body

55—60,

in front of the dorsal

hn

is

about

MliA (LlNN.t.rs)

one-quarter of the length of the height.

The head

The eye

is

is

fish,

but the thickness

one and a half times

its

own diameter from

the snout, and the same distance from the other eye.

and about to the eyes

is

two-fifths of the

one-fifth of the length of the lish.

It

is

the extremity of

moderately large,

The nasal apertures

one-fifth of the length of the head.

than to the extremity of the snout.

The mouth

is

angle reaches back below the anterior limit of the orbit for the eye. lip

and thickens with age

fleshy,

is

mouth.

The elongated

profile

character of the species.

an arch to the dorsal narrowest the tour

is

less

fin,

;

it

is

of the head

From

are nearer

oblique,

and

its

The upper

arched, and projects beyond the

and snout

is

the most striking

the back of the head the contour ascends in

where

it

tail is two-fifths of

convex than the dorsal

begins to sink towards the

the greatest height. profile.

The

tail.

Where

The abdominal con-

dorsal fin,

which begins half

THE

21(;

way down the

I'UESU-WAl'El; FISHES OF EFKorE.

commences rather behind the

length,

Its longest ray

hig'h as long-.

about as h^ng as the base of the anal the ventral

and the ventral

fins,

The lower The scales

iins

lobe of the caudal

ventral,

and

twice as

is

about one-fifth of the length of the body, and

is

The

fin.

pectoral fins scarcely reach to

extend to the vent. scarcely longer than the up])er lobe.

fin is

are ornamented with, fan-shaped rays, whicli are fairly regular,

and number eight to twelve.

The

largest scales are along the lateral line,

and the

on the back of

scales

the skull are scarcely smaller than on the rest of the body.

The colour dorsal

usually greyish-blue on the snout, head, and back, and in the

is

and caudal

The

Iins.

pectoral, ventral,

The anal

with a deeper tinge at the base. sides

and abdomen are

from

iin

and anal is

In Upper Austria this

silvery.

are pale yellow,

litis

fish is

popularly known,

the Blue-Nose, and in Bavaria, according to

its colour, as

The

margined with black.

Von

Siebold, as

the Smut-Nose.

At the

breeding-season, towards the end of ^lay or beginning of June,

The

the colours change in both sexes.

the lateral

line,

The under

lustre.

As

colour.

warts, on the skull, scales, and

The

some

male at this time develops tubercles, or of the fins.

always smaller than Abrandu hrama.

is

In the Danube

sures twenty to thirty centimetres. a j)ound,

and

In the Atter See

the

muddy

Atter See

in the

it

may weigh

In Prussia rarely

it

bottom, stirring

many

If it

it

mea-

weighs more

three-quarters of a pound.

remains at a depth of ten fathoms, and

twenty fathoms.

retires to

below

to well

yellow, with dark spots.

iris is

This species

than half

down

surface from the lips to the tail becomes a rich orange-red

Afjrau/is hraii/a, the

in

entire upper surface,

covered with a deep black pigment, which has a silky

is

in

winter

individuals live together, they burrow in

up, and clouding the water.

In the spawning-

time they are crowded together, like Salmon Trout, in large shoals, for about a fortnight,

when they frequent shallow spawned

Prussia, they have;

number

the bott()m,or upon plants, to the Ilaffs

they are captured with nets

Like the

monly is

Common Bream,

roasted on a

found

in the

Fries

all

is

well

and Eckstrom,

on the coast of

are deposited ui)on

2()0,00U to :3U0,U00.

is

full of bones,

but when

and esteemed well flavoured.

known it

In the

fat, is

com-

In Russia

it

in

Sweden and the

Baltic.

Indeed, according

remains in the depths of the sea in winter, and

goes up rivers in the spring to spawn. lo capture.

IlalTs,

The eggs

the year round.

this species

in Prussia,

of

In the

Don, Dnieper, and Bug, and adjacent parts of the Black Sea and

Sea of Azov, and to

,spit

waters.

as late as October.

In Sweden

it is

a crafty

fish,

difHcult

ABEAMIS EL0NGATU8.

Abramis elongatns The rays

of the fins

species as in the

and arrano-enicnt of the

in the caudal region

fishes,

riiiiha,

is

;

It

is

of the total len^'th, so that

approaches the proportions of Abramis vimha. the length of the head.

trals.

It is at first separated

diameter from the other eye. dorsal fin

fins

all

is

large, about a fourth

from the snout by

little

The angle

and

;

of the

it is

its

own

one and a half

mouth

reaches back

commences rather farther back than the ven-

Its height is twice the length of its base.

end of the dorsal, and, as in

more

rather

somewhat higher, and more

The eye

diameter, but with age the distance augments a

The

it is

ADllAMIS ELOXGATUS (aGASS^Iz)

elongated, though in old age the body becomes

its

remains

blunter and less projecting, and the head thicker (Mg. 120).

Fiy. 120.

below the nares.

sea,

easily confounded,

so like that species as to be

irreatest heiirht is oue-fifth

times

in this

so that J/jramis eloiigatus has been regarded as a

which, instead of descending annually to the

stationary in rivers.

but the nose

same

scales are the

there being- twenty-three thoracic vertebrae, and the same

both

number

The

(Agassiz).

Smut-Nose, and Giinther remarks that the skeletons are iden-

tical in

variety of A.

•217

the species,

is

The anal

fin

longer than high.

begins at the

The

ventral

do not quite reach the vent, and are themselves rarely reached by the

longest ray of the pectoral

fin.

The resemblance

to

Ahramis

r'niiha,

which

is

seen in the details of the pharyngeal teeth, scales, and mucus-canals, extends to the colour

often

;

though broad, bright longitudinal

lines,

formed of small

extend along the side of the trunk to the caudal

pectoral fins are white,

and the other

fins

are spotted

fin.

spots,

The anal and

with black dots.

Von

218

I'KKSll-WATEK FISHES OF EUKUrE.

rilK

Siebold records that the colours change in the breedino^ season, as in J. vimha,

and on the whole considers that so many intermediate forms bridge over the interval between these species that A. elongatm cannot claim specific rank. It

however,

is,

a smaller

exceeding thirteen inches. the

commonly about ten inches long, and not known as an article of food in most of

It is well

markets of Northern Germany, and

fish

in the

fish,

is

met with throughout Russia,

lakes of the Austrian Alps, and along the Danube, both in

Hungary

and Roumania. Ahrcunh tenellna (Nordmann) thinks that it

is

it is

is

from the

closely allied to A. rhalja.

fin, fifty

with nine rows above the lateral

line,

Abramis ballerus D. 11, A. 39—12, V. 10. This species anal

fin,

is

Scales:

Fig. 121

5.

There are

and seven rows below

it.

(Linn.eus). line

dorsal,

— ADKAMIS

is

09—7-3, transverse

and extends almost

oblique (Fig. 121).

DALLEIUS

to the tail,

The proportions

(l.IXN.liVs).

body are not very unlike those of i)reeeding

in front of

—

to fifty-seven scales in the

distinguished by the remarkable length of the base of the

which commences opposite the

and by the position of the mouth, which

of the

lat.

and Kessler

Gunther remarks that

pharyngeal teeth are 5

Its

nineteen to twenty-one rays in the anal lateral line,

rivers of the Crimea,

possibly the Ahram'u persa of Pallas.

species, the greatest height

the dorsal fin being one-quarter of the length, and the thickness

one-third of the height.

The head

is

is

only about one-sixth of the entire length

the eye has the usual })roportion of a quarter the length of the head.

;

The angle

ABRAMLS BALLERU8. mouth does not reach

of the

so far

is flatj

outline

The contour

of the top of the

The abdominal

while behind the head the back rises in a curve.

more convex than the dorsal

is

The upper jaw

back as the anterior nares.

and nose scarcely project beyond the mandible. head

319

The

profile.

dorsal

margin of the

tail is

not keeled.

The

dorsal

begins half-way

fin

twice as high as long, and

caudal

to

The pectoral

The base

two and a half times

is

fins

usually more than

is

as

It

two-fifths of the

is

long as deep, and

lobe of the caudal fin

is

trun-

is

somewhat elongated.

ornamented with a few rays, commonly

scales are

com-

of the anal fin

extend over the base of the ventralsj the ventrals reach

The lower

the vent.

The

the body, and

behind the beginning of the dorsal.

little

length of the body, cated.

down

about equal in length to the upper lobe of the

Its hinder outline is truncated.

fin.

mences a

is

The

sometimes only two to four.

scales

become

lai-gest

six or seven,

on the

sides,

but

towards

the back of the head, but even these are scarcely half the diameter of the eye,

The

and, on the whole, the scales are smaller than in other species. canal

The colour

;

like that in the other species

is

brown, the back silver

lateral

nearly horizontal.

is

is

abdomen

the

:

the upper part of the head

is

dark blue or green, the sides yellow, shading into shiningis

reddish; the pectoral and ventral fins are yellow, while

the fins generally are dotted with black.

The

largest specimens are only one

more than a pound and a

According to the Danulje fishermen,

spawns

in A])ril

species.

It is

foot long,

and May, and

in

is

seldom

this fish lives four or five years.

ways of

life

Baltic Sea, and

is

found in the HafEs.

It

and food resembles the other

found in Sweden, in Germany as far as the Rhine (but not

Holland), in the Danube, and in Russia.

is

and the weight

half.

in

It frequents the entire coast of the

It ascends the

Oder and Vistula.

It

found in the fresher parts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, and Caspian.

In this species the pharyngeal bones are much more slender than

Abramis

hrauia,

There are twenty-two thoracic

vertebra,',

and twenty-six

Abramis sapa D. 11, A. 41

in

and have the anterior process very long.

— 4S,

V. 10.

in the tail.

(Pallas).

Scales: lat. line 50

— 53,

9

i(j

transverse 8

This species resembles Abramis balleras, but the anal

more rays is

;

the scales are a

little

fin

larger, and, therefore, fewer,

remarkably blunt and thick (Fig. 123).

The form

of the

head

contains a few

and the snout is

like that of

THE

:22()

A.

The

viinJju.

the

The

fish.

Fi;i-:sii-^VATEK

hoig-ht of the

len<:f'th

diameter of the eye

body

of the head

is

is

is

I'lsiiiis

OK

i-:ri;()i

more than one-quarter of the

one-sixth of the length of the

one-third of the length of the head, and

from the other eye by one and a half times

its

own

is

very

small

anterior nares.

— ABUAMIS

and oblique, so that

The

its

is

ray

is

near

mouth, which

SAPA (PALLAs).

angle does not extend back to the

dorsal fin begins in the middle of the length;

it is

twice as high as long, and pointed, owing to the posterior truncation. last

The

sepai-ated

it is

The eye

diameter.

to the extremity of the snout; the nose scarcely projects over the

122.

leng-th of

fish.

The

one-quarter of the length of the longest ray.

fully

The

pectoral fins ex-

tend back over the base of the ventrals, which reach to the vent, or beginning

The elongated lower

of the anal.

of the entire length.

the middle of the its

lobe of the caudal fin

is

In the hinder part of the body the It descends so as to

side.

make

nearly one-quarter lateral line runs in

a slightly concave curve in

middle portion.

The a fan.

scales are

The

ornamented with ten or

fifteen remarkabl}'^ fine rays,

forming

largest scales, which are in the anal region, are about the diameter

of the eye.

The accessory

gills

are well devclo])cd.

mediate in form between

The pharyngeal

Mramis hrama and A.

Ijones are inter-

vhaha, the anterior process

is

elongated than in the Bream.

less

The back

of this fish

is

scarcely darker than the rest of the body, the

entire surface being a bright silver,

with mother-of-pearl

lustre.

The

whitish, but the dorsal, anal, and caudal are spotted with black ))ale

yellow.

;

fins are

the

iris

is

AP.RAMIS LErCKARTII. It

2:21

seldom more than one foot long, and a pound in weight.

is

It frequents

the Yap\d parts of large rivers like the Dnieper, Dniester, Volga, and Danube.

found in the fresher jmrts of the Black Sea, Caspian, and Sea

It is

Below Vienna but of

Baltic

in

the

Tyrol.

It

found

is

the

in

River Volchoff,

It lives for about four or five years.

of bones

it is

not esteemed for food

some other

scales are used, like those of

of Aral.

sometimes found in the south of Bavaria,

is

system.

number

of the

common, and

known

not

is

the

it is

fishes,

;

On

account

but the shining silver

manufacture of

in the

arti-

ficial pearls.

Spawning begins

early in April,

They

white tubercles on the skin.

when

the males develop the characteristic

are arranged in a single

longitudinal rows of tubercles on the pectoral and ventral

row on the

free

There are dense

posterior edges of the scales of the upper part of the body.

The head

fins.

is

ornamented with discoid tubercles.

Abramis leuckartii The Pomeranian Bream Roach, and

is

month small fin

is

Bream

or a Bream-like Roach.

in general aspect,

It differs

The head

is

from

all

fin,

the

Breams

in the

and has the caudal

The eye does not differ in Both jaws are of the

from the usual condition in Breams.

mouth

same length; the terminal

oblicpie

reach back to the nares

the nose

;

is

rather small, and

the body, and

is

The

is

fin,

fin

and

in

fish.

behind

is

The

shortest

begins nearly opposite

The ventral

Its base is about

fins are

advance of the middle of

do not reach back to the vent, nor do the pectoral

the height

dorsal fin

only a httle longer than high.

one-sixth of the entire length of the

front of the dorsal

The anal

angles do not

tail

one-third higher than long.

ray measures one-third of the longest. the end of the dorsal, and

its

In the

rather blunt.

is

diminishes to one-third of the height of the body. the middle of

fish

rather less than one-fifth of the entire length, and

three and a half times as long as high.

size or position

This

but in the situation of the

of rays, eighteen or nineteen, in the anal

evenly-lobed. is

Adramis hrama

A. bailer us (Fig. 123).

like

number

the body

probably a cross between the Bream and the

is

described as a Roach-like

closely resembles

(Heckel).

fins

somewhat

the body

;

in

they

reach back to the

ventrals.

The

scales

lateral line,

show three

or four rays at most.

species of Abramis, the males have warts on

The

They

are largest along the

but scarcely attain two-thirds of the diameter of the

eye.

As

the scales under the dorsal

in

fin.

lateral line sinks to the lower third of the side.

The pharyngeal

teeth are

commonly

in

a single

row; exceptionally, Von

THE FRESII-WATEH

2-1:1

ITSIIES

Siebold found an additional tootli in a second

OF EUROPE.

series.

The

teeth

most resemble

those of A. viinha.

The colour

is

upper part of the head and back

silvery, thoug-h the

is

g"reenisli.

All the fins are white, and only the dorsal and caudal are spotted with

black; the

iris is

especially in the

It

inches.

This

yellow.

occurs

it

in the

Somme and

British fish from Belfast, and from Essex

the Haffs on the Prussian coast, and

Although Von Siebold regarded formed a new sub-genus to receive

Fiii'.

123.

— AliltAMIS

was influenced

in

LF.rCKAKTII, HYllKII)

this

middle

of the

tributaries

in

Long-champs mentions

found in Transylvania and in Austria,

fish is

In Bavaria the length varies from seven to twelve

Danube.

is

Yarrell quotes

and Middlesex.

found singly

and M. Selys-

Rhine,

Moselle.

It

is

well

Russian

in all

it

He

which was named AbramldopHis.

HKTWEEN

eccentricity (1),

in

rivers.

bastard, he, nevertheless,

this fish as a it,

as a

known

I.ErtlSCfS lUTILUS A:

AltKAMIS JiKAM.'

by the form and arrangement

of the

pharyngeal bones and teeth, about half the individuals examined having six teeth on one side and five on the other

low dorsal

fin

;

(4),

by the

less

;

(2),

by the short anal

compressed body

angidarly bent, so as to cover the compressed ventrals.

;

and

(5)

abdominal

In the lateral line there are forty-eight to

lono-itudinal series of scales

between the

lateral line

fin

by the

(3),

;

scales

<i<X^(^

being

behind the

fifty scales,

and ventral

by the

with

live

fin.

Blicca. The White Breams were separated by

Ileckel as a distinct sub-genus on

account of the presence of two rows of prehensile teeth upon the ])harvngeal

ABRAMTS BJORKNA.

•123

bonesj which are arranged, live in the outer row, and

each

But

side.

since the other characters

those o£ Abramis,

we

two

in the inner

genus are in

of the

all

row on respects

prefer to follow Dr. Giinther in regarding Blicca only as

a convenient division of the Breams, which has no special importance in

classi-

Like the typical Breams, the Bliccas form hybrids with Leuciscus.

fication.

Their geographical distribution

is

being found in Northern and Central

similar,

Europe, in the countries about the Black Sea, and in the United States.

Abramis

D. 11, A. 32—27, V. 9—10.

The White Bream

bjorkna

(blicca)

Scales: lat. line

or Bream-flat,

of

the

(Linnaeus).

43—48,

English,

la

9—10 transverse

Bordeliere

of the

French, Blicke, or Gilsler, or Zohelpleinze of the Germans, Bjelk or Bjorlnia of

the

Swedes,

is

widely distributed

Fig. 124.

England

Europe

north

of

the

Alps.

In

ADKAMIS BJORKNA (kLICCa).

found in' the Trent, Cam, and other rivers of the eastern counties, commonly met with than on the Continent, where it is not limited to

it is

l)ut is less

fresh

in

water,

being plentiful in the Haffs of

Lubbock records that on taking the hook instead of being

drawn down,

In general shape this

is laid

fish

it rises

The Rev.

Prussia.

lliehard

in the water, so that the float,

on the surface (Fig. 124).

resembles Abramis hrama

;

the body

is

rather

high, the greatest height being one-third of the length, though the height

;

THK FHKSII-WATKI;

221-

The thickness

varies.

is

one-third oF the

one-sixth of the length of the

fourth of

tish

its

;

the body, and

The

is

is

fins are in

Von

Siebold,

border

The anal

is

of

commences opposite

fin

shorter than in the Bream.

equal to the

is

may contain

it

as

few

rounder, and

than in the

Its depth,

height of the dorsal

The

as nineteen rays.

the terminal lobes of the caudal

;

scales are rather longer is

is

The

front of the dorsal, and do not reach back to the vent.

do not reach the ventrals

The

It

length,

of its

three-fifths

according to

fins

commences behind the middle

dorsal hn

than twice as high as long; the third or fourth ray of

less

to the termination of the dorsal.

which

and directed

small, oblique,

is

The

Bream.

larger than in the

is

The mouth

four times as long as the last ray.

fin is

between one-third and one-

is

angle scarcely i-eaches back under the nares, and the lower jaw

rather the shorter of the two.

the

The head measures about

heif^-ht.

the eye

;

the length of the head, and

nasal apertures are near to the eye.

upward

OF ET'RoPK.

FISIIF.S

Common Bream

the basal border more festooned.

fin ;

ventral pectoral

are equal.

their exterior

Scales are absent

from the anterior part of the back, and from the ventral ridge.

The lustre

;

colour of the back

the belly, which

dorsal, anal,

and caudal

is

is

iris is silvery,

;

becomes reddish after death

life,

and become redder

with green

;

but the pectoral and ventral

fins are bluish-grey,

are always red at the base,

The

the sides are blue, with a silvery

brownish-blue white in

the fins

as the fish advances in age.

flecks.

This species never measures

weighs more than one pound.

more than one foot It

is

length, and seldom

in

one of the commonest

fishes in

Central

Europe, and frequents lakes and ponds, but prefers gently flowing water with a sandy bottom.

somewhat deep water

It lives in

in the

autumn and

but in the spring haunts shallow places near the banks. plants, insects,

and worms,

is

less

timid than the

remains in one place for a long time.

The

fully

Common

rushes.

fish

The

spawns

in

May,

older fish begin to lay their eggs

of the water

may

colder.

It

in

is

may

diameter.

first,

and the spawning commonly

be performed more rapidly

individuals

the

*

spawn a week

later,

and

so

on at intervals

down to the youngest, which are ten to twelve centimetres long. AVhen spawning the fishes are very active, and so heedless that they are easily caught with the hand.

They

kept only for the support of predaccous with tiipc-worni.

if

always a noisy proceeding, and the disturbance

be seen from some distance.

The medium-sized

Bream, and often

preferring shallow places overgrown with bul-

takes from three to four days, Init

weather becomes

winter,

on water

matured ovary may contain

100,000 eggs, which are each about two millimetres

The

It lives

are

fishes.

in Austria

nowhere valued as food, and

They

are frequently afllicted

ABI^\Mrs BJORKNA.

At the

breeding' season the colours

become darker in both

may

acquire an orang-e tint, but I'atio thinks the colour

fins

The male frequently has small

upon the food.

dej^end

on the

sexes,

to

and the

some extent

tubercles developed

scales.

The

pharyng-eal bones are characteristic, being

other Abramidina. process

is

much more rounded than

in

Opposite to the anterior tooth, the outer side of the anterior

The formula, according

inflated.

Bavaria, and, according- to Heckel, 2*5 Fatio finds both types as well as I'O

—

can only infer some variation with

— 5"2

to

Von

Siebold,

5'1,

-5-3,

and

is

3"5

— 5-3

in

and in Switzerland

in Austria,

that

-Z-i)

g-eo-

g-raphical distribution (Fig-. 125).

The

mon

which Nordmann described

fish

Ahramis

as

in the

lask//r,

ing" into it, is

are

and records

com-

a

variety in which the fins

more developed. There are twenty vertebra3

and the same number

The Ahraviis

in the thorax,

'HARYNGEAL TEETH OF AHRAMIS (hlicca) BJOHKNA.

in the tail.

laski/r of Pallas

thoug-ht worthy of recognition by is

as

Black Sea and rivers flow-

has been

many

Its greatest height

writers (Fig. 12()).

more than one-third of the length, and the thickness

is less

than one-quarter of

^1

the length.

The forehead

brown, and the red base

is

is

smaller than in the preceding type.

wanting

states that the colour varies locally,

15

in the i^ectoral

All the fins are

and ventral, but Nordmann

and with the season.

It is

common

in the

THE FEESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROFE.

226 market

lish

ot*

common with

Odessa, where the type,

Finland does not

is

it

north

occur

Ahramis hjorkna

described.

of

02",

lat.

l)reeds

which Von Siebold has

to one of

brouj^ht from the Bug" and Dnieper.

is

it

In

distributed in the fresh waters of Russia, but in

api)lied the

have

been

and forms bastard

races,

Several

with other

fishes,

name

varieties

BUccopitis ahramorutilns..

BLICCOr^IS ABRAMORUTILUS {IIoL ANDRE).

The

thus designated by

fish

and Leuciscus

Llicca

the

Bream and the Roach.

are

sometimes

that

among

3' 5

—

is

Siebold

very

sometimes

—

The pharyngeal bones

5*2.

Ahramis hjorkna, and over the mouth.

differ in

There are forty-three to forty-six scales

The

fin.

it

and the dorsal

fins

fish is

seven to ten inches long. sides.

are dark grey, but the pectoral

In

to eighteen rays.

its

The spawning-time

Germany,

at the

is

This bastard

fin.

known west

not

found singly in

The

high back this

is

records

2-5

—

5*3,

delicate than those of

tumid, and rather projects

all

Russian

variations which

it

is

The

is

and the

it

olive-green

and pec-

anal, ventral,

sometimes

is

fish

The colour

The anal

red, fin

and

all

resembles the Roach.

skull,

and on the inner

side of the rays of

found over Belgium, Holland, Austria^ and

of the Rhine, but occurs in the Vistula,

rivers,

the fins

contains fourteen

end of April, and the males then have a

warty development on the

the })cctoral

is

5'-'5,

the lateral line, with eight rows

in

have always a reddish colour at the base.

crescentic

more

—

and four rows between

fin,

on the back and coppery-yellow on the toral

are

Siebold

formula 3"5

This hybrid has a larger eye than the Roach.

of scales between

ventral

the hybrid between

Von

but

;

tlie

The snout

form.

to

teeth, according to Giinther,

two

in

the specimens examined he found

5'2, 2'5

a hybrid between Ahramis

is

similar

The pharyngeal

one row,

in

Von

and

rutilus,

according to Dr. O.

and

is

Grimm.

puts on are very numerous, and presumably result

from the inter-breeding of the bastard with the parent types, as well as to a varying

predominance of characters of the male or female

Abramis bipunctatus The generic terised

position of this fish

by having every

scale

is

fish.

(Heckel and Kner).

somewhat controverted.

upon the

lateral

line

It

is

charac-

marked with spots

of

black pigment, so as to form a shining band, which separates the silvery side

below

it

The body

from the darker back (Fig. 127). is

five

times as long as the head, and four and a half times

ABEAMIS BTPITXCTATL> though

as long- as high,

The angle

of the

young

in

mouth, which

fishes

Z-Z7

the relative length

The ventral margin between the ventral

the nares.

is

a

more.

little

moderately inclined, reaches back under

is

sharp edge, but the scales do not extend across

and vent, forms a

fin

The

it.

dorsal fin begins

behind the ventrals, but in front of the middle of the length of the higher than long, and as high as the head

it is

than high

its

equal to those of the dorsal

fin are

colour of the back

belly bright

with

By

silver.

it

is

According

to

Blanchard,

the

There

is

largest rays of

is

conspicuous,

Its

fin.

AND KNEU).

width

is

equal to aljout three

line.

down

become vivid the sides.

at

The

spawning-time,

dorsal, caudal,

with black, and the ventral and anal

At ordinary times the black

yellow and reddish.

vanish.

(hEC'KET,

colours

tint descends lower

pectoral fins are normally spotted

are

colour

may

and fins

nearly

no difference of characters between males and females,

except that the lateral line

is

often a

little

lower in the male.

The male usually has the swim-bladder portion, while the anterior part Its posterior part is

is

larger, especially in

the

hinder

smaller and shorter than in the females.

shaped as in the Bream, and the anterior part, according

to Fatio, is slightly bi-lobed.

This

fish

spawns

;

a horizontal blue-ljlack band extending

ABKAMIS lilPTNCTATl'S

extends above the lateral

when the green

fish

longer

dark green, the sides are silvery-green, and the

is

from the gill-aperture to the caudal

and

The

fin is

fin.

the side of the lateral line, which

margin of black dots, there

Fig. 127.

scales,

The anal

long.

the ventral fins scarcely reach to the vent.

;

the pectoral

The

is

in

May

and June on gravelly bottoms in streams.

The

largest large.

number of e<>'g's found by Patio was l/Jlo; the eggs They are hatched in about eight days.

The

species frequents clear water.

Danube

the

The skeleton

are relativelj''

from four inches

in

Its scales are sometimes collected for

artificial pearls.

includes thirty-eight to forty vertebra.^^ of which eighteen

and twenty-two

are in the thorax

The

Its length varies

to six inches in the Neckar.

the manufacture of

is

of KriJoPE.

TIIK Fl;KSII-\V.\TF.li fisiiks

•2:28

intestine

in the tail.

about as long as the

is

fish,

and forms two

The food

folds.

partly vegetable, but consists mainly of insects, worms, and small molluscs.

The pharyng'cal teeth

are

two

in the outer row,

formula, according to Dr. Giiiither,

is

and

The

the

the inner;

five in

— 2"-i[5].

5'2

teeth are smooth,

and have their extremities hooked. This species a

is

common English

not fish;

known but

is

Britain,

in

found

though Blanehard speaks of

as

it

Belgium, Holland, North and

in France,

South Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, and extends into the south-west of llussia, being

The

flesh is

In Paris

it

found by Kessler

is

commonly known

ing to a different family.

some parts a

in the

of France

it is

The

is

In every country

fish is liable to a disease in

which

is

and other

A.

This

lisli

is

eaten fried.

names.

of pharyngeal teeth ou the

from Alburnus. gassy vesicles appear on

mouth, and over

allied to DipJofdomiiDi cuiicnla,

in

the mouth.

It

is

also

Scales in

the

:

lat. line

10—

l-.'),

transverse 0/f.

mountain brooks of the Crimea,

:ind

height being one-fourth of the total length, or

sive of the caud;d total

in

the It

is

and a half inches long.

lMun)ody l)ecomes moi-e compr(>ssed with age; its

liiil)le

fasciatns (Nordmann).

countries east of the Black Sea, especially the Caucasus and Turkestan. a])out four

to

connecting

as a

it

In it

parasites.

M.

found

is

local

at the back of the

due to a parasite

Abramis 1). 1(1,

it

blisters or

fins,

which produces black spots over the body and to tnjie-worm

many

has

The number

almost constant, separates

Another disease

it

Sperlhius, regarding

the opercular plates, at the base of the

the eyes.

It

termed the Sperlin; and Fatio has referred

between Abramis and Alburnus.

right side, which

its tributaries.

not bad.

is

Smelt of the Seine, though belong-

as the

new sub-genus, which he terms

liidv

Dnieper and

not delicate, though the flavour

length.

Tli(>

lin.

''i'lie

snout

is

hciid

is

ol)tuse,

relativ(dy

rountled,

it

less

is

modiM-ately elevated,

than one-third, ex(du-

small, :ind

and

a

is

little

one-sixtli

of the

shorter than the

ABRAMIS FASCIATUS. The eyes

lower jaw.

and the

are large^

The mouth

leug-th of the head.

median prominence

229

orbital diameter

is

one-quarter of the

There

is

a scarcely apparent

cleft is oblique.

symphysis where the two

at the

sides of the lower

jaw

unite.

The

origin of the anal fiu

long as the pectoral

fin

The lower

truncated behind.

vertically

is

base

its

;

is

below the end of the dorsal

it is

;

equal to half the length of the head

lobe of the forked caudal fin

is

a

;

as

it is

longer

little

than the upper.

The

scales are relatively large,

fourteen very fine

The pharyngeal there

are

and the

free

margin shows a fan of twelve to

scale of the lateral line has

several

two blackish

much

others

which are

smaller,

dots.

two rows, with

teeth are conical and curved, arranged in

outer row and three or four in the inner.

in the

five

Each

striae.

Besides these teeth

not attached

to

the

pharyngeal bones, but placed on the mucous membrane of the pharynx, and are consequently absent in dry specimens.

The of the

colour on the upper part of

body

Above the

is

lateral

become more

line,

the head

and

with

parallel

distinct towards the

dividuals deprived of their scales.

it,

The

are

sides

iris

is

are

silvery.

still

The

The genus Aspius

is

:

Aspius

intermediate in

Alburnus, and the form of body lower jaw projects more or

is

less

visible in infins are

parent, with a pale red spot at the base of the pectoral, ventral,

Genus

rest

in old individuals.

two blackish bauds, which

The bands

tail.

The

greyish-green.

is

becoming yellowish on the

silvery,

and

trans-

anal.

(Agassiz). character

Abramis and

between

similar to the fishes of these genera.

beyond the upper jaw, which

The

slightly

is

The the lips are thin, but divided in the median line in front. pharyngeal teeth are in two rows, and hooked, with the number 5 '3 conprotractile

;

stant on the one side, and variable on the other, in

may no

which the numl)er

be the same, or reduced by one in each row to 2 '4.

spine,

and

is

between the positions of the ventral and anal

has never fewer than thirteen rays. compressed, and the edge

Only one Tio:ris

The

is

fins.

The anal

Behind the ventrals the abdomen

is

covered by scales.

species is found in

and the mountain

of teeth

dorsal fin has

reo-ion of

Europe

;

the others are recorded from the

Hong Kong.

TlIK FRESH- WATEi; FISHES OF EURorE.

>.i(»

Aspius rapax This

is

lisli

round only

in llu' eastern part of

Germany

Russia as Belezna, in

(Agassiz).

Europe;

as the Sc/iied, ia

Austria as the Rapfcn, while in Sweden

it

the Asp.

is

known

it is

Bohemia It

in

South

as tlie Bolcn, in

characterised

is

by

the pointed snout, long head, small eyes, and small scales (Fig, 1£8),

The body

deepest ov^er the ventral

is

where the width

is

from the extremity of the snout, and of the head.

is

I'he nares are near to the

128.

Fii;-.

—

.\.si>ir.--

in

the middle, and this knob

is

at the operculum,

nearly twice

its

diameter

one-sixth or one-seventh of the length e\('.

u.vi'.w

The

ang'le of the

is

mouth

reaches

(A(i.\!s.siz)

The extremity

under the anterior part of the orbit. thickened

and broadest

fin,

The eye

one-half the height.

of the

lower jaw

is

received in a corresponding excava-

tion in the u})per jaw.

The contour

of the

The

tin

dorsal

higher than long; behind ray.

;

its

back

base

its

longest ray

The anal

tin

is

not long. vcntrals.

The

a llattened bow.

is

shorter than the head.

The

it

fin

is

is

much

truncate

two and a half times the length of the shortest

is

as

like those of the dorsal. lins arc in front of

is

commences behind the middle of the body;

high as long, and the pro2)ortions of Its terminal edge is

somewhat concave.

its

rays are

The

ventral

the dorsal, and extend back to the vent, though they arc

pectorals are longer,

The candid

lin

is

but they do not reach back to the

dee}>ly forked, has ecjual lobes, with

the terminal

rays as long as the head.

The

scales are soft

and verv

delicate,

with scarcelv visible coricentric

ribs.

ASPIUS EAPAX.

231

Those on the back and abdomen show numerous regular diverging- rays, but

The

the scales on the sides have only two to four rays.

found over the

lateral

line,

Between the anal and ventral is

largest scales are

but they do not attain the diameter of the eye. the abdomen forms a blunt keel, vphich

fins

not covered with overlapping scales, as in Alburnus, but the scales meet

each other irregularly in the median

The mucus-canal

the head

of

line. is

well marked, especially in the frontal

The

region, along the pre-operculum and the lower jaw.

The accessory

extends in front of the nares.

The rake teeth

gills are large

sub-orbital branch

and

fringe-like.

Fig. 129

and far apart.

of the gill-arch are rather short

shows the pharyngeal teeth.

The back

of the fish

is

of a blue-black colour, the sides are bluish-white,

and the abdomen quite white.

The

other fins have a reddish tinge.

The

The

dorsal iris is

and anal

are

fins

yellow, with

blue;

some green

the

stripes.

does not exceed a length of two to three feet, or weigh more than

fish

twelve pounds. It

commonly found

is

for although

it

recjuires

in lakes

and

pure water,

it

rivers flowing

through

level country,

objects to water flowing rapidly.

It

upon vegetable matter, worms, and

lives

small

fishes,

Alburnus.

especially

the genus

of

spawns in

It

April

and

May, when it enters shallow streams. From eighty to one hundred thousand eggs are deposited on stones. It

and

easily taken in

is

autumn

the

at spawning-time, either with the Fiff. 129.-

net, or rod fish.

and

line, baited

The males

at

'HAKYNGEAI, TEETH 01

with a small

IIAI'AX.

spawning-time have

the scales largely covered with white conical spots, which, as

in

other species,

characterise the hinder border of the scale.

The It

fish

is

grows quickly, and

common

in

lives for seven or eight years.

Norway and

in all streams flowing into the

Baltic Sea, extends through Russia, and

Central Europe, and Austria.

A

is

North

or

found in Pomerania, and the Haffs,

nearly allied species

is

found in the Tigris.

Z'iZ

Alburnus

Ctknus:

of KrijoPK.

fisiiks

i'i;i:sii-\\Ari;i;

'I'liK

(Heckel).

This g-enus has a form of body which resembles the genus Peleciis, and has

The

the lateral line running below the middle of the side.

and opposite to the space between the ventral and anal general resemblance to Abramis the dorsal

is

The lower jaw The

thin.

fins are

short, is

a

placed farther back, so that

extended, and never contains fewer than thirteen rays.

fin is

projects

The pharyngeal teeth

beyond the upper, which are slender and dense

g-ill-rakers

ventral fins the

two

are in

abdomen

is

protractile

is

and hooked

series,

the lips are

;

pseudo-branchiai are present.

;

compressed into a sharp

(Fig. keel,

This genus extends through Europe, but

not cross.

is

which there

well behind the middle of the body, but not so far back as in

The anal

Pelecus.

only the

;

dorsal fin

fins, in

Behind the

]-3()).

which the

scales

do

better represented in

is

the south-east than in the west, while some Russian species range into Persia,

and other

peculiar to Asia Minor, Syria, the Tigris, Kurdistan,

species are

and some Persian streams.

Alburnus lucidus 1).

10—11, A. 19—23, V. !)— 10, Scales

The Bleak

V Ablelle Sweden It

Kneu).— The Bleak.

(Hecket, and

is

47

lat. line

:

eminently a

in France, Laitbe in

—

5'i,

fish of

P.

transverse 8

C.

lo,

— 9/4 —

I'J.

8.

the region north of the Alps.

It is

South Germany, Uckelei in Prussia, and Loja

in

(Fig. 131).

is

a small fish, generally four or five inches long, and not exceeding seven

inches in any part of Europe. It

is

four and a half to five times as long as high, and

as long as the head.

The eye

is

five

and a half times

separated from the snout, as well as from the

opposite

mouth

eye,

by

own

its

The

diameter.

obli(p:e

The lower

reaches back under the nares.

jaw, partly owing* to the obli(|ue ])osition of the

mouth, stands Ficr.

mouth

—

130. I'HAUYNOKAL TKKTII OP ALiiUKMs LuoiDis

is

•

1

lowcr _]aw

IS

upper jaw when the

in front of the

closed

;

and the projecting point of the •

1

•

i.

1

•

•

il

received into a depression in the pre-

maxillary bone, as in the genus Pelecus.

The in

profile of llie

defined

by

back

a ridg,.^ in

is

very slightly convex, but the back of the head

which the

ciu've of the

back begins.

.

ALBURKUS LUCIDUS. The

dorsal fin

The

long-.

shorter than high, but about as hig-h as the pectoral

is

ventral fins do not reach to the vent

slightly longer lower lobe

The is

the

;

is

The

basal border

It

is

The colour and caudal

— ALKUKNVS

descends, so

line

is

steel-blue,

fins are

The Bleak

New

of the scale is

exposed.

as

to

be

roughly parallel to the ventral

with belly and sides of bright

lives in rivers, lakes,

River,

and ponds.

Frank Buckland noticed

it

prefers clear water.

near the surface, in calm,

warm

fly-fisher.

than shy, and

The

dorsal

The Bleak spawn

in

The

fish

is

is

remarkably plentiful in

abundance at Oxford, where

common a lively

in the

fish,

Thames, Lea,

and moves about

It rarely descends into deep water,

sufficiently

May

It

It

its

weather, catching insects, and hence falls an

into the water, but discriminating

stony bottoms.

silver.

grey, but the other fins are colourless.

easy prey to the young quisitive

to

The

line.

LUflUUS (hECKEL AND KNEU)

the city sewer entered the Thames; but though

or

The diameter

between the rays.

outline

distinctly defined.

Lake Constance. and

The

bi-lobed, according

slightly

is

only to be expected in the lateral

is

slightly festooned

lateral

contour.

is is

and

deej)!/ forked,

is

than that of the eye, and the scales overlap, so that one-half

Fig. 131.

the anal

one-fifth of the length of the fish.

is

Blanchard, but this condition free border

the base of

remarkably soft and delicate, and finely rayed.

scales are

vertically sub-ovate

is less

;

The caudal

more than equal to the length of the head. its

t33

is

rather in-

greedy to pounce upon anything thrown

enough

to reject unsatisfactory food.

and June, depositing the spawn either on reeds assemble in large shoals,

move

rapidly,

as

though to escape enemies, but often skim the surface of the water, when some fall a

prey to gulls and sea-swallows, while others are seized by Perches.

spawning

is

intermittent, and takes place at two or three periods

;

The

the older fish

THE FKESH-WATEi; FISHES OF EUROPE.

234

spawn

firsts

are short,

and the youngest

since they are

which follow their

birds,

They

last.

increase rapidly

pigment upon

lives

tlieir

In some places they are prized as

shoals.

are nowhere valued as food, though captured in great silvery

but

;

a principal prey of carnivorous fishes and water

the

The

scales.

species

is

numbers found

but

bait,

for the bright

Europe only,

in

north of the Alps.

The

swimming which has gained annoyance of internal

to the

with tape-worm, which Yarrell records

fishes are frequently infested

to be often longer than the fish

and

;

some

for

has been supposed that the irregular

it

fishes the

feeds on the fish inherits the parasite, which

abode when

its

former host

The Chinese

is

name

of

Mad

are said to have been the

makes

first

itself at

home

in the

who

to

new

have discovered the art of In the

ornamental purposes.

fish scales for

sixteenth century the Venetians,

introduced the art to Europe, imitated

pearls so successfully with this preparation that their industry

a

due

is

dissolved.

using the silvery pigment from

l)y

Bleak,

Sometimes, however, the bird which

parasites.

was

supj)ressed

the Government as fraiidulent.

More than two hundred years ago the art of making artificial home in France, and has reached such perfection that its results,

pearls found

exhibited in

the International Exhibitions, almost defied detection of the manufactured Yarrell mentions that formerly a considerable trade

l)earl.

Thames fishermen for the

French market with

in supplying the

was

carried on

scales of the

by

Bleak

manufacture of the " Essence d'Orient,^^ but even in his time the

to obtain the scales from fishes in their own rivers. In England there was formerly a considerable demand for imitation pearls, which

French had learned

about the time of the 1851 Exhibition

still

devoted to articles of personal adornment.

pigment, and then scales of the

with wax.

filled

Roach and Dace, were

made

a conspicuous

show

in shops

Small glass beads were lined with

The cheapest dull in lustre,

sorts were prepared

and rather yellow.

from the

A

better

kind of pearl was made from the Bleak, but the scales of the Whitebait were

most valued, and sold at a price varying from one guinea pound. sell at

At the present day, according

from twenty to twenty-four francs a kilogramme, and 8,000

necessary to provide this quantity. the "Essence d'Orient^''

The method scales

to five guineas a

to Blanchard, the scales of the Bleak

is

From

this one-quarter of the

obtained.

of preparation of this substance

with a knife.

fishes are

weight of

The

scales are

the pigment, which has a metallic aspect, and in microscopic particles.

remove the organic matter.

is

washed and

This sediment

is

to scrape off the

falls to

then

abdominal

triturated, so as to separate

the bottom of the vessel

washed with ammonia,

to

Seen under the microscope, the mass which then

ALBURNUS LUCIDUS.

235

remains consists of oblong' particles of rectangular fornn four times as long as

Some

wide.

authors determine this substance as phosphate of lime, others as

The

phosphate of magnesia.

iridescence

has been attributed to the presence

of guanin.

Mons. Selys-Longchamps described a variety of the Bleak in

which the rays

of the anal fin are shorter than in the

intermediate forms are found.

Albarnus

laciistris, in

especially in the

fish.

Belgium

types

;

but

Heckel and Kner mention a variety known as

which the height

young

in

German

of the

body

is

conspicuously greater,

name from

It acquires its varietal

inhabiting

the Nieusiedler See and Flatten See.

This variety closely resembles a

name Alburuus

fish

from the Danube, which the same authors

shows no important differences

hrevicej)s,\w\\\Q\\

•ALliUKNlS LUCIDVS, VAR. liHEVICErS (hECKEL

In are

it

the silver tint

common

length

is

about

found up the Rhone,

The forehead

less bright.

is

more distant from each other

is

five

;

fish,

AND KNEU).

broader, so that the eyes is

The Alburmis

inches.

a similar

is

and the head

(Fig. 1-32).

a

The

shorter.

little

fahrcei

Blanchard,

of

with a well-rounded back.

In the Lakes of Geneva and Bourget a Bleak occurs, which Blanchard

names Albiinius mirandella. Bleak.

The

lateral line.

The back

than the upper.

known

Its

scales are stronger,

The

is

body

is

more elongated than

and there are fifty-seven to

nearly horizontal.

The lower jaw

in the

Common

fifty-eight in the is

a

little

colour recalls that of the Sardine, by which

longer

name

it

is

in Savoy.

These varieties are instructive, as showing the capacity of the species to vary in different details of organisation.

236

'J'llE

FKESU-WATKU FISHES

EUKOPE.

(»F

Alburnus albnrnellus 1).

1(1—11, A.

Ki— 11),

V.

(Martens).

14— 18,

Scales: lateral Hue

il.

7—8 transverse 1-.

This species differs from Alhuniiis rays in

tlie

anal

fin,

and fewer vertebra?

having fewer

liic'idaa

in

and as

it is

;

Europe, we may, with Heckel and Kuer, reg-ard

it

scales,

fewer

characteristic of Southern

as a southern representa-

tive of that species (Fig. 133).

The and

is

]iead

proportionately longer and larger than in JUjiinins litcuh's,

is

of the length

one-liftli

end of the snout,

Fig-. 133.

position of the dorsal

The

difference.

tlie

— ALBVKNtS

The

lish.

is

ej'e

of the

diameter.

The

ALlllKNELLVS (mAUTENs).

commence

lengtli, is a striking

well in front of the middle of the body.

and pectoral

dorsal

separated from the

own

its

which begins half-way down the

lin,

ventral fins

The longest rays

of

and from the opposite eye, by

fins

are equal, as

waW

as the

longest rays of the ventral and anal. It

but

is

a rather smaller fish than A. lucid as, the largest specimens measuring

little

more than four

It

inches.

is

found in sboals in lakes and

rivers,

spawns in June and July, and furnishes food for Pike, Perch, and Burbot.

The

colour, scales,

and

northern repre-

lateral line are similar to those of its

sentative.

The most northern point giore,

at

which

it is

known from the lakes &c. — and from many Italian rivers.

Tyrol, but

it

is

well

yil fj urn. na /'race hut,

of Ileckel

and

found of

Kner

is

Botzen, in the Southern

Northern Italy

(Fig. 131),

Gilnther as a variety of this species, a view in wlu'ch

though the

latter is disposed to regard the fish as a

described and Leuciscns auht. rc])reseutativc of

AhraiuU

It

is

lie

is

— Garda,

Mag-

regarded by Dr.

follows Canestrini,

hybrid between the type just

regarded by Ileckel and Kner as a southern

hipanel al u.x, differing

only in the

[)i'olile

of the snout

ALBURNT^S MENTO. and back.

Its dorsal prolile

is

287

A

nearly horizontal.

broad <^rey-blue band

down the body from the snout to the tail. The body is five and a half times as long" as high. The eye is about one-third of the leng-th of the head. It is moi-e than its own diameter from the opposite eye, and less than its own runs

diameter from the snout.

The

dorsal fin

The anal

The

than high.

in

fin is

higher than long.

is

and

is

lobes pointed and

its

characteristic of the north of Italy.

as having sixteen rays in the anal

fin,

The

fish is

is

described

forty-four striated scales

in the lateral line, with the base of the fins orange-coloured^

along the sides of the body.

longer

ANT) KNEK).

hybrid between Alhurnu^ alhariiellna and Leiiciscus iikllva

by Dr. Giinther

is

and the pectorals scarcely reach

deeply forked, with

It is about three inches long,

equal.

It

ALnUUNTS ALBURNELLrS, VAR. FKACCHIA (lIECKEL

The caudal

the ventrals.

far behind the ventral.

advance of the end of the dorsal, and

ventrals do not reach the vent,

Fig'. 134.

A

commences

commences

fin

four inches long.

and a dark band It

is

found in the

River Narenta,

Alburnus mento D. 11,

A.

Scales:

The body six times as

G5—-08,

of this fish (Fig-. 135)

long as high.

snout elongates a eye.

lat. line

The eye

is

little

(Agassiz).

V. 9—10,

17—11),

is

1.5,

C.

—

19.

7.

rather elong-ated, from five and a half to

The greatest breadth

with age, but

p.

transverse 11

is

is

about half the height.

The

never longer than the diameter of the

about one-quarter of the length of the head, and separated

from the other eye by one and a half times nearer to the eye than the snout. reaches back to the anterior nares.

The mouth

is

its

diameter.

oblique.

The lower jaw

is

more

The

nares are

Its ang^le scarcely

thickeuorl than in

the other species, and so has the aspect of projecting in front of the upper jaw.

The

dorsal contour

is

a very flat arch, which in old age becomes nearly

THE

!:58

The

horizontal. is

FISHES OF EUKOPE.

FliKSII-WA'I'Eli

dorsal fin

commences

in front of tlie middle of the length.

placed between the ventral and anal

truncated posteriorly.

The base of the the last ray

is

Its longest ray

anal fin

to those

anterior anal rays

of the dorsal,

commence behind

largest scales are

on the

The

diameter of the eye.

abdomen.

There

is

They

are

have a pale

The

slightly concave;

the ventral has

its

does not reach the vent.

The

evenly lobed.

The

the caudal

iin is

the last dorsal rays.

lateral line,

— ALlilKNUS MEXTO

but measnre

less

than half the

(aGASSIZ).

marked with many radiating rays and

silver lustre, are soft,

and

thick con-

easily fall off.

a spur-like scale extending on the base of the ventral

old age becomes as long as the

tures,

it

is

Though

smallest scales are on the breast and anterior part

Fig. 135.

of the

;

It

long, and

twice the length of the shortest.

as long as the head; its border

is

pectoral fins do not reach the ventrals

centric lines,

much higher than

half the length of the longest.

longest rays equal

The

is

fins, is

fin,

which

in

fin.

cephalic canals extend on the sub-orbital ring,

and

to the nasal aper-

and are especially developed on the pre-operculum.

The

colour of the head and back varies from dark green to steel-blue

;

the

sides are pure silver.

All the fins are grey and transparent, but the dorsal

marked with black This

is

The

spots.

iris is

silvery,

It frequents

larger

than

those

from

along time

perfectly

with astonishing speed. See,

Traun

See,

Austrian

mountain streams, and streams which flow into moun-

tain lakes, preferring clear cold water with a stony bottom. for

fins are

the largest species of the genus, and reaches a length of ten inches,

though Bavarian specimens are rather waters.

and caudal

sometimes spotted with black.

still

It

It often lies

against the stream, like a Trout, and then moves

is

rare in the Danul)e, l)ut

(Imundner See,

in

Austria; the

is

Ammer

found See,

in the

Chiem

Atter

See,

and

ALBURNUS MENTO.

2:^9

other lakes of Bavaria, and occurs, according to Kessler, in the rivers of the

Crimea.

month

It spawns in shallow water during the

with a stony bottom.

The spawn

their tails.

takes their place, and

swarm.

It

pack them-

swim away; when a second swarm

deposited, they

spawns, and they are usvially followed by

third

a

Small white conical warts appear on the male at spawning-time, both

head and

scales.

mneh more

associated with fishes which are

is

mnch sought

after

by fishermen

Munich and Vienna

fish

but

;

it

markets, where

is

it is

II 11, A. 18 [?21], Scales

This Bleak

lat. line

:

is

known

as the

15,

V.

9,

50, transverse 11

found in Northern

5.

It ascends the rivers flowing into those Persia.

The pharyngeal

Similar, but smaller, teeth are attached to the

body, excluding the caudal

The

The

to the ventrals.

The

The colour

body

The

fish is fat,

Terek, and Koora,

the Sea of Azov.

name

of

fin, is

teeth are com-

teeth of the inner

membrane

is

row are

deeply grooved.

of the palate.

The

four times as long as deep, and the length

equal to the depth of the body.

beyond the upper.

of the

Mai-Renke.

C. 19.

—

larger than those of the outer row, and their upper part

is

not

(Guldenstadt).

pressed laterally, and curved at the points.

of the head

is

found in Southern Russia, in the Black Sea, the Caspian,

is

the Sea of Azov, and Sea of Aral. waters, and

P.

valued, and hence

good eating, and appears in the

Alburnus chalcoides

the

preferring places fishes

and disencumber themselves of the spawn by slashing movements of

position,

tlie

May,

with their heads downward in a nearly perpendicular

selves close together,

on

of

According to Heckel and Kner, the

The lower jaw

projects

pectoral fins are well developed, but do not extend

anal fin begins immediately behind the end of the dorsal. is

uniform

and taken

in

silver.

great numbers in the Bug, Dnieper, Don,

About 2,500,000 are taken annually in the Koora and It is smoked and used for food throughout Russia, under

Chamaika.

On

the shores of the Black Sea

it

is

known

to the

fishermen as Salaiva. Kessler has described Alhurnns taitricns from the River Salghir, in the

Crimea

;

but Giinther regards this form as a hybrid between Alhariuis

and Leiiciscus dubula.

lucidi(S

2-1-0

LeUCaspiuS

Genus: Leueaspius

is

fishes ok

Fi;i:sii-\VATi:i;

'I'liK

Alburnus

Ileelcel

and Knor as inter-

chief claim to generic dis-

Its

upon the incomplete development of the mucus-

rests

The

fin.

known, hardly

tbe single species

wliieh in

canal f()rmin<^ the lateral line,

extends beyond the pectoral

(Hkckkl).

was reg-arded by

a <>'emis wliicli

mediate between Leueiscus and Alburnus. tinctness from

Krijori-;

scales are distinctive in their ovate form,

and their freedom from diverging- fan-like rays, though, as Benecke points

some faint indication of two

out,

Behind the ventral dorsal fin

ventrals

jaw

is

short,

and

anal.

and has no

The

or three rays

may

abdomen

compressed into an edge.

the

fins

spine,

and

anal fin includes

and

projects beyond the upper,

gill-rakers are short

The

opposite to the space between the

The lower

rays.

thickened median termination

The upper jaw

The pharyngeal

and slender.

be detected.

more than thirteen

its

a corresponding depression.

ceived in

is

is

is

is re-

The

protractile.

teeth are compressed and

This type

hooked, sometimes in one row, sometimes in two.

is

known only

from Central and South-eastern Europe.

Lencaspius delineatus D. 11, A. 14-17, V. Scales:

p. 11, C. 19.

line 48, transverse 15.

lat.

Heckel and Kner referred

0—10,

(Heckel).

this species (Figs.

genera

— Leucaspius and

When

these teeth are arranged in a simple

owing

Squalius,

13(3,

to

137)

two

different

to variations in the pharyngeul teeth.

row

of five

on each

side,

it

found

a place in the genus Leucaspius, but when one of these teeth was displaced, so as to

form a second row,

This eii'cumstance

may

it

was referred to the

so-called

be a caution against attaching too

genus Squalius.

much importance

to

the characters of the pluiryngeal teeth.

The head

is

one-fifth of the length of the fish

body

greatest height of the hciglit.

The eye

the liead

;

own

and

it

is

and the thickness

large, its diameter

its

closed.

of"

;

its

length

the fish

is

is

equal to the

equal to half the

being about one-third of the length of

separated from the snout and from the other eye by is

very oblique, and

The lower jaw resembles that

anterior nares.

mouth

is

The mouth

diameter.

thickening of

is

;

median portion Tlie

sul)-()f])ital

in

ring

front; is

broad.

its

angle reaches below

of

Alburnus and Aspius

it

slightly

The

projects

its tlie

in the

when the

profile is nearly straight

LEUCASPIUS DELINEATUS. on the head, and

is

abdominal curve

rather greater.

what, and there

is

is

then continued as a flattened arch on

Behind the anal

two-fifths of the greatest depth of

a space as long as the pectoral

is

fin,

ventral fins are in the middle of the length

other

fins,

The

commences behind the

the end of the dorsal.

In this region

the body.

which

is

free

from

ventral,

and the anal

fin

begins under

All the fins are well developed, considering the size of

The

lobes of the caudal fin are as long as the head.

Fig. 137.

—LEUCASPIUS

absence of the lateral line (Figs. three scales, and rarely to as

The

The

scales.

they have shorter rays than the

typical distinguishing character of the species, as of the genus,

1

3(5,

many

and

easily fall off.

marked with in the

from the

fine concentric

On

is

the

DELINEATUS (hECKEL).

137).

Sometimes

as six or seven,

it

extends only to two or

which open by simple pores.

largest scales are scarcely equal to half the diameter of the eye.

are soft,

The

back.

tapers some-

but the longest rays of the dorsal are scarcely longer than those of

;

the anal.

though

tlie tail

)ELINEATVS (hECKEL).

Fiff. 1

The

;

the

fin

but nearly reach to the vent.

dorsal fin

the fish

214

They

the anterior part of the body the scales are

stripes,

but are

free, or

almost

free,

from rays

;

hind part of the body the rays are distinctly visible in scales

side of the

tail.

The mucus-canals

are strongly developed in the

head.

The

colour varies with the locality; the back and upper part of the head

IG

242

may

Le green, brown, yellow, or like polished

there

The

This species

flecks.

Von

a local variation.

of teeth

on the

teeth on the

row

right

teeth

of

on

eaxsh side of

the

;

the

iris is silvery,

silvery.

with yellow-

extremely variable, and almost every locality has

in

two rows;

left side only,

each

in

and

ten fishes there

twelve

remaining-

Spawning takes

side.

According to some Russian observers, three

eight

was a double

had the double row of

six fishes

only, while the

side

tail

sharply defined by a

Siebold records that in thirty-six individuals

had the pharyngeal teeth

row

and free from spots is

is

head and body and the abdomen are

sides of the

fins are all transparent,

green

On

steel.

often a clear silver or steel-blue band, which

is

dark edging-.

The

fueopk.

i-ia:sir.WATi:K fisiiks (if

J'HK

place

papilla?

in

had only one

and May.

April

appear behind the vent

at spawning-time.

A common

size is

two

to three inches,

and the largest s[)ecimen does not

exceed three and a half inches in length.

The

found

species is

matia, the Danube, and

in all the rivers of

its tributaries,

and throughout Germany, especially

in

Southern Russia, in Greece, Dal-

Moravia and other parts of Austria,

in the Kurische Haff.

It extends as far

west as Brunswick.

Genus

:

PeleCUS

(Agassiz).

The genus Pelecus was formed by Agassiz

for a fish of the

Bream

type,

having the body oblong and greatly compressed, with the entire abdomen forming a sharp edge.

Its scales are small.

unusual way behind the pectoral

fin

The

lateral line descends in

an

The

towards the abdominal border.

The dorsal fin is placed far back, and is commencement of the anal, which resembles that of the Bream in its numerous rays. The pectoral fins are very long. The pharynThe intestine geal teeth are in a double series, and strongly hooked (Fig. 139).

mouth

is

opposite

is short.

nearly perpendicular.

to the

It

was united with the genus Leuciscus by Valenciennes, on account

of similarity in the pharyngeal teeth,

most modern writers recognise

it

the waters of Eastern Europe, but

Sweden, but not

in

Russia; and

is

and placed in Abramis by Nilsson

as a distinct genus.

extends into the

characteristic of

It

is

;

but

found only in

Baltic;

Germany and

it

occurs in

Austria.

PELECITS CULTRATUS.

Pelecus cultratus D.

9—10, A.2S— 3], y.

Scales:

known

This species (Fig. 138), as the Sicliel or Ziege,

92

line

lat.

14

transverse

Sweden

in

(Linnaeus).

9, P. 16, C. 19.

— 108,

and in Austria as the

243

—

6.

unlike other fishes of

the Carp family that some of the older writers, like Klein, inchided Pikes, while Wiilf placed

it

with the Herrings

The

the Carps towards the Herring groiip.

from the forehead to the dorsal

The

a bent bow.

greatest height

and the

fish is

;

and

dorsal profile

is

midway between

is

convex, like

the pectoral and ventral

about four and a half times as long as high.

The greatest

The head

thickness at the operculum does not exceed one-third of the height. is

The eye

one-fifth of the length.

Owing

corners of the mouth. in front of the upper.

which

fits

is

large,

and approximates towards the mouth, the lower jaw

to the direction of the

There

is

a median ])rotuberance

in the lower

The

in to a corresponding depression in the pre-maxillary bone.

are fleshy only at the corners of the mouth.

The

eye.

with the

almost horizontal

while the abdominal outline

is

it

certainly approximates

it

PELECfS CULTRATrS (liNNJEUs).

Fig.

fins,

fin,

Germany

as the Skarhraxcn, in

SicJiling, is so

scales

The double nares

lies

jaw lips

are near the

on the head commence just over the eyes, corresponding with

the extension of the dorsal muscles, which cover the hinder part of the skull.

The

dorsal fin

somewhat

on the hinder third of the body;

is

small,

one-third as high as long ventral fin

The lower

and nearly

The

but

its

The prolonged point

more than one-quarter fin.

;

rather truncated behind,

The

anal

fin

is

length exceeds that of the head.

commences behind the middle

to the vent.

it is

and only one-third higher than long.

of the body,

only

The

and nearly reaches

of the sabre-shaped pectoral

fin,

which

is

of the length of the fish, nearly reaches to the ventral

lobe of the deeply forked caudal fin

is

the longer of the two,

as long as the base of the anal.

lateral lino is at first nearly horizontal,

then curves suddenly down-

THE

244 ward, and

down

til

every pore g-ives

abdomen,

to near the

anal lins

;

FISHES OF

Fi;i:sil-WATK1{

an oblique ti'ansverse branch, and,

off

again

rises

it

KriiOl'F.

midway between

but descends again, and then continues parallel to the anal

termination in the caudal.

Every pore

two, short lateral branches.

The

in

a scale gives

curvini];-

the ventral and fin to its

off one, or occasionally

cephalic canals are strongly developed,

and

the sub-orbital branch occupies the entire width between the eve and the

The

uares.

extends along the free operculum.

branch

maxillary

inferior

The pharyngeal bones and tooth formula

The and

is

5'3

—

— i-HAHYNGEAL

margins are

their

rays,

The

smallest scales are behind the skull;

are

on the

The

sides,

but they

the ventral

the largest

never exceed half the

There are no scales on the

Elongated, blunt-pointed scales occur on the bases of

fin.

The rake

fins.

are

forming the abdominal edge overlap one

scales

another, so as to form a small, soft, flexible keel.

base of the pectoral

They

entire.

which are not regular.

but verv distinct, especially on the ventral surface.

"'""

thItvs""'''''''''

diameter of the eye.

The

slender.

ax'c

scales are not firmly adherent, very delicate

flexible;

marked with numerous Fig. 139.

teeth

2"5 (Fig. 1-39).

teeth are long and pointed in the anterior

row

of the first gill-arch, but are short in the succeeding rows.

This species

is

commonly from

six to twelve inches long,

and does not

exceed a foot and a half in length, or a pound and a half in weight.

from four with

to five years,

in rivers.

It

spawns

was known

pure running water, where

grey

;

Linnaus

is

It lives

not often met

as inhabiting the Baltic, but

is

steel-blue or bluish-green;

the cheeks have the lustre of mother-of-pearl are grey

it

;

the back

and the

it

prefers

the other fins reddish

;

and makes

is

very

little

is

a brown-

sides are silvery.

the it

iris is silvery.

an easy prey to

Being scantily clothed with

fishes.

and stored with bones,

seldom fished

;

attracts its enemies,

water birds and predaceous soft

multiplies slowly, and

usually keeps near the banks and lives like other

it

colour of the neck

The dorsal and caudal fins The shining silvery coat is

to

May,

Bloch states that the ovary contains one hundred thousand eggs.

Cyprinoids.

The

in

flesh,

which

valued as food, and hence

is

for.

The Austrian authors

record that

in early times

it

was a

fish of

bad omen,

presaging war, famine, and pestilence, a reputation which was maintained by its

irregular appearance at intervals of several years. It

is

widely distributed in Europe

Danube and

rivers of

Seas, as well as in those estuaries,

where

it

is

;

is

found

in the

Crimea, and in the

European Russia which empty into the Black and Casinan taken

seas. in a'lvat

In Prussia

it is

numbers with

common

nets.

in

the Haffs and

MIÂŤGUKNUS

Group Genus The

FOSSILIS.

COBITIDINA.

:

MisgurnuS

:

245

(Lacepede). group of Dr.

g-enus JNIisgurnus belong-s to the fourteenth, or last, great

Gdnther's arrangement of Cyprinoid

This group

fishes.

is

named Cobitidina.

Three of the genera, Misgurnus, Nemaehilus, and Cobitis, are represented in Europe, while the remaining genera are from the East Indies, China, Japan,

and the Malayan Archipelago.

All these types agree in having the

surrounded by six or more barbels; the air-bladder tained in a bony capsule dorsal

and anal

iins

;

the pharyngeal teeth are in a single series

short

are

mouth

partly or entirely con-

is

;

and the

may

scales

;

the

be small, rudimentary,

or entirely absent.

In the group thus defined, Misgurnus

compressed form of body.

The caudal

to the mandible.

The are

air-bladder

is

is

distinguished by an elongated

It has ten or twelve barbels, of fin is

rounded

;

the dorsal

The

enclosed in a bony capsule.

curiously distributed, in being absent from

Misg iiriiHS

fossilis is

found only in Eurojie.

is

which four belong

opposite the ventral.

species of the

Western Asia.

One sj^ecies

The

genus species

occurs in Bengal, while

the others are limited to China and Japan.

Misgurnus D.

This

fish,

often

0,

known

A.

8,

as the

fossilis

V.

7, P.

(Linn.eus).

9—11,

Pond Loach

C. 16.

in France,

and Svldauip'dzger or

Bissgurre in Germany, has a very elongated body, with small head, and a

mouth surrounded by ten barbels, of which four belong to the mandible. The caudal fin is rounded, and the body ornamented with blackish-brown longitudinal bands, which

may

The body deepens with to the length of the head,

be replaced by a yellow band (Fig.

it is less

total length of the fish is

fin.

length, and

its

height

is

equal

than the head length in the young.

The

between seven and a half and eight and a half

times the length of the head. its

1-10).

age, so that while in the adult the height

is

The thickness

of the head

the same as that of the

tail

is

equal to half

behind the anal

The body has a sub-cylindrical aspect, its thickness being two-thirds of The mouth is small, and rather inferior, the small blunt lower

the height.

;

THE FI;ESH-\VATKK fishes of EUROPE

240

jaw being beneath and overlapped by the projecting upper jaw^ and covered by its lij) and barbels, so that the mouth aperture is not seen. There are four barbels at nearly equal distances on the upper jaw, and a longer

On

barbel at each angle of the mouth.

the under jaw there are two short

barbels in front on each side of the median symphysis. corners of

the

mouth

are

so that the barbels on

eye

very small

is

head.

It

may

spine

and

less

it is

not

barbels at the

in

length anteriorly.

The

than one-seventh of the length of the

separated from the other eye by twice the

is

more than

this distance

The sub-

from the snout. and, though

;

position

its

erectile.

nares are divided, are placed near to the eye, and the anterior narine

Fig. 140

— MISGUKNUS

forms a short projecting tube.

and only open

throat,

is

The

than half the length of the head

lower jaw decrease

the

diameter

is

less

completely covered by the skin

is

be detected,

The

its

placed high up,

is

orbital diameter, orbital

;

little

pectoral

laterally

The

FOSSILIS (lINN'^US).

gill-aperture

from the

completely closed on the

is

level of the eye to the base of the

fin.

All the bones of the face

and operculum are covered with

orbital ring is seen to be well developed in the skeleton,

The sub-

skin.

and has a strong spine

behind.

The

All the fins are more or less rounded at their free borders.

which

is

opposite to the ventral

height

is

dorsal

in

less

length, height, and

The rays

dorsal,

begins behind the middle of the body.

The anal

than the height of the body.

behind the vent.

The

fin,

form,

fin

is

and commences some

of the pectoral fin are as

Its

similar to the little

distance

long as the anal

fin

ventral fins are shortest, and do not reach to the vent.

The middle

rays of the caudal are longest, and exceed the length of the head.

The caudal

rays.

fin consists

of fourteen jointed rays, with

side; in front of

up the line

tail,

which there are about twenty truncate

forming an edge or membranous ridge

A

both above and below.

surface

iVom

an unjointed terminal ray on each

the

tliroat

to

somewhat white

the iironiiiicnl

rays,

in the

which reach far vertical

line extends on the

vent.

The

lateral

median

abdominal

line

extends

MISGUENU8 The

nearly in the middle of the side.

Von

the fish an eel-like aspect.

body which are

The

scales are small areas in the

size of the fins gives

median

They but

nearly circular.

The pharyngeal

Their form

sides.

growth and radiating rays

lines of

teeth are twelve to fourteen in number.

tail.

short, without pyloric appendages,

is

respiratory function, absorbing

oxygen from the

air

in eveiy

The rake

There are thirty-

teeth of the gill-arches are compressed, pointed, and short.

one vertebrae in the thoracic region, and nineteen in the intestine

they

;

vertically ovate, or

is

slightly overlap each other, and under the micro-

show numerous concentric

The

behind the

line

on the back, throat, and abdomen are the smallest

and more numerous on the

direction.

The small

Siebold states that the only parts of the

fins.

scales

are larger

scope

from

free

and anal

247

cephalic mucus-canals are traced with

they have only a few pores.

difficulty, as

dorsal

P'OSSILIS.

and appears to have a

swallowed, and liberating

carbonic acid.

The

air-bladder

and adjoin the in lateral

bony

divided into right and left portions, which are similar

is

The

capsules.

though

this

is

marbled with brownish-black

is

be sometimes expelled from the

air is said to

air-bladder with a piping noise,

The head

them

three or four vertebrae, processes from which enclose

first

improbable.

flecks,

which often run together

in bands.

The is

colour of the back

is

dark brown, with blackish

A

orange, dotted with black.

the lateral

which

line,

and below this

is

is

The abdomen

flecks.

broad blackisli-brown band extends along

conspicuous with

thick compressed pores.

its

a broad yellow longitudinal stripe, and this

is

Above

divided from

the orange abdomen by a blackish-brown band, Avhich extends as far as the

up on the

vent, and then becomes broken

The yellow band over

The ground

be traced in front of the eye. is

The

iris is

The length often exceeds found in large

Mud-fish, from

its

in cold weather. to

roll

rivers

it

the

are dotted with

fins

is

commonly

less.

As a

lakes.

It is

known on

Badham in

rule, the fish

ditches,

though

the Continent as the

habit of burrowing and burying itself in the

Dr.

and wallow

is

a foot, but

and

duvet that on leaving

weather,

all

and prefers muddy brooks, marshes, and

warmth and cover when the soft

;

golden.

lives in fiat regions,

also

may

colour of the dorsal and caudal fins

a darker brown than that of the other fins

black.

is

into scattered points and flecks.

tail

the lateral line extends forward to the orbit, and

mud,

particularly

remarks, " The favourite pastime of M. fossilis

the mire

of his pond, whither he

air is chilly it,

;

and

so fondly is

as he always does

retreats for

he attached to this

on the approach of bad

only to grub up and disperse the ooze

till

the water has been

THE FIJESII-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

248 rendered

congeuially dirty to his

rcG^-arded

as a

because

In Germany and Austria

taste. '^

weather proj^het, and sometimes

it

is

the Weather-fish,

called

is

usually comes to the surface about twenty -four hours before bad

it

weather, and moves about with unusual energy

this habit has led to its being

;

sometimes confined in a glass globe as an animated barometer. It swallows air, bait,

and

flabby,

and

is

said to expel

commonly caught with

is

it

It seldom takes a

again with noise.

nets or baskets.

Its

white and

flesh is

having an odour and taste which suggest the stagnant pool; but

Benecke asserts that when kept

for

well-flavoured.

It lives on insects,

contained in the

mud which

it

running water

in

it

becomes

worms, fish-spawn, and organic matter

swallows.

It leaves its hiding-place in the

brown eggs on water-plants,

some days

mud

in A\n-i\

spawn.

in spring to

and ^lay

in

It lays 140,000

Western Europe, and from

April to June in Eastern Europe. Its

growth

is

and

rapid,

tenacious of

it is

life

;

and, probably, on account of

the narrow gill-apei'ture, can remain a long time in

times found in the

mud

of dried-up

dry places, being someHolland, Belgium,

It inhabits

ditches.

the eastern border of France, North and South Germany, and fresh waters in Russia, except in the basin of the

beyond the Caucasus.

In Switzerland

White

met with

it is

in

is

found in

all

Sea, and the region

Lake Constance.

Dr.

Giinther regards Misgiirnas anguillicandains (Castor) as a representative of

China, Japan, and Formosa,

this species in

differing*

only in colour, shorter

and other minor characteristics.

])ectoral fin,

Genus:

Nemachilus

(Van Hasselt).

This genus, which comprises about forty species,

is

characterised

only six barbels, none of which are on the mandible.

Misgurnus

;

has no erectile sub-orl)ital spine

bony capsule, and the dorsal

fin 0])posite

have more than twelve rays

in

defined according as the bars, or

is

body

striped

fin

fin

rounded, while

by having

closely allied to

Some

of the

species

others fewer, and the latter are

with brown bands or narrow yellow

without any transverse bars at

have the caudal

;

is

has the air-bladder enclosed in a

to the ventral.

the dorsal is

;

It

all.

Some

of these latter species

in others it is distinctly

emarginate.

The

genus ranges over the Malay Islands and Asia, especially Tibet, India, Syria, one species being species

found

in

the

is Neiiiac/iihi-s Ijarhahiluii.

Lake

of

Galilee.

The only European

NEMACHILUS BAEBATULUS.

(Linn^us).— The

Nemachilus barbatulus D.

The Loach

It

is

known

the

name

of

In Ital)

Bartgrurulel.

Paris

Barbotfe. it is

relatively thicker, with a longer

Fig. 141.

the body of the

be a

Misgurnus

jaw

or five

body only

may

hand, in

is five

projects,

7.

name from

its

the French verb

la LocJie franclie, a

name which

habits of dabbling- in the

its

In Germany

it is

fossilis , the

mud

have

Schmerle, or Gnmdel, or

Loach has a

and broader head

The length

with rounded corners.

Loach.

Cohlie harhatello (Fig. 141).

As compared with Misgurnus fill;,

V.

France as

in

About

varies in the provinces. it

7,

supposed to have acquired

is

lochcr, to fidget.

gained

A.

10,

249

— NEMACHII.US

is

;

less

elongated body^

an evenly truncate caudal

seven to eight times the height, and

HARKATULVS

(LINX.TiVS).

The height

and a half times the length of the head.

slightly exceeds its thickness, but the head, on the other

little

The mouth

wider than high.

fossilis, but, in position

and of the

and shape,

six barbels the four

it is

is

rather larger than

similar.

The upper

middle ones are more distant

from the angles of the mouth, and, therefore, nearer together; the front pair

is

smallest.

The under

lip

carries

no barbels;

middle, and, according to Giinther, each side cleft

between the

lips

is

transverse.

The

it

is

notched in the

again divided by a notch.

The

barbels at the angle of the

mouth

is

are about one-third of the length of the head, and reach back nearly,

if

not

quite, to the pre-operculum.

The eye

is

midway between the end

placed high, near to the frontal

of the snout

profile.

and the

Its diameter

is

gill-aperture,

and

one-sixth or one-

seventh of the length of head, and the breadth of the frontal interspace

is

between one and a third and twice the diameter of the eye.

The skin does

not go over the eye as in Misgurnus fossilis, but forms a

movable band

flat

.

THE FKESII-WATER

250

towards the opercular

The

the eye.

The

There

Ijorder.

gill-aperture

OF EUROPE.

FISHP^S

a

is

row

of

mucus pores over and under

quite as narrow as in the Misg-urnns.

is

dorsal fin begins in the middle of the length.

rays are the longest and as long as the pectoral

The

only half as long.

The

ventral.

border

is

The

pectoral fin

fin,

do not nearly reach the vent, wdiich

and, consequently, far behind the end of

rounded, but

is

is less

and

The

tail,

is

The

seven truncated rays on

which, in consequence,

is

than in the Misgurnus.

remarkably small and

scales are

delicate,

and are

to be seen only

On

with the aid of a magnifying glass, when they show radiating rays.

They

the sides they are separated from each other and never overlap.

They become

altogether wanting on the head, breast, and abdomen.

behind the dorsal

upon the

fin

and though these are

tail,

middle of the

line is nearly horizontal in the

The mucus-canals

tubes.

side,

are

thicker

smaller than

still

those on the anterior part of the body, they overlap each other.

membranous

is

the dorsal.

deep than in ^Li-^ffunins fossil is.

carries only six or

the upper and lower membranous border of the less distinct

fifth

lower than the dorsal, but as long as the

is

their longest rays

;

as long as the head,

is

and

Its fourth

the last dorsal ray

;

ventral fins are opposite the middle of the dorsal; their free

rounded

nearer to the anal

caudal

anal fin

fin

The

latei-al

and opens by a number of

of the head are

more

distinct than in

Misg n rn us fossil is

The is

grey

colour of the back ;

is

dark green, the sides are yellow, the abdomen

while brownish-black irregular flecks, points, and stripes cover the

head, bnck, and sides, and give a marbled aspect to the

fish.

At the base of the caudal fin there is commonly a black spot The dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins are flecked like the body, and

like

an eye.

the anal and

ventral fins are yellowish-white.

The

size is

four inches

;

always much

The Loach

is

found

in rivers,

found

in lakes

than that of the Misgurnus, rarely exceeding

an inhabitant of mountain regions, as well as plains, and

but especially

and

stagnant water.

The

less

the largest specimens measure five inches and a half.

in

in the Haffs It

is

clear brooks

on the Prussian

as shy as the

flesh is delicate, well-flavoured,

be eaten as soon as captured. present day the Loach

is

it

feeds on plants.

coast.

Minnow, and

and

In former times

it

is

but the

was much

It is voracious.

the slimv coverin"- of the skin.

difliculty,

It dies at once

is

fish requires to

prized.

preserved in fish ponds in Bohemia, where

caught with

is

It does not thrive in

it is

At

the

fed on

Its ordinary food

worms, spawn, and when the supply of these It

It

loves to hide under stones.

easily digested,

sheep-dung, linseed-cake, and poppy seeds. consists of insects,

with a gravelly bottom.

on account of

is

its

insufficient,

activity

when removed from

and

the water.

;

NEMACHILUS BAEBATULUS. Its capture furnishes

251

sport for children,

a favourite

legged in shallow streams, and frequently spear

it

who pursue

bare-

it

with a fork.

According to Dr. Badham, Loach are not infrequently found frozen

and then the warmth of the hand he adds the

effect is

still

when

care

of the

fish

the frying-pan, into the

The habit

bladder, for although

first

alive,

thaw them; but

more expeditiously produced by putting them into must be takeu

is,

lest

they

fulfil

the proverb

by leaping

it

in remaining motionless

in hiding

during the

and

apparently, connected with the small size of

comes

in shower}^ weather, it is

The bony the

said to be sufficient to

fire.

greater part of the day

and

is

to the surface

with great

effort in the

its air-

evening

unable to remain there.

capsules which contain the air-bladder are placed on each side of

and second

vertebrsE

;

they are smooth on the inside, spherical in form,

connected together beneath the bodies of the vertebrae, and give attachment to the pectoral

The

fins.

air-bladder communicates

by a slender canal with the

oesophagus.

The fish spawns in England in March or the beginning of April, in North Germany in April and May, and, according to Giinther, the spawning may be The eggs are nuprolonged in warm seasons as late as August in the Neckar. merous and small fish

;

The arch.

they are deposited between stones, or in holes which the After deposition they are watched over by the males.

has excavated.

skull differs from that of other Cyprinoid fishes in

There

is

an interspace between the parietal bones, which in the fresh cartilage.

There are thirty-nine thoracic

fifteen pairs of ribs.

The right

wanting the jugal

one infra-orbital bone in front of the eye.

The

sac-like

lobe of the liver

is

Yarrell describes fish is

occupied by

vertebrae, sixteen caudal vertebrae,

stomach

is

larger than the

and

well defined from the intestine. left.

The kidney

is

large and

extends forward to the connexion between the parts of the air-bladder.

The Loach casus,

where

is

found in

it is

all

fresh waters in Russia, except

replaced by an allied

found on the north frontier of Italy

;

fish,

beyond the Cau-

Nemachilus brandti.

It

is

rarely

has not yet been recorded from Spain

is absent from Denmark and Scandinavia ; though it was introduced into Sweden by Frederick I. Otherwise it is spread over Central and Western

and

Europe, and

is

common

in the British Islands.

THE FKESII-WATER FISHES

252

Uknus

CobitiS

:

(Artedi).

Tlie g'cnus Cobitis as restricted comprises a

Beu<ral and

Assam^ Japan and Europe.

seen in Misgurnns and

body there

more or

is

a small

is

There are

It

Nemachihis, to which

which are limited

genera of the group, the air-bladder sertion of the dorsal fin

tlie it

is

which

sub-orbital spine,

bifid

six barbels,

few species which are fouiul

has

compressed, and the back

less

EUROPE.

(JF

is

Below the eye

capable of being- erected.

to the upper jaw.

As

in

the other

The

contained in a bony capsule.

is

opposite to the ventral, and the caudal

is

but the

closely allied;

not arched. is

in

elongated form of body

is

in-

truncate,

or convexly rounded.

Cobitis taenia

(Linn.eus).

D. 10, A.

The

Spinous Loach

;

and

stones, has caused it to be

In France

it

la

is

it is

14'2.

LocJie

in <Ie

Its distribution

is

C. 13.

which constitutes one of

T,V,NI.\

many

it

the popular

the marked

name

of the

In Holland

(LIXN.liUs).

parts of the country as the

lliviere.

the Coh'de flurhde (Fig.

dinavia to Spain.

0—7,

P.

has secured for

— COHITIS

known

Steinpitzger, or Sleiiibeisscr.

In Italy

fish,

(),

Loach.

habit of frequenting the bottom, and hiding under

its

Fig.

is

V.

distinctive [)re-orbital spine,

generic distinctions of this

ling.

7,

— Spinous

it is

In Germany

it is

Ground-

Donir/nnidel,

the de Bleine Mocliler

K raider.

14.2).

remarkable, being found throughout Europe from Scan-

It,

however, appears to be absent from Ireland, and.

it

probably absent from the White Sea basin in Russia, while beyond the

Caucasus

it is

replaced

Though absent from Jai)an.

l)y

the C. an rata of Filippi, and

continental Asia,

it

is

C.

nohenackeri of Brandt.

recorded by Dr.

Giinther

from

;

T.ENIA.

('0I3ITTS

In this

253

The body

the head and body are compressed.

fish

seven and eight times as long as high^ and the thickness

The length of the head exceeds the height the six barbels are short two of them are The two longer ones

of the upper jaw. is

nares.

The small eye

is

small

opening

its

;

and the

head ;

The thin

The

spine

is

and inner spine

when

not seen

The

of the pectoral fin to the eye.

advance of the ventral, and rays are as long as the body

The anal

of this height.

border

and a

little

caudal

fin

is

in the

high

;

fin is as

is

without

backward

at rest, but

is

The

is

capable of being

strong curve over the head,

dorsal fin

commences somewhat

middle of the length

but the

ray of the

last

its

;

The

in

third and fourth

only two-thirds

fin is

long as the rounded ventral, but

its

free

pectoral fins are as deep as the ventrals, is

enlarged and flattened.

The

truncate, often with the corners rounded.

visible only for

the ante-

;

narrow, only reaching from the base

In the male the upper ray

longer. is

is

sharply truncate.

less

is

diameter.

as long as the diameter of

is

profile rises in a

nearly horizontal on the back.

is

the fish

The gill-opening

erected as a defence.

and

own

its

near to

is

as in Misr/nrnus fossilis,

it,

of the bifid sub-orbital spine are curved

short, but the hinder

is

the eye.

It

fold.

Both points one

the head goes over

skin of

forming a

rior

and separated from the other eye by

profile,

diameter

its

between one-sixth and one-seventh of the length of the head.

the frontal

under the

cleft reaches

in the middle of the length of the

is

The

are at the angles of the mouth.

transverse,

is

inferior

is

close together in front in the middle

;

mouth

The mouth

of the body.

between

is

only half the height.

is

a short distance over the pectoi-al fin

farther back

;

The

lateral line

is

con-

it is

tinued as a dark-coloured, longitudinal furrow.

The

scales are

very small, scarcely to be counted with the naked eye.

There are forty to forty-two intestine

nearly straight

is

vertebrse,

the lining

;

and

fifteen

membrane

pairs

of the

of

The

ribs.

abdomen

pearly

is

white, with black spots.

The Spinous Loach has a

striking colouring.

yellow, diversified with rows of are fairly regular.

One

two

these

men

are

are free

of the larger

A smaller

height of the body.

irregular

from

lip

;

row

points,

On

spots.

the eye to the upper

is

bands of

caudal

fin is

The

is

flecks,

and

lines.

The

orange-

which two rows

flecks runs in the

middle of the

throat

between

and abdo-

the head a brownish-black line extends from

a similar line runs as a

across the cheeks.

irregularly spotted.

spots, of

in the upper third of the height;

the eye tu the opercular point, and a third

ward

The general tone

somewhat round black

When

is

wavy curve from the back

seen under the eye

;

running

these bands are wanting the body

is

of

for-

more

eye-like spot at the base of the upper lobe of the

sharply defined and intensely black.

There are also large black

THE FRESII-AVATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

254 flecks in the

median

This

The caudal

line of the back.

and anal

pectoral, ventral,

striped;

fin is vertically

The

are uniformly pale.

fins

iris

the

pale yellow.

is

the smallest species of the ""enus, reaching' a length of two inches

is

and a half

Germany and

in Austria, four inches in

France, and three inches in

Great Britain.

Like

and

in

June,

very

its allies it is

May

April or Its

growth

toughness of the

is

in

slow.

flesh

spawns

It

prolific.

Germany and It

is

in

Austria,

March and April

in France,

though Marsigli mentions

not sought after for food, on account of the

and the number

of bones in

When

it.

captured

it

emits a peculiar sound.

As in the preceding allied forms, the intestine has a Coming to the surface the fish swallows atmospheric

Ficf.

143.— roBiTis

t.^-^nia,

from the way

The bony capsule

is

passed

Siebold suggests that this remark-

which the

iu

frequents places in which the supply of oxygen rabbit.

which

vak. elongata (heckei. and knek).

through the intestine with some noise. able habit has resulted

respiratory function. air,

is

fish stirs

up the mud, and

It burrows like a

small.

for the air-bladder extends along

two

vertebrae

next the head.

There

is

an elongated variety found

describe as Cohilis elongata (Fig. 143).

The double

one-tenth of the entire length.

Croatia,

in

The height

which Heckei and Kner of the

body

sub-orbital spine

is

may

be only

small, and lies

under the skin. It further

differs

from

in attaining

C. tcenia

smaller than five inches, and usually six; yet in colour

it

agrees with the species under which

and a half

to six times as long as the head.

in C. tcenia, so that the eye

is

farther from

culum, while the distance between the eyes

Hence the forehead is

is

smaller,

a lai'ger size, being never

general characteristics and

we grou]) The snout

it.

is

The body

mouth reach back

than from the angle of the operscarcely half the orbital diameter.

The barbels

to the

is five

more pointed than

and the head more compressed.

similarly covered with smooth skin.

the angle of the

it is

all

are longer,

The eye

and those at

front of the orbit, and are nearly

COBITIS LARVATA.

midway between

255

the eye and the extremity of the snout.

The

sub-orbital

spine appears to be relatively shorty, on account of the large size of the fish.

Another variety, named by Filippi Cob'dis larvata,

The head

is

one-fifth of the length of the body,

are six pharyngeal teeth in each bone.

A

is

found in Piedmont.

and uniformly brown.

There

brown band extends along the trunk, and becomes broken into spots on the tail. There are two brown spots at the base of the caudal fin. The bony capsule for the air-bladder is larger, and the fish swims better than C. tmiia. The sub-orbital spine is capable of being raised from a cutaneous

fissure.

356

CHAPTER

VII.

FRESH-WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER PHYSOSTOMI

FAMILY CLUPEID.E— Gen-US

Clltea

Herring

Family: GrENUS

The

Shad— Twaite Shad—AVhitekiit- Black

:

— Caspian

CLUPEID^. Clupea

sometimes with species entering-

case with the Anchovies, thoug^h Coilia, are

found

Soa

Herring.

(CuviEr).

Herring" comprise about eleven genera, which are found in

of the

allies

all seas,

:

[cOiU lliued).

some

rivers.

Ganges and Irawaddj.

in the

This, however,

is

never the

genus

of their Eastern allies, like the

Another genus, Chatoersus,

North and Central America, Australia, and the

enters rivers on the coasts of

East Indies, and has become naturalised, in some lakes.

The only genus with fresh-water

representatives in Europe

and widely distributed genus Clupea. naked.

The body

is

covered with scales

The

fishes of this

it

;

is

and at the

of the upper

side

jaw

is

formed

in front

by the maxillary bone, which

moderate width

;

the

teeth are

reg-ion of the throat.

by the pre-maxillary bone,

consists of three elements.

The

upper jaw does not project beyond the lower. of

the numerous

compressed, and the abdomen

forms a serrated edge, which extends forward into the

The marg-in

is

type have the head

cleft of the

is

rudimentary, but their variable condi-

tion aids in distinguishing the multitudinous species into groups.

typical genus Clupea,

The

mouth

which comprises only the

Common Herring,

Thus the the Califor-

nian [lerring, and Herrings of the Black and Caspian Seas, has a conspicuous oval patch of minute teeth on the

vomer

;

while a large number of species

from the Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Archipelago, China, and Australia, have minute teeth on the

palate,

at

all,

fin

teeth on

opposite to the ventral.

has fewer than thirty rays.

appendages.

fresh-

a third group, in which there are no teeth

thoug-h some of their allies have

have the dorsal

The European

and none on the vomer.

water representatives belong to

the tongue.

The caudal

The stomach has

is

These

fishes

forked; the anal fni

a blind sac, with

many

pyloric

CLUPEA ALOSA.

257

ClTipea alosa (Linn^us).— The Shad. D. 19—21, P.

15— IG,

V. 19, A.

2L— 24,

The Shad, or Allis-Shad, of Englaud, a true fresh-water

C. 19.

Yarrell mentions that

fish.

Scales

commonly come

the water

is clear,

the river in

up the Thames.

so hig"h

but when

May, returning

it is

lat. line

70.

than

has occasionally been taken

it

above Putney Bridge, and opposite Hampton Court Palace ever,

:

is a visitor to the rivers rather

it

;

does not, how-

It ascends the

Severn when

flooded keeps below Gloucester;

The

to the sea in July.

it

goes up

chief English fishery

is

Newnham, near Gloucester, whence Shad are sent to the Forest of Dean, and many local markets, as well as to London. The English rivers are by no at

^^^S^,

Fig. 144.

means exceptional where

it is

far as Graz,

known and

is

— CLUPEA

AT,osA (linx-t^as), avith

in receiving visits

from

this fish.

It enters the

as I'Alose.

found in the

Isere.

It

caudal scales,

is

It

is

common

in France,

Rhone, and ascends the Saone as also

stream and affluents of the Garonne and Loire

;

abundant both

in the

main

and, according to Blanchard,

occurs in most of the rivers of France (Fig. 144).

In Germany It goes

and Neckar. is

it is

up the Rhine

known

as Maifisch, because it ascends the rivers in

as far as

It ascends the

Basel, and

Danube, and

is is

especially

common

where

it

arrives in

In Upper Italy

May

and June.

the sea in September; and

is

it is

May. Main

occasionally taken at Pesth.

the Sahalo and Suboga in Spain, and Savel in Portugal.

Tagus and Minho.

in the

found in the Lakes

It

It occurs in the

Como and

Garda,

It has been seen at Milan returning to

taken in the Tiber.

It

is

apparently absent

from Russia, where the Black Sea Herring similarly ascends the Dnieper, the Bug, and the Dniester.

have been the modern Shad. 17

The

TJirixsa of the

ancient Greeks appears to

THE FKESH-WATER FISHES OF EUKOFE.

258

when taken

Dr. liadham states that

but after a month^s sojourn

fisli,

phimp and

at

sea

in

winter,

is

it

a

dry poor

water in springs becomes very rapidly This estimable author remarks in his work " Prose

delicate.

in fresh

Halieutics/^ " the Allis forms one of an elaborately-finished group of mosaic

house at Pompeii.

fish in a

was therefore known

It

contemporaries, but whether they appreciated ancient Greece, or disparaged '

it

like

still

but as

;

by the connoisseurs

love for music

stall,'

and

their

as the ban vivanfs of ^;a/7;er/5,

more than we can undertake

is

occupied the skilful fingers of the ancient mosaicisti, and

considered a fine fish at Naj^les,

like estimation

A

it

to the Balbi

much

as

Ausonius as a mere solatium

the pauper-'s Alose from the sputtering

to settle

it

we

are inclined to think

it

was held

is

in

same regno under the ancient regime.

of the

and dancing has been imputed

fresh-water herring.

to this

Aristotle affirms that he no sooner catches the sound of music or sees dancing,

than, like Crabbers sailor

'who hears a

tibly led to join the sport

fiddle

and who

sees a

lass,''

he

is irresis-

and to cut capers and throw somersaults out of the

water/'

The only

justification for this

Shad assemble

in great

movements,

their

like

statement

numbers near the so

many

other

is

the

circumstance that

surface of the water fishes

at

spawning-time.

remarks that they are said to thrash the water with their

calm evening the noise they make may be heard

at

the

and are noisy

tails,

in

Buckland

and that on

some distance,

a

^lian

improves on Aristotle's statement by assuring us that the fishermen being well aware of the habit, fasten

little bells

to their nets so that

by the tinkling

above the surface, the Shad are attracted to the spot, and netted.

The body fish

known

is

elevated and compressed laterally, and

as the Twaite Shad,

The most important

external characters. is

found in the gill-rakers, which are very

number from

is

so like the smaller

that they are not easily distinguished by distinction, according to Giinther,

fine

and long

in the Aliis

Shad, and

sixty to eighty on the horizontal part of the outer branchial

arch, while the Twaite

Shad has thick

gill-rakers,

but they are numerous on

the other arches, the numbers being ninety-nine to one hundred and eighteen on the

first,

ninety-six to one hundred and twelve on the second, seventy-four to

eighty-eight on the third, and fifty-six to sixty-five on the fourth.

Other

distinguishing characters are the comjiressed ventral edge in front of the anal fin,

armed with a row

There

is

of thii'ty-seven to forty-two spines,

also a conspicuous

and the low anal

dark spot behind the operculum, and the

fish

fin.

has a

curious eyelid.

The proportions

of the

Shad vary somewhat with

age.

In old females at

spawning-time the height of the body exceeds the length of the head, and the

])()dv

is

only three and

:i

half times as long as

hi<rh.

The height

is

CLUPEA ALOSA.

much is

less in

males and

259 In the young state the body-

half-grown females.

in

four and a half times as long as high, and the height

of the head,

which

is

than the length

is less

The head

one-fourth of the length.

conspicuously

is

The breadth between the opercula is less than half a head the young fish the thickness is one-quarter of the length of the

longer than high. length, but in

In old females the eye

head.

orbital space has

is

one-sixth as long as the head, and the inter-

widened from two-thirds of an orbital diameter to twice the

diameter of the eye.

The eye

covered both anteriorly and posteriorly with a fold of skin,

is

which forms a transj^arent eyelid over the middle centre with a vertical

have a half-moon shape, so that the pupil

is

not completely covered, and the

One

anterior plate can pass over the posterior plate.

and the other to the opercular bone.

nai'cs,

to the fold seen at the hinder

The nares narine

is

A

Salmon.

in

The mouth

so that the posterior

terminal, rather wide, and very

is

notch divides the small pre-maxillary bones from each other.

The

jaws are equal. illary

margin of the orbit

the longer and larger.

oblique.

eyelid extends under the

These eyelids have been compared

by a small membranous band,

are divided

opening in the

of the eye,

This skin includes cartilaginous plates, which

slit.

cleft of the

bone resembles that of the Grayling, except

pieces, since it reaches as far

The The max-

mouth extends back under the orbits. in

being composed of three

back as the hinder border of the

Both the

orbit.

maxillary and pre-maxillary are furnished at their margin with extremely finepointed short teeth which are easily ring consists of six bones,

wide anterior portion. is

toothless,

is

lost,

and disappear

The

early.

sub-orbital

broad, and the maxillary bone extends under

The mandible

is

overlapped by the wide upper jaw

The

but teeth exist in the young, and are soon shed.

its ;

it

gill-aper-

ture reaches higher than the upper border of the orbit, and the opening extends far into the throat.

bony

plate

Of the eight branchiostegal

peculiar cavity in front of the base of the pectoral

largest opercular element,

two end

The pre-operculum

fin.

is

the

There

and twenty-five in the caudal region.

of bones of the nature of ribs attached to the vertebral

in a

form a

to

and extends higher than the sub-operculum.

are thirty-three thoracic vertebrae

number

rays, the last

which unites with the inter-operculum and sub-operculum

The

column

is

unusually large. All the fins are relatively small. It begins

in

The

dorsal

front of the middle of the body

longed than those which immediately precede it is

partly hidden in a furrow formed

side of its base.

the snout.

The

The vent anal fin

is is

by the

;

it.

fin

longer than high.

is

its last

When

scales,

ray

the

is

more pro-

fin is laid

which are

raised

situate, three times the length of the head,

immediately behind

it;

its

base

is

back

on each behind

as long as the

260

11

the head

heig-lit of

that

and, like

[SUES OF EUROPE.

IK

FKKSH-WATKlv

its

rays are suiiilav to tliose of the dorsal

;

I

The

scales; the last rays are a little elongated.

front of the middle of the body;

anal

tlie

a scale prolonged like

is

tends for half or two-thirds of pointed, measure

ventral edge

The middle rays

the longer.

them

The

fin.

of the head,

in

;

ex-

pectorals are

and are near to the

The terminal

at the base.

are shorter than the head

fin

somewhat

has a soft point, and

it

;

length of the

more than half the length

deeply-forked caudal

is

In the angle over the base of

fin.

spine

a

tlie

the scales overlap

;

ventral fin

rays are not so short as those of the

its

any other

anal, but are shorter than in

but lower,

fin,

borders of projecting

partially enclosed betvreen lateral

fin,

rays of the

the lower lobe

is

slightly

have very numerous and finely-jointed

of this fin

branches.

There are eighty

At

and there are twenty or twenty-

The

scales

vary

much

in size.

the sides they are largest, square, and nearly equal to the diameter of the

On

eye.

are

scales in the lateral line,

scales in vertical series over the ventral fins.

two

the dorsal part of the

marked by

The

scales

covered

become

on the caudal

with larger smaller.

skin,

it

of

leaf, so

lower

surface of the large scales

canals.

The

are

lobes the scales

again covered by

is

an insect

as

or,

;

it

has

to a dicotelydonous

a

firmly fixed in the

stalk

leaf.

As

the mid-rib runs

the stalk extends through the scale and sends out on each

numerous accessory branches which spread over the surface

(Fig. 114).

scale.

The middle rays

each of the long scales recalls the form and struc-

;

might be compared

through the side

while on the upper and

scales,

The upper

wing

ture of the

which do not reach the middle of the

have a peculiar character.

fin

three or four smaller scales

the scales are elongated, their free edges

tail

parallel delicate rays

In the middle of the stalk of each scale

the mucus-canal of the lateral

are

tail

and

line,

its

two shorter

of the scale

scales, perforated

by

fine

branches are regarded as offshoots of

which in the region of the shoulder sinks

deeply under the scales and appears to be wanting in the body, but reappears at the base of the caudal finest ramifications.

fin,

branching in

both sides of the fore part of the trunk. angle of the gill-opening

its

upper and lower lobes with the

cephalic canals are well developed and extend on to

The

is

The shoulder

region behind the

ornamented with a black spot on which skin extends,

which, like that of the cheeks and opercvilum, shows innumerable dendritic branches, none of which penetrate the substance of the scales.

Another peculiarity of

this fish

is

seen in the structure of the saw-like

ventral ecU^c, for though the serrations are formed

the sternal ribs extend

down

to

ment as recalling the structure The Shad feeds on small

by the projecting

scales,

them, and Dr. Giinther describes this arrangeof the sternal ribs in the crocodile. fishes

and on vciretable substances.

The

in-

CLUPEA testinal canal

makes

immense number

The

into

two

is

two

lobes,

large, dark green,

is

it

The organs

and on the right

stomach, and intestine, between which they squeeze their

The eggs

uniform

are of

number hundreds of thousands. The young cock is smaller than the hen, and

ovaries

way while

and are

size,

esti-

to

but the big cock

is

The small

late in arriving.

arrives in the rivers earlier, fish sell in the

two

spring at six

and one hen counts

shillings a dozen, but later they are four shillings a dozen,

cocks.

The length l)ounds,

and

is

about two

in France the

Germany and Austria The back is a pale on the sides

;

it is

The

feet.

fish

seldom weighs

weight varies from two

abdomen

incline to sea-green

and the operculum

is

golden.

dorsal, caudal,

and spotted with black

Clupea iS— 20,

The

and pectoral ;

fins

;

colour

is

paler

but the scales have

The upper part of the head At the sides the scales are

dotted with black and the large spot on the shoulder

The

than four

smaller.

olive-green with golden iridescence.

the throat and

inclines to brown,

less

kilogrammes, but in

to three

a gold and silver and frequently a pinkish lustre.

D.

The two

enormously developed.

and at spawning-time extend over the pyloric appendages,

distending the ventral cavity.

for

The

side.

a short thick pneumatic

;

with the stomach.

of reproduction are

are symmetrical,

mated

the male

in

but the right lobe subdivides

elongated to a point at both ends

canal connects

liver,

and more numerous

are longer

liver has

the gall-bladder

;

air-bladder

an

is

appendages o£ unequal length, some being four

They

times as long as others.

than in the female.

Behind the stomach there

convolutions.

tAvo

of pyloric

361

ALO.SA.

is

dark olive-green.

are blackish-grey.

The anal

grey

is

the ventral fins are white.

finta (Cuvier).— Twaite Shad.

A. 20—24., V.

9,

P.

15—10,

The general form and proportions

Scales:

C. 19.

of the

lat. line

00—75.

Twaite Shad are similar to those

no difference in the head except that the gill-rakers are stout and bony, and number only from twenty-one to twenty-

of the Allis Shad, so that there

is

The

seven on the inner side of the horizontal part of the outer branchial arch.

body

is

The caudal

a

little

more elongated.

fins are alike, is

but the anal

fin is

smaller.

similarly covered with small scales,

parallel to each other

towards the middle of the

seen to characterise the Allis Shad.

The

basal half of

and has the two elongated fin,

the

scales

which we have already

The resemblance extends

to there being

TlIK FKESII-WATKK FISHES OF EUHOPE.

262 fifteen

the

of

remarkaljle

abdominal

tliree-proiig-ed

behind the base of the ventml

The

fin.

colour

scales,

blackish blotch behind the upjjcr part of the gill -opening

by a

series of

from four

from the

invariable distinction

is

to the tail

;

siiine-seutes,

The

fish these are

but the character

may

Allis Shad, because there

large

usually followed

but in the young

to eight similar spots,

more numerous, and may extend

or

same.

the

is

is

not an

be, according to

Dr. (ilinther, similar spots in that species.

In view of this close resemblance, the different geograpliical distribution

is

remarkable.

The habits

of the

Twaite Shad are similar to those of the

and the Thames

enters the Severn

Putney Bridge.

it

was formerly abundant

Young specimens taken

Blanchard states that

than the

;

and

Greenwich

l)elow

Millbank and above

October measure two and a half

fish

market

iu

some weeks

it

Minho,

in Spain, iu

October, and noticed

replaces Clupea alosa.

In North Germany

in the

it

as the Perpel, but appears to be taken only occasionally,

comes into the Haffs from the Baltic

though Benecke

for food,

well flavoured

;

but this

on the Prussian coast.

differs

may

It

is

but does not appear to occur is

in great nvimbers.

from other authors

It is in

it

in

It is

it

no demand

its

common

a characteristic fish of Scandinavia and in Russia.

it is

though

in regarding its fiesh as

be due to crustaceans being

food

Denmark,

found in the Nile.

a smaller fish than the Allis Shad, not often exceeding a size of

thirteen to fifteen inches, and the weight

The

later

November.

In the east of Europe

known

arrives in the rivers in France

it

C. alosa.

Steindachner found

Lisbon

is

about two pounds.

skeleton includes fifty-six vertebrae.

Clupea harengus

(Linn^us).— Whitebait.

Pennant, who wrote his ''British Zoology"

month

May

of

in the following spring they are four inches long.

;

It

in

at

It

allied species.

spawn during the month

numbers are taken every season

Yarrell states that great

opposite the Isle of Dogs,and

inches

to

of July there appear in the

innumerable multitudes of small

fishes,

177G, states that during the

which are known

name

of Whitebait.

flour,

and occasion, during the season, a vast

They

in

Thames, near Blackwall and Greenwich,

are esteemed very delicious

to

Londoners by the

when

fried

with

fine

resort of the lower order of epicures

to the taverns contiguous to the places they are taken at.

Since Pennant's time,

other orders of epicures have learned to ap])reciate Whitebait, so that during

the season

it is

in universal

demand.

Hut, tliough naturalists have not wanted

;

CLUPEA PONTICA. opportunities for studying- the fish,

many

older writers that

263

furnishes a curious note on the views of

it

of the best observers regarded

common Eels,

Herring, mixed

Pipe-fish,

nothing in

may

it

Sticklebacks,

common

a distinct species.

it as

Dr. Glinther, however, discovered that the Whitebait

young

the

is

be with some other young

it

found that while Whitebait consisted entirely of Herrings

them

but even then the Sprat

has no

recognised, for

it

and Mr. Day

;

the autumn,

in

there Avere about seven per cent, of Sprats mixed with easily

the

and many other types which have

Gobies,

with the Whitebait, are captured with

is

of

Indeed,

fishes.

in the

summer the

teeth in

vomerine bone of the palate, which are present in the Herring, only seven or eight csecal appendages to the

intestine,

instead

of

about twenty in the

Herring, while the abdomen has a sharj^er keel in the Sprat, and the form

body

of the

different.

is

Usually, Whitebait are about two inches long, but they necessarily

much

though they cease

larger,

be sold as

to

grow

Whitebait when the length

exceeds three or four inches.

The spawn in

from one

of the

Herring appears

to be shed at sea in

to six weeks, according to temperature.

the estuary

March, and hatched

Then the young frequent

Thames, Southampton Water, mouths

of the

of

rivers

on the

opposite coast of France, and other localities, such as the Frith of Forth.

Whitebait are taken from a boat moored in the river with the net kept at the surface; so that as the fish come up with the tide they enter small end

from time to time drawn into the boat, and the

is

They do not reach Woolwich

till

and the water has become a

little

becomes

salter,

it,

when the

shaken out.

the tide has been running three or four hours,

may always be

they

fish

brackish, but lower down, where the water

taken during the season.

The Whitebait feed

on minute Crustacea.

Clupea pontica

(Eichwald).

D. 2—3/13—14, P. 16, V. 1/8 A. 1—3/17—18, C. 5—6/19/5—4.

The Black Sea Herring ascends In the Dnieper

every spring.

which

tributary in

bag nets is

in

dried and

steppes.

is

smoked

Its usual

length of the

is

found as far up as Kiev, but the only

by Kessler

It

is

a thin

the Psiol.

is

fish,

It

and does not

is

taken

salt well;

in

but

as food for the agricultural population of the surrounding

weight

is

from a quarter to half a pound.

as high as the

fish

the Dniester, Bug, and Dnieper in shoals is

recorded

enormous quantities.

The body the orbit.

it

it

head

is

without the caudal

The lower jaw

is

long, and measures one-quarter of the fin.

The

rather prominent.

cleft of the

mouth extends

Teeth of small

size are

to

found

THE FRESII-WATER FISHES OF EUROFE.

264

The operculum is striated. The commencement of the dorsal. The dark s})ot on The caudal fin is yellowish-g'rey, with a not very distinct.

on the tong-ue, vomer, and palatine bones. ventral fins are ])ehind the

the slioulder

is

There

broad l)lack border. dorsal

a dark spot at the anterior extremity of the

is

There are about forty pyloric appendag-es to the

fin.

those in front are short.

The

fish is

This species, as Giinther remarks,

known is

years

ag'o,

says Dr.

Grimm,

thousand

They fishes.

thousand, they

are

salted

Packed

sell at

is

the fish were caught

in

somewhat intermediate Thirty

It similarly ascends the A'olga.

Each

250,000,000 a year are salted in Astrakhan. a pound.

which

(Eichwald).

larger Caspian Herring, C. caspia (Eichwald),

between the Herrings and Shads.

intestine, of

Russia ^s poozanolc.

nearly related to the C. harengan.

Clupea caspia The

in

boarded

only for fish

oil,

weighs more than

each pit holds one

pits,

in barrels, each holding

but now

hundred

from one thousand

to five

twelve roubles the thousand, a rouble being two shillings

and tenpence. This species has thirteen rays in the dorsal, and eighteen rays in the anal fin.

The body, exclusive

of the

caudal

fin, is

three times as long as high.

There are small teeth on the vomer and palatine bones, but no teeth on the tongue.

The

The maxillary bone extends below

or

behind the

pectoral fins are of a deep black at the base.

orbit.

Four or more black

spots extend in a line on the upper part of the side of the body.

—

205

CHAPTER

VIII.

FRESH-WATER FISHES OP THE ORDER OF PHYSOSTOMI {continued).

FAMILY SALMONID.E — Genus Trout;

Gillaroo

— Salmo

— S.

Salmo:

hardinii

Salmon

—Sovvin—

— Salmon Fisheries — Salmon Disease. — S. venemensis — S. mistops

argenteus

S.

— S. ausonii — Galway Sea Trout — S. carpio — S. rappii— S. dentex— S. spectabilis — S. marsiglii S. lacustris — S. schiffermiilleri — Loch Leven Trout — Orkney Trout — S. polyosteus — Grey Trout — Salmon Trout — Great Lake Trout — S. bailloni — S. genivittatus,— S. labrax.

S. nigripinnis

— S.

obtusirostris— S. microlepis— River Trout

autumnalis— S. lemanus

SALMON I D^.

Family: Genus All

the Salmon tribe have

though

scales;

in the

Whitebait of Eastern

The upper jaw

and

carries

fin.

The

Salmon, and many Trout, the sea

;

body

with

covered is

the

and deciduous.

is

to lakes

and

rivers.

is

is

always a small

and more rounded

generally remarkable for the

a large simple air-bladder.

they are deposited.

of the year in fresh water,

species of the genus,

and Microstoma, however, never enter

There

relatively wide,

intestine

There

live part

many

but there are

which are confined

is

abdominal cavity before

the

into

no barbels.

belly

The

fishes.

of its pyloric appendages.

fall

the

formed by the pre-maxillary bones in front, and max-

sides,

than in most fresh-water

ova

head naked, and

tlie

genus Salanx^ of China and Japan, which

fatty fin behind the dorsal

number

(Artedi).

seas, the scales are small, thin,

is

bones at the

illary

SalmO

:

Two rivers

known

as

The

Typical

and part

in

Trout and Charr,

genera of the family, Argentina ;

they both range from the Me-

diterranean to the Arctic seas, and the former at least

is

an inhabitant of

deep water.

The genera of

of the

Salmon

tribe

which are found

in the fresh

Europe are Salmo, Osmerus, Coregomis, and Thymallus,

to the division

of the family

all

of

waters

which belong

termed Salmonina, in which the dorsal

fin is

opposite, or nearly opposite, to the ventrals.

In

species of

all

cleft of the

the eye.

mouth

The

is

Salmo the

scales are small,

and cover the body.

The

wide, and the long maxillary bone often extends beyond

teeth are strong, and well developed, conical in form, and are

not limited to the jaws, but are found on the tongue, the median bone of the palate

named

the vomer, and on the palatine bones.

The

short anal fin

;

TIIK FKESIl-WATEK FISHES OE EUKOPE.

266

never contains more than fourteen rays.

The e^gs

pyloric appen(la<^es.

guished by having dark cross bauds

;

The lower jaw

deeply notched.

less

All species have a multitude of

The young

are large.

and in old is

fish

are generally distin-

the caudal

fin

becomes

longer in males than in females.

Dr. Giinther remarks on the almost infinite variations of these fishes with agCj

development of the reproductive organs, food, and the properties

sex,

of the water they inhabit

Some

these views.

;

and

later observations

of the species interbreed,

have thoroughly confirmed

and

it

is

probable that these

hybrids mix again with the parent species, increasing the variability. colour

is

particularly changeable.

The young

fish lose

The

their transverse bars

with maturity, and the males during and after spawning-time become more

and variously coloured than the females.

brilliantly

The water with

influences the

in large lakes with

the

In

character.

its

fish are

colour

developing tints

in

which harmonise

Trout acquire dark rounded spots;

clear, rapid rivers

pebbly bottoms the round spots are replaced by crosses, and

In muddy or peaty pools or

brighter and more silvery.

colour becomes darker; and, where there

is

little

light,

may

lakes, the

be almost black;

while in the sea the spots are rarely developed, and the coat acquires a silvery brightness.

Food rather influences the colour

when

the fish

is

in

The pink

than at other times.

pigments of fresh and

The

size

mountain

of the flesh

good condition, the skin colour

salt

than of the skin, though is

more uniform and bright

tint of the flesh has

been attributed to the

water Crustacea on which these fishes feed.

depends upon food, and species which are extremely small in small

pools,

become heavy with abundant food

in rivers or lakes.

The proportions of the different parts of the body vary so much as often to make the identification of species difficult. The snout becomes more pointed and produced at maturity in the male, with age, but when the

so that the

head increases in length

is much when it is badly fed. The fins are also variable, and while the commonly deeply notched in the young, it becomes truncate in the

fish is well fed,

the relative size of the head

smaller than

caudal

is

adult; and individuals which live in rapid streams have

rounded than those which

live in lakes.

The

all

the fins more

skin, too, in old males, thickens

remarkably about the spawning season, so that the scales become embedded in

it,

and

invisible.

But while Dr. Guuther

these external characteristics afford no aid in separating species.

relies

in the adult fish

;

on the following characters: 2,

— l,the form of the pre-operculum

the width and strength of the maxillary bone in the adult

3,

the size of the teeth, though the pre-maxillary teeth have

4,

the arrangement

and permanence of teeth on the vomer;

little

5,

value;

shape of

— 8ALM0 SALAR. the caudal

fin

the pectoral

fins

and reproductive condition

in relation to size, age,

the lateral line

;

;

1 , size of 8,

number

267

the scales, as shown in the of the vertebrse

;

and

9,

number

number

6, size of

;

rows above

of

of pyloric append-

All these characters, however, are more or less inconstant.

ages to the intestine.

The genus Salmo is divided into two sub-generic groups Salmones and The former have the teeth not only on the front of the vomer but along its length, though the hinder teeth in some species are lost with age. These fishes are usually known as Salmon and Trout. The SalveHni have Both groups teeth on the front of the vomer only, and are known as Charr. Salvelini.

have representatives in

the

British

many

in

Islands,

northern countries, peculiar species being found

France,

Hungary,

Europe,

Alpine region of

the

and Tartary, the Scandinavian peninsula, and Finland while many species are common to Northern Asia and North America, and Algeria, Italy, Russia,

;

Rocky Mountains,

others are limited to the

Salmo

of the

nearly equal to ventral contour

Scales

9.

Salmon

is

much

very

:

lat. line

120—130,

rather elongated.

height of

the greatest is

and Labrador.

salar (Linnj^us).— The Salmon.

D. 14, A. 11, P. 14, V.

The form

to Greenland,

trans.

The length

body; the snout

is

arched, while the dorsal profile

26 £2 - to

^

of the

head

is

pointed.

The

is flatter.

The

Fig. 145.— SALMO SALAR (lINN^US).

body

is

deepest under the dorsal

quarter times as long as high.

one half of the height the head. nares are frontal

;

fin,

The

and

five

and a half to

five

and three-

greatest thickness of the body

is

about

the diameter of the eye does not exceed the length of

The length of the snout is twice the orbital diameter, and the midway in the length of the snout. The breadth of the inter-orbital

sjoace

is

two and a half times the width

of the

half -moon-shaped furrow in front of the eye (Fig. 145).

eye.

There

is

a

Z6H

TIIK I'liESIl-WATKK FISHES

The lower juw

The

front.

elevated in the middle, so as to form a blunt iirojectiou in

teeth are directed

and

penta<,ronal

is

EUliOPE.

()!

backward

The

toothless.

The head

(Fig. 146).

of the

vomer

is

stalk of the bone usually has three or four teeth

in a single row. In old fish they are gradually lost from behind forward. There are three or four teeth on each side of the tongue ; they are as strong

as those in the maxillary bone tine

the sixteen or seventeen teeth in each pala-

;

bone are weaker, and the row

is

but

curved.

little

The

opercular plates

The

rounded at their edges.

are

pre-opereulum has a distinct lower

There are eleven branchio-

limb.

stegal rays on each side

the large

;

pseudobranchia? are comb-shaped.

The

dorsal fin begins in front of

the middle of least twice

146.— HEAIJ OF SAI.Md

behind the

>AI

the body

;

it

is

at

the length of the head snout,

is

longer than

high, and truncated behind so that the last ray adipose fin

two-fifths of the length of the third

is

and fourth

The

rays.

oj^posite to the

end of the anal, and twice as high as long.

The

last ray of the anal fin is

only one-third of the length of the longest ray.

The

pectoral fin

is

is

comparatively small and scarcely one-tenth of the length

The caudal

of the fish.

fin

have the longest rays of the

The forked feet long,

fin

is

deeply

or emarginate condition

when

The hinder scales, there

the

fin

in

may remain

becomes more or

part of the

cleft

young

more than twice the length

body

is

till

which

individuals,

of the middle rays.

the fish

is

more than two

less truncated.

elongated, and covered with relatively large

being constantly eleven or sometimes twelve in a transverse series

running from behind the adipose scales are rather small

;

fin

obliquely forward to the lateral

line.

The

they are ovate and marked with wavy fine concentric

lines. Giinther counts 120 in the lateral line; Day 120 to 125, and Heekel and Kner 180; and the number of scales seems to vary between these limits

Salmon of North Germany. The course of the lateral line is horizontal and rather above the middle of the height of the body. The cephalic canals in the

open on the head, with distinct rows of pores. There are eight or nine pores on the sub-orbital branch, and five or six ])ores on the mandibular branch. The number of vertebra' is fifty-nine or sixty. The pyloric aj)pendages, which are at

first

as the fish

very slender, vary in number from fifty-three to seventy-seven, and

comes up from the sea these organs are invested with

fully five ounces of fat were

Salmon.

removed from them by Buckland

fat, so

in large

that

Rhine

SALMO The colour

oÂŁ the back varies

269

ISALAR.

from a dark steel-bkie

to bluish-black,

becomiug" paler on the sides in the adult, while the under side of the body

with a mother-of-pearl

silvery,

than the back.

The cheeks

The upper part

lustre.

are silvery

of the head

is

is

bluer

large black spots are scattered over

;

the frontal region above the eye and the operculum, and there are smaller

may

black spots which

be round, X-shaped, or star-shaped, on the back and

sides.

Yarrell states there are usually

male.

About four

is

more spots on the female than on the

be counted about the lateral line in the fore

Benecke mentions that

part of the body.

male Salmon

may

or live

sometimes spotted with

At spawning'-time, and in old wavy lines, and the entire abdomen

males, these red spots become confluent in is

North Germany the head of the

in

red.

red.

The

dorsal

black points at

grey, with a dark border, and often has a row of small

fin

is

its

base.

The

and caudal

pectoral

fins are similar in colour,

fins are white,

monly

but dusky on the inner

The anal

pale red at the base.

side,

while in

but

The ventral

in British fishes the fins are usually darker than on the Continent.

Germany they

are

com-

white.

fin is

In the young stage, termed Parr, the sides of the body are marked with about ten or eleven dusky cross bars which are vertically ovate in form.

There are some orange spots.

The black

almost entirely above the lateral

A

little

fainter

termed a Smolt, when the dusky patches become

later the fish is

and the black spots more numerous

vanishing and become more elongated

are

reached, and then the pectoral of the

lateral

on

way

is

spots on the l)ody are then few, and

line.

its

line

become

to the sea,

paler.

;

and

fish

and when the dark patches vertically,

the

Grilse

stage

is

pointed character, and the scales

Under normal circumstances the Smolt its first

journey back from the sea

In the sea the colours are bright, and the silver

scales exceptionally shining,

duller

loses its

and the Grilse on

spawning-ground.

to the

fin

;

but on entering fresh water

all

the tints become

have occasionally been captured which have become brown or

coppery.

Not much

is

known

of the food of the

Salmon while they

are in the sea,

but they feed greedily on sand-eels. Smelts, sea-urchins,

starfishes,

and other Crustacea, and the fry

Very

any,

is

of all kinds of sea fishes.

found in the intestines of Salmon caught in

taking bait, such as lug- worms, they certainly feed, and

rivers, it is

shrimps

little food, if

yet from their

quite possible that

the increase of weight of the fish bears no proportion to the weight of solid food taken.

After spawning they develop cannibal propensities, and the old feeble

Kelts or Kippers, which remain in the rivers grow voracious, and consume im-

mense quantities of Salmon

fry, before

they recover streng-th enough to go

down

THE FRESH-WATER FISHES

270

The

to tlie sea.

The

size varies

Salmon

smoked and known

with the food and

in the

Tay and Rhine

commonly used

abundance of Smelts which the the principal growth takes

This has been proved by gradually changing the water in

place in the sea.

As the water

which Salmon have been hatched and kept in an aquarium.

came more

salt the fishes

grew more

active

going down to the

A

rapidity.

sea, returned,

Grilse-kelt of

and was captured four months

three-quarter pounds

The age

later,

Pennant records a marked on

the

weighing

fish

weighing

7th of February, which

weighed

seventeen and a half pounds when taken on the 17th of

Buckland

and

fresh,

two pounds, marked on

while marked Salmon of ten pounds have similarly increased in

;

months to seventeen pounds.

six

seven and

be-

and voracious, taking many times

them when the water was

the quantity of food which satisfied

growing with marvellous eight pounds

for food,

as kipper salmon.

Buckland attributed the large

river.

to the

finds at the entrance to those streams, but

fish

EUROFE.

old feeble fishes are not palatable or

thoui^h occasionally salted or

size of

f)F

to

Salmon

which

live

not known,

is

at not less than fifteen years,

March

following.

but was estimated by

and the weight steadily augments with

The heaviest Tay Salmon recorded by Buckland weighed seventy pounds. Mr. Lloyd noticed one which passed through the hands of a London fishmonger and weighed eighty -three pounds; and Von Siebold saw Salmon at Grodno, age.

in

A

Russia, which weighed ninety-three pounds.

London weigh from twenty

fish seen in

large proportion of the

to forty pounds, but fish of all sizes

are sent to market.

Salmon

fishing

of February,

is

prohibited between the

and for a month

are permitted to catch

is

also

November and

the 1st

unlawful, though anglers

is

Salmon during September, and

in

some

localities

they

November.

are allowed to fish during

There

1st of

earlier net fishing

during the fishing season a close time every week, which

varies in duration, but

is

usually from noon on Saturday

Monday morning, during which

time free passage

is

till

six o^clock

allowed to the

fish

on to

ascend the rivers to spawn.

The Salmon grows

to

length of from four to

a

female becomes mature at a length of about fifteen

Salmon

length of seven or eight inches.

five

inelies,

feet,

though the

and the male at a

are entirely absent

from the Medi-

terranean basin, but widely distributed in the rivers of northern and central

Europe, as far south as the north of Spain

America.

The

fish

has popular names in

as Lax, in Finland as Jiohi, in

Holland

it is

ZuIm, in France

designated BccanL

Germany it

is

;

in

North

it is

known

and they are found

all countries.

as Lnchs,

In Sweden

and sometimes

as

Salm, in

Sanmon, though the hook-nosed males are

In Great Britain the name differs with the age, although

SALMO SALAR. there are numerous local

return from the sea

its first it

is

names

in the different

and second year

fish during- its first

it is

a Kelt, though the male

271

is

known

Salmon

On

and Smolt.

After spawning

a Grilse, or Salmon-peal,

fish is

The young-

districts.

as Parr, Pink,

then generally termed a Kipper, and the

female a Shedder, or Baggit.

Salmon are very common

in all Scandinavian

rivers,

from Lapland

and Cattegat are reputed to be

fatter

to

North Sea

Scania, though fishes found in the streams which flow into the

than in rivers which enter the

Baltic.

Carlyle assures us a sheep would be unable to distinguish between the

brightness of the sun and the brightness of a scoured pewter tankard, only recog-

And, according to Lloyd, the

nising that both were of incomparable splendour.

Swedish fishermen,

like

English Salmon poachers, having

discovered

the

Salmon^s love for bright objects, make use of the torch at night to convey the im-

But the Norwegian

pression of sunrise, in order to lure the fishes to their nets.

fishermen, improving on of their nets, or,

cataract,

attractors^^^

which the Salmon

But while the white

seeking to ascend.

is

that red clothing tiles

is

sheets,

designed to represent the foam of the

foimd attractive, the fishermen believe that the

even red

in the vicinity

where there are no rocks, erect white boards, or suspend

which are termed " Salmon

is

method, whitewash the rocks

this

fish avoids

colour

red colours, so

carefully discarded, and, according to Bishop Pontoppidan,

have been removed for this reason from a fisherman^s house.

This objection, however, does not extend to food, for Buckland mentions that boiled

prawns are an excellent bait in Scotland.

Salmon shadow

are

fear shadows,

said to

of a bird crossing the water.

on the weather.

When

the

being driven to the bottom by the

Their habits, indeed, depend a good deal

wind blows

Salmon enter the Banders Fiord,

from

west or

the

tance of twenty-eight English miles in less than four hours

changes to the east or south,

Salmon

of

is

little

or no progress

against the wind, so that in Jutland, an off-shore wind

not seen

Salmon five it

;

is

During

and even

a thunder-storm the fishes

at ordinary times, according

visible for only

to six in the morning,

in the night

from eight

from eleven

The spawning-time

till

till

to

nine, and till six,

twelve, and one

varies with the

and North Germany the period

is

But

in

the beginning of November.

but

if

a dis-

the wind

so that the coming They always go up

is

lie

sometimes termed a still, or,

at least, are

Danish fishermen, the

about six hours in the twenty-foui', namely, from

appears again in the afternoon from five

and

;

made,

is

looked upon as a kind of storm warning.

" Salmon-wind.''^

north-west,

Denmark, and ascend

in the east of

till

country.

from eleven

till

and from eight

twelve till

;

nine,

two.

In the south of Sweden

commonly at the end of October, or Denmark spawning is later, and may not

THE FUESil-WATEK FISHES oF

27:2

take place

ET-i;()PE.

February or the beg-inning of March.

till

In Scotland the usual

months are November and December; but Day mentions having- seen Salmon

The female

selects comparatively shallow water, often

six to eighteen inches,

and avoids

Mr. Alexander

nothing to do with this part of the work.

may

which the eggs

hole, in

but, according to the observations of

with a depth of only

was formerly believed that the

It

currents.

male and female excavate a furrow or

be deposited;

Keillor, the

male has

According to his observations in

the River Save, in Sweden, the eggs are not placed in a hollow at This, however,

dropped on a comparatively smooth surface. the case.

may

a male

in the Severn in full breeding livery in July.

According to Mr. Keiller, the female

actually touch

it,

tail

When

throws up a mass of

dirt

be

near to the bottom, and

and after a few eggs are deposited she

and with a blow of the conceal the eggs.

fish is

but

all,

may not always lies

on her side,

may

and stones, which

spawning has commenced, the female cannot retain

the roe, or the male the milt, though the female

is

said to leave the

spawning

g-round at intervals during the day.

The

fish

among very large stones. The may accumulate has often about the bulk of a cartsucceeding summer this heap is usually carried away

never spawn on the bare rock, or

nest which a single Salmon load of gravel, yet by the

The male

by the stream.

in these observations

pany with the female, but about

six feet

was never seen

in actual

com-

behind her, just beyond the heap of

stones which she accumulates, so that the only ])art which the male takes in

the breeding

is

the deposition of

milt,

Behind the male,

contact with the ova.

where the stream

will

bring

there are always Trout and other fishes, ready to pounce on the eggs

female sets them moving with her

At some

little

distance to the right and left of the male are other males, is

occupied nearly

incessantly charging these younger interlopers

;

all

eggs which the female well

known

his time

in

and, owing to these move-

ments, the milt of the male becomes widely distributed, so as to

is

when the

tail.

and the one in attendance on the female

It

in

it

at a distance of twelve or fifteen feet,

fertilise

the

scatters.

that the jaws of the male become elongated during the

breeding season by a cartilaginous projection, and the lower jaw turns up in a hook, which

fits

between the pre-maxillary bones.

stimulated by incessantly

may

ramming

be worth investigation.

Whether

his nose against his rivals

this

growth

is

a question that

is

When the spawning-season is over the growths from

both jaws are gradually absorbed.

The

charge often throws the Salmon which

is

contests are desperate

;

the force of the

struck out of the water

gashed in every direction, and when the fighting-season

is

covered with scars, and have a very battered a})pearance,

much

;

the fishes are

ended the males are as

though they

8ALM0 SALAR. had been mauled by

otters.

always clenched

man^s

like a

073

In striking an enemy or

rival,

the jaws are

fists.

Pennant gave, on the authority of Mr. Potts, of Berwick, a somewhat different account of

Salmon spawning

year, but chiefly in the

month

of

in the

At

Tweed.

the latter end of the

November, the Salmon ascend the

rivers to

spawn, as far as they can travel, often for hundreds of miles, making their way against agility

most rapid currents, and

the

but when the spawn

;

is

rising-

spawning, and the male and female

After the fishes have spawned,

said that they cover the fertilised eggs carefully with their tails, for after

spawning they

are

observed

to have

no skin on that

that the female digs the gravel with her

by

amazing

excavating a receptacle, about

iniite in

eighteen inches deep, in the sand or gravel. it is

waterfalls with

over

developed they search for a suitable place for

Keiller, without help

tail,

states

as asserted

from the male.

Yarrell quotes Ellis on the " Natural History of the

that a pair of fishes form a furrow against stream.

Shaw

part.

and covers the eggs,

Salmon "

by working up the gravel with

as stating their noses

The furrow made, the male and female throw themselves

together on their sides, and rubbing against each other, shed their spawn into

the furrow, during a period of eight to twelve days.

Mr. Charles

St.

John, in his "Tour in Sutherlandshire,'^ says that the

process of preparing the spawning-beds

The two

curious.

is

digging a trench across the stream, sometimes making

In this the female deposits her eggs, and, having

When

taken by the male.

left

fishes

come up

Here they commence

together to a convenient place, shallow and gravelly. it

several

mches deep.

the bed, her place

is

the male has performed his share of the work, they

both make a fresh trench immediately above the former, thus covering up the spawn in the

same process

From spawning

is

first

trench with the gravel taken out of the second.

repeated

till

the whole of their spawn

these different accounts

we must

varies in different localities

is

The

deposited.

infer either that

the method of

with the nature of the rocks in the

stream, or else that the difficulties attendant on observation have not allowed the facts to be recorded in so uniform a

That considerable nests are Shawns and Mr.

by the

tail of

Keiller's

the female

built

up

is

way

as to ensure perfect confidence.

certain,

account of the work fish,

and yet desire

and we may accept Mr, being chiefly performed

fuller records of the

spawning

process.

The number to nine

of

eggs commonly produced

is

hundred for every pound weight of the

sometimes much more numerous.

Buckland

estimated at from eight fish,

thougdi the eggs are

states that the total

the eggs varies from one-fifth to one-quarter of the weight of the

18

fish.

weight of Stoddart

TiiK fi;esii-\vati:i{ fishks of FriMtPK.

274

estimated that for every 30,000

deposited by a larc^e Salmon under natural

e<?<4-s

conditions, only four or five develop into fishes

The eggs fish are

Salmon vary

of

for table.

fit

Mr. Day.

accordino^ to

Those of small

two-tenths of an inch in diameter, and in larger fishes the diameter

three-tenths of an inch it

in size,

;

but even

in the

same

the oggs vary in

fish

size,

is

and

has been shown by Sir Maitland Gibson's experiments that the young fishes

from large eggs are stronger, and grow

raised

The small eggs from puny

small eggs.

faster,

than those raised from

fishes, yield fry

which are

liable to a

greater percentage of deaths than those taken from older fishes.

The time required

for hatching depends

somewhat on the season

of the

year and the river, varying from ninety to about one hundred and forty days,

but the period Signs of

influenced a good deal

is

life

are hatched the eyes

not thrive well in

February or

by temperature.

appear in about forty days, and in a few days before the eggs

if

become

visible as

the temperature

jVIarch,

is

dark spots.

The eggs

above 45".

They

when the young

require cold, and do

commonly hatched

are

When

are five-eighths of an inch long.

the fry are about two months old the umbilical sac, which has the aspect of a pale red currant,

Shaw

entirely absorbed

is

;

and at

first

their

growth

is

extremely slow.

recorded that by the middle of jVIay they were an inch long, with large

heads and wedge-shaped bodies, on which the transverse bands of the Parr

were already marked. half inches, and in

In a year they increased to a length of three and a

two years had a length

and a

of six

half.

In the early months of their existence they attract but darting under stones and seeking gentle eddies

;

little

attention,

but in June they begin

to scatter themselves over the shallow parts of the river, rarely leaving their

birthplace while they remain Parrs, until, at silvery Smolts,

and

flit

from their native

the river slowly and cautiously

head

is

when

it

age, they

All through

May

comes

to a rapid or waterfall, its

They

the fishes to find their

in

a

few months

find out the parent river in

and possess a homing faculty

They

the Smolts are travelling.

and when they come back

boisterous energy.

like that of pigeons, or

way home

rapidly, even

Buckland suggests that they smell out

their

become

The young Smolt descends

turned up stream, until, carried to the brink, a determination

to descend. sea,

;

two years of

river.

it

taken

Grilse,

with

instinctive

way,

as

is

some

is

revel in the

some dogs, which enables

when taken home.

far

The

away by

boat.

Grilse certainly

and, like the great romping

travel back to the land they left as

Smolts

Salmon they

travel with, learn to leap

up weirs, and waterfalls, and other ob-

stacles in the

way.

They ascend the Rhine

to

go up by the Aar into the Lake of Zurich,

;

the falls of SchafPhausen, and ],:230 feet

above the

pass on into the AVallenstadt Lake, seventy-eight feet higher.

sea,

and

They reach

SALMO SALAR.

^75

They were formerly taken

the Lake o£ Lucerne by the Reuss.

tributaries,

Their abundance

Oder, and the Carpathians, in Galicia, by the Vistula.

Von

across the

not, however, go

river,

state that females lead the

come up in

This

last.

Memel,

confirmed by the Scottish fisheries taking- most Salmon

is

Benecke

but are taken in

rivers,

In Britain, Salmon enter the northern

Buckland

Fishermen

way, followed by the old males, while the young

July, and more Grilse in August.

do not ascend

is

They do

and taken up eveiy two hours.

river in a mass, but in small troops.

up the

its

Siebold states that one thousand fishes, averaging

thirty pounds each, have been captured in a day at one fisheiy on the

by nets spread

Main,

They reach Moravia by the

Salmon reach the Fichtelgebirge.

sometimes incredible.

in the

Ascending the Elbe and

at Bamberg", and in the Neckar, at Heilbronn.

tells

us that sterile

numbers on the

g-reat

than rivers farther south.

rivers earlier

run

states that a female full of eggs, a fresh

fishes

Baltic coast.

fish,

and

a Kelt, have

sometimes been taken in one haul of the net, and other evidence points to that there

the conclusion

migration

;

but

fishes are

is

sometimes a

as

spring-,

well

an autumn,

as

always later in going up rivers which become

muddy

and swollen in spring by the melting* of mountain snows; and streams which intercept the sediment by lakes receive the earliest supply of Salmon.

The rivers

ascend when the river

fishes

In early spring

all

which

and warmer, while

clearer

is

the fishes

The perseverance

Eden

to the Esk.

of the fishes in surmounting- obstacles

them

is

a remarkable

to leap over the obstruction.

limit of their perpendicular spring

their exertions.

is

about twelve or fourteen

be worth as

cases have been invented

surmount

killed

feet,

by the violence of

Hence, as Salmon are a valuable property, and a single large

may sometimes

much

and erected

in

as three sheep,

Salmon

ladders and stair-

rivers to enable the fishes to

difficult waterfalls.

The value prietors,

miles long.

they ascend the Oykill.

later in the season

and when they attempt greater leaps they are frequently

fish

five

Their efforts are renewed again and again until the bound made by

straightening the bent tail enables

The

common mouth

which enter the stream diverge into the Shin,

Similarly in Cumberland, Salmon prefer the

sight.

In Sutherlandshire, the two

is full.

Oykill and Shin enter the sea by a

of

Salmon

though much

fisheries

is

not inconsiderable to the landed pro-

of the Irish fishing

ground

is

of the nature of

Alexander Russel stated the rental value of the Salmon

and Aberdeen

rivers at

on the Tay

commons. Spey, Tay,

£40,000 per annum, of which the Duke of Richmond

received £18,000 a year for his fisheries in the Spey. inconsiderable,

fisheries in the

and when Russel wrote,

fisheries received

Expenses, however, are not

in 1864, seven

hundred men employed

about £9,000 a year; but the Tav fui-nishes

;

THE FRESH-WATEU FISHES OF

276 eight

hundred thousand pounds' weif^ht

of

ET'intPE.

Sahnon, equal to the weig-ht

of eighteen thousand sheep, and of three times the vahie.

With

this

enormous amount of excellent food supplied by Nature,

it is

man'ellous that the fisheries should have been neglected and ruined in so

many English at the

mouths

and thus laid the

The number

rivers.

of streams,

proprietors,

we may

if

fishes

from ascending to spawn

;

use the figure, have killed the goose which fishes as escaped the nets

Moreover, such

golden eggs.

been diminished by nets

of fishes has

which prevent the

the higher parts of the river too often

fell

and reached

victims to the poacher.

Besides,

the increase of population and of the manufacturing industries have poisoned

The

the rivers in England, so that Salmon avoid them. killed in the

Thames, according

Buckland notices that eighteen out built

upon Salmon

rivers,

from

last

Salmon was

to Yarrell, in June, 1883.

six of

of twenty-five cathedral

which the

fish

towns were

has been exterminated.

These towns, which Salmon know no more, are Canterbury, on the Stour London and Oxford, on the Thames; Rochester, on the Medway Win;

chester,

on the Itchen

and Bath, on the Avon,

;

Attempts have been made

Salmon by

of late years to esta])lish a race of land-locked

fecundating the eggs, and breeding Salmon from parents

artificially

Earlier experimenters had shown that to the sea. Salmon can be kept in fresh water for some time certainly till they are five But the most important experiments have been carried on by years old. Sir J. R. Gibson Maitland, and their history is recorded by Mr, Francis Day.

which have never descended

:

Salmon were hatched

March, 1881

in

most of them were of a golden

at the age of

;

tint, spotted,

and

two years and four months

in the

banded

while others were beautiful silvery Smolts, such as are seen going sea,

and

still

showing the Parr bands

in certain lights,

A

Pai-r livery

down

few months

;

to the later,

the fishes began to leap from their ponds, and were found dead, but with the

breeding organs well developed; and in November, 1884, one of these

fishes,

which weighed one pound and a quarter, was found dead, when a hundred eggs were taken from

it

and milted from a Loch Leven Trout,

these hatched, thus demonstrating that a visit to the sea to develop the reproductive function.

But

at the

is

Eighteen of not necessary

beginning of December the

experiment was tried of fertilising the eggs of females bred in the pond with the milt of males raised with them, and considerable numbers of young fishes

were hatched.

Thus

far. Grilse, or

fishes

with the Grilse livery, have been

bred from the eggs of Salmon without making the usual journey to the sea

which precedes the development of the Grilse have proved

fertile,

characteristics,

so that a second generation

under similar land-locked conditions.

is

and these

fishes

being reared from them

SALMO SALAK. Mr.

John

St.

Duke

the

tells

Mr. Young", who manag-es the

that

iis

277

of Sutherland, thinks that Sea Trout

records the following evidence

:— " A pair

fisheries

of

and Salmon interbreed, and male and female, being

of Salmon,

seen forming their spawning-bed together, the male

Salmon was

killed with a

The female immediately dropped down the

spear and taken out of the water.

stream to the next pool, and, after a certain interval, returned with another

He having

male.

went down

shared the same fate as his predecessor, the female again

gone on with of spearing the male, her

The same

and brought up another male.

to the pool,

own kind remaining

till

the widowed

in the pool, returned at last

fish,

process was

finding no more of

accompanied by a large

River Trout, who assisted her in forming the spawning bed,

with the

etc.,

same assiduity that he would have used had she been a Trout instead of a Salmon. Sir

^^

J.

Gibson Maitland has endeavoured to produce hybrids between

Salmon and Loch Leven Trout, his experiments being fully recorded by Mr. Day, in a series of communications to the Zoological Society but, ;

although multitudes of proved

fish are reared successfully, hitherto

At an age

sterile.

of eight

marks along the

thirteen finger

twelve marks on both

sides,

the hybrids have

months the young Parr have from ten

At twenty months

sides.

and occasionally ten on one

side,

to

some have

old

and eleven on

the other.

Malmgren

Professor

cation with the sea

believes that certain

Salmon

common Salmon, which have

are descendants of the

owing

to elevation of the land,

in a

lake in Finland

ceased to have

communi-

result has been

and the

a dwarfed race, with smaller eggs than those of Salmo salar.

For some years Salmon have been

an epidemic disease which

liable to

has caused a large number of deaths in the rivers of Scotland, the north of

England, and North Wales.

of the

and

malady

is

According

to

Huxley, the

sides of the head, the adipose fin, or the bases of the other fins

upon those parts of the body which are not defended with observed the patch

soon increases in

appeared near

had at

first

it,

may

size,

extend

of the back

symptom

scales.

;

in fact,

When

first

be a circular spot no bigger than a sixpence, but

becomes confluent with other patches which

and extends over the healthy skin.

The

it

may have

central part, which

a raised softer centre, acquires the consistency of wet paper, and

the true skin beneath

may

first

the appearance of greyish patches upon the skin of the top

down and

it ulcerates,

to the bone.

sides,

and an open bleeding

The

sore is formed,

which

disease gradually spreads over the whole

and extends into the mouth.

This

is

a contagious and

infectious disorder, comparable to ring-worm, or the })otato disease, or muscar-

dine

among

silk-worms.

It

is

the

work

of a

minute fungus named Sajorolegnia,

THE FliKSH-WATKK

278

which

is

I'lJSIIES

closely allied to the Fei-onospora,

OF EUKOPE.

which causes potato disease

—the

one type always being- limited to plants, and the other to animals. Professor Huxley proved the nature of the disease hy cultivating- the fungus

on the bodies of dead

flies,

and therefore demonstrated that neither pollution,

nor drought, nor over-stocking, will produce Salmon disease is

absent.

13y a simple arithmetical calculation of the

if

number

the Saprolegnia of spores,

it is

shown that a single diseased Hy might render a shallow stream dangerous to Salmon for several days, while forty large fully diseased Salmon would furnish one spore to every

gallon of the 380,000,000 gallons which every

day flow over Teddington Weir

in the

Thames.

There

is

no known remedy for

the disorder.

Multitudes of Kelts die annually from the exhaustion consequent on sj^awning.

TROUT.

We

have arranged the Trout according to the number of

in the following table a

summary

of characters

fin rays,

and give

which exhibit the resemblances

of the chief types with each other.

TABLE OF THE PRINCIPAL EUROPEAN SPECIES OF TROUT. ArrcDiged according

to

the

number of rays

in thcfms.

VARIETIES UF TKOUT.

The

All Trout are very variable. of

most importance in

which Dr. GiAuther eousidereJ

cliaraeters

defining- species of

:27<)

Trout were the number of vertebra",

and the number of pyloric appendages to the

On

intestine.

evidence of this

kind he separated northern and southern forms of Salmo fario, because the southern

fish

had fewer vertebra;

having- the larger

number

Cobbold found only

;

but

Day

]\Ir.

has met with

fifty-six vertebrtE in a

fario has vertebrae numbering from

Salmo fario

fifty-six

to

is

between these

The variation

limits.

in this species in Britain ranges

Scotland.

in

and

sixty,

Saliito

the

all

number

British fresh-water Trout which do not migrate have a

which

individuals

of vertebra as far south as Cardiganshire, while Dr.

other

of vertebra;

of the pyloric csecal appendages

between thirty-three and forty-seven.

The common Brook Trout was taken from the Itehen, near Winchester, and from the Thames, to deformity.

pound a

and thence

to Tasmania,

different conditions of food, these

New

to

Instead of increasing, as in Scotland, about one-third of a

from one

year, they increase

and reach a weight

of

two and three-quarter

to

They

twenty-one pounds or more.

tions and colour, while the ca3cal appendages vary

one In

in the female,

all

Under the

Zealand.

Trout in Otago became fat and plump almost

and from thirty-seven to

British Trout, excepting the

from thirty-three

Loch Leven Trout, the

to sixty-

males examined.

fifty-five in the

between thirty-three and

of these appendages ranges

i:)ounds a year,

vary, too, in propor-

variation in

fifty,

compelled to conclude that the number of these appendages

so that is

number

we

food, and valuable as a specific character only in so far as species depend

Even the colour

the conditions of existence.

Mr. Day mentions that

of the flesh

is

are

dependent on

upon

variable.

beyond Alresford

in the lower part of the Itchen

crustaceans abound, while they do not occur in the upper part of the stream

and that the

flesh of

;

the cooked Trout from the lower part of the river cuts

pink, while in the upper part of the Itchen

it is

nearly white.

This author, in

evidence that the colour of the flesh varies with the food, mentions that where the American Charr, Salmo fonlinalis, has been turned out into the rivers of

Cardiganshire they are g-ood and rich, with a j^eculiar gambog-e colour.

same

species in Perthshire

while in other localities

is fat, it

is

that the colour of the flesh

with the firm

llesh of

Hence we can only conclude

said to be pink.

may

vary

;

The

a beautiful pearly white,

the same species of Trout

is

known

similarly to vary in contiguous streams in Wales.

The external

colours

change with the nature of the

soil

or

bottom of

the water, the character of the current, the extent and depth of the water, as well as

with temperature,

light,

water in rapid rivers or lakes silvery fish

Mr. Day

and food.

with a pebbly

with X-shaped black murks.

The

tells

us that clear

bottom frequently produces

colour

is

imitative,

and the

fish

;

THE FKKSIl-WATEK

2S(I

rapidly adapts itself to

Mr.

A

surroundings.

its

OF EUKOPE.

FLSllES

living Black Trout, according to

and in

C. St. John, placed in a white basin becomes pale in half an hour,

some days becomes absolutely white

;

and, conversely, a white

fish

put into a

black vessel, becomes in a quarter of an hour as dai'k-coloured as the bottom of the jar, and

therefore, almost invisible.

is,

sesses variations of colour

colour cannot be of

much

peculiar to itself,

Hence, almost every river pos-

and we are led

Mr. Day further shows that a small race where food

is

to conclude that

value as a specific characteristic.

Trout transferred to a lake

of

plentiful attains a large size, thus confirming the experience of

the Austrian naturalists.

Salmo stomachicus D.

A. 12—13, P. 13, V.

15,

Scales

9.

(GfNTHER). :

Ub,

lat. line

'

?^^

trans.

33.

This Trout Gillaroo.

is

was

It

rington, in 1773,

Common Trout.

limited to the loughs of Ireland, where

Day

observed, as Mr.

first

who found no There

is

Gillaroo, with black spots,

exterior

it

is

known

as the

remarks, by the Hon. D. Bar-

marks

to distinguish

a red Gillaroo, with black spots on

which

is

it,

fi*om the

it

and a white

smaller, and said to be better eating.

Dr. Giinther has termed this species stomachicus, in allusion to the remarkable thickening of the middle muscular layer of the stomach, which

pared by

Day

The stomach

to the gizzard of a bird.

is

com-

increases in thickness as

the fish reaches the adult condition; and since this Trout feeds on Limnaa, Aiicjjliis,

veloped

and other fresh-water mollusca, the stomach appears

—

as the character of a local race

the

Salmo fcrox

from

various

localities

with

a muscular

showing, apparently, that the tendency in this organ to vary peculiar to the Gillaroo,

no longer than his

fish fish,

have de-

to

crushing these shells.

Mr. Day^s statement that he has seen examples

It is interesting to note

of

— the power of

though

finger,

and with walls as thick

Sir

Humphry Davy

is

states that he

and found the stomach as hard as in

proportion to

caught

in the larger

He

further remarks

same way

as the Gillaroo,

its size.

that the Charr, which feed at the bottom, in the

stomach

by no means

have a stomach of the same kind, but not quite so thick.

Yet although the

food and contlitions of nutrition have changed the stomach in this curious

manner, there are

The back and

still

forty-four pyloric appendages.

sides are

marked with

to Yarrell, with dark reddish-brown spots

below the

lateral line there

dorsal, anal,

and caudal

Ihis

is

reticulated black spots or, according

on a yellow-brown ground.

a row of red spots.

The

free

On

or

margins of the

are white, and the dorsal has black spots.

281

SALMO HARDINir. The

It reaches

a gravelly bottom.

fish prefers

Lough Earne, and

inches in

spawn

said to

is

a length of twenty-nine

November, though Dr.

in

Giinther has some doubt whether this large fish belongs to the same species as

the smaller

double

series,

The

from Lough Melvin.

fish

and are persistent throughout

and the pectoral

is

vomer are in a

teeth on the

life.

The

fins are well

developed,

pointed.

According to Mr. Day, the Trout of Swaledale has a thickened stomach

and thirty -five pyloric appendages.

like the Gillaroo,

In

all

many

probability

varieties of

taken by fishermen the internal

Trout remain to be described, for when

anatomy

not always observed, nor are the

is

and proportions always recorded. And a better knowledge of these intermediate forms is likely to show that several types, which resemble each other in fin rays and scaling, to which names are here given, should be grouped together, as we have grouped many

technical variations

of

scale,

fin,

colour,

Carp, as geographical varieties of a few species.

Salrao hardinii D. 15, A.

The

1-2,

or Silver

la.r,

S/'l/i-er

Wener and

U, V. 9—10.

p.

and though the

same estimation

Salmon.

as

condition, even in early spring, is

seven to nine pounds, but

it

:

122, trans.

lat. line

Salmon, of Sweden,

flesh is of

He

a paler colour,

found

when

it is

it

is

held in nearly the finest

possible

The common weight

chiefly taken.

Museum

Lake

a splendid fish

is

it

always in the

occasionally weighs as

There are specimens in the British

22—80.

recorded from

is

Mr. Lloyd mentions that

the River Gotha.

in appearance,

Scales

(Gunther).

much

as fourteen pounds.

twenty-three inches long.

It

ascends the rivers which flow into Lake AVener, to spawn.

The

colour of the back

greenish, the sides and belly are bright silver, with

is

some scattered black spots on the head, body, and dorsal has a distinct inferior limb.

behind the

few teeth

orbit.

The head

in a single series.

The maxillary bone of the

vomer

The caudal

is

fin

It

the lateral is

said to

fin.

The pre-operculum

strong,

toothless, but its is

and extends

body

deeply emarginate.

scales descend in a transverse series obliquely forward, fin to

is

carries a

Thirteen

from behind the adipose

line.

have a peculiar habit of jagging the

Lloyd suggests that cut off from the sea.

it

may

line

when hooked.

originally have been a Sea Trout,

Mr.

which has become

TllK lEi:s]l-N\-ATi:ii FLSllES (>F EL'liUrE.

Salmo cambricus D.

11, A.

11—12,

V.

P. ](>,

Sc-ales

1).

:

(Donovan).

lat. line \-H)

—

zi tniiis.

]:i:,,

;38— 40.

A in

Salmon Trout, termed Peal and Salmon

variety of the

Wales

Britain,

and often as the Bull Trout.

as Sewin,

though

beinjy also

characteristic of the

found in Ireland, while

Welsh

it is

It

area, Cornwall

known on

Peal,

is

known

by no means limited to

is

and Devonshire,

the Continent from Den-

mark and Norway. It

a fine fish, reaehin<j a leno>tli of about three feet, with

is

rather lonj^ as compared with the depth of the body.

culum is

as

compared with

its

The

the

head

the oper-

leng-th of

depth, according- to Dr. Giinther, in the Parr stage

one-fifth greater, two-fifths longer in the Grilse stage, three-fifths longer in

fishes of

twenty-two inches, and four-fifths longer in

The radiating

long.

conspicuous than the marginal

The

fishes thirty-two inchc-s

on the base of the hinder opercular border are more

strise

The sub-opcrculum

stria?.

projects backward.

pre-02)erculuni has a distinct lower limb with the angle rounded.

The snout becomes elongated male lower jaw

is

and even in young

and palate

is

fish

in males,

and

in the

The strong maxillary bone

hooked.

may

extend behind the

is

spawning season the longer than the snout,

The

orbit.

dentition of the jaws

well developed, though the teeth on the maxillary bone are smaller

The head

than those on the pre-maxillary, palatine bone, and mandible. the vomer

is

triangular, broader than long

and has a few teeth across

fish,

body

it

;

becomes toothless

hinder margin in young individuals.

its

of the bone carries a longitudinal ridge,

is

have been shed.

These

them space

in fishes is

The

twelve or thirteen inches long

may remain

than high, with the

fin is shorter

when the

some time,

is

far

is

last

much

The

The

dorsal

again as the length of

six inches long,

is

inter-orbital

j^rofile of

its

is

a

the head.

little

longer

(riitta.

The height

base.

The ventral

than the pectoral, and the caudal varies with age.

fish is

but by

since Dr. Giinther records

ray cleft to the base, as in Salmo

half as

left,

but two or three in front

below the upper

are not conspicuously developed.

of the anal fin

all

twenty-two and twenty-four inches long.

very convex, and the orbit fins

for

The

on the sides of which teeth are

jdaced in a single series so as to point alternately to the right and

the time the fish

of

in the adult

It

is

forked

slightly emarginate in the Grilse,

and

truncate in the adult.

The

scales

in

young

fishes

are easily

rounded, as large on the body as on the a transverse series

between the adipose

shed

tail, lin

;

with

they are thin, tlie

and the

short,

and

usual fourteen scales in

lateral line,

though

this

SALMO CAMBRICUS. number

is

may

occasionally be sixteen in large fishes.

vertebrse,

and forty-nine to sixty-one pyloric

not quite constant, and

There are fifty-nine to sixty

383

appendages.

The transverse Parr marks disappear when the fish it

then has a silvery brightness, and

round black spots on the head and

may

or six inches long

is five

;

greenish on the back, with a few small

is

As the

sides.

becomes older the back

fisli

be greenish-brown, the sides silvery, and the belly dark-brown at spawn-

The

ing-time in the male, while in the female the silvery tone remains. spots

X -shaped,

become irregular and

above and below the lateral

and are scattered over the

The

line.

other fins in the Grilse

is

have a blackish tinge, and small

fins

round black spots usually occur on the

both

sides,

The

dorsal.

colour, however, of the

only slightly grey, while in the Smolt the ventral

and anal are perfectly white.

When the

known

in the sea they are

Sterile individuals are

distinguish

it

which

as Twh-y-dail,

Dr. Giinther says, to

The hybrids

to

its

are fertile,

ponds they never

feed on marine Crustacea and fishes.

Denmark.

in

[Sal mo fario, var.

Trout

River

met with

This

ausonii)

signifies

"

breeds readily with

fish

where the people

in Wales,

fall of

the

leaf,^' in allusion, as

reddish colour and the dark-brown spots of the male.

and migrate to the

breed,

sea,

though growing

to

but when kept in fresh-water a length of

eighteen

inches.

Males are relatively numerous.

When young

the hybrid

is

very like the Trout, but in maturity

the characters of the Sewin. lateral line.

from the

sea.

There

They do not acquire The pectoral and

is

their reddish tinge

the dorsal

may

lateral line

till

takes on

after the second return

ventral fins are yellow in

and then the lower front margin of the

it

a series of round red spots along the

anal,

many

specimens,

and the corresponding margin of

be yellow, while bright orange-coloured spots extend along the

and below

it.

In

Denmark another

with the other variety of the River Trout are fifty- eight to fifty -nine vertebrae in the

Salmo argenteus D. 14, A. 11, P. 15, V.

lU.

{S.

series of

fario, ynx.

Welsh

is

formed

(jaiiiiardii).

There

hybrids

fish.

(Cuvier and Valenciennes). Scales:

lat.

line,

^

123, trans.

3U.

This

is

a Sea Trout, which ascends the rivers of France, and, according to

Dr. Giinther, occasionally reaches the British coast.

two

feet six inches,

the Salmon Trout variety, because

it

;

and

is

It attains a length of

regarded by some modern authors as identical with

but we prefer to follow Giinther in making has an extra ray in the dorsal and

in

it

a distinct

the ventral

fin,

and

THE FKE8H-WATEU FISHES OF EUKUPE.

2S1.

four to six fewer rows of seales below the lateral

and a few more pyloric

liiie^

appendages.

The head, the

exclusive of the caudal

It

fish.

one-quarter of the total length of

fin, is

broad, and elongated.

depressed,

is

The head

teeth are hardly so strong in proportion.

The thin

twenty-six inches long.

vomer

colour

silvery,

is

D. 14, A. 11, P. 14—1.5, V.

sides.

This Trout

common

is

in

Scales

d.

:

(Gunther).

lat. line

120, transverse

Lake Wener and other

localities in

not migratory, and attains a length of more than three

but the

;

Gotha

all

the

spawn.

Mr. Lloyd

red.

feet.

states

that

many remain

28—34.

Sweden. It

than that of the Salmon, and

less firm

flesh is

yellow rather than

pass

fin to

There are round black spots on the

with a dark back.

Salmo venernensis

for food

are

line.

operculum, and X-sha^ied spots on the

is

tail

Twelve or thirteen

from the adipose

seales descend obliquely forward in a transverse series

The

bone has a

on the slender

scales

angular behind, but not smaller than those on the body.

the lateral

wider than

is

of the

which three or four are pre-

single series of teeth on a longitudinal ridge, on fish

of the

are con-

striae

are sti'ong, but the

The body

long, with a transverse series of teeth behind.

served in a

Radiating

The jaws

spicuous on the lower margin of the operculum.

is

is

It

valued orange-

in the River

the year round, though the majority leave in the late spring, and

summer in Lake Wener, coming back again At spawning-time the snout of the male becomes

in the

autumn

to

prolonged, and the

mandible hooked.

Mr. Lloyd, who terms usually

known

as

Salmo

it

eriox,

Wenernsi-la.r, regarded

water; but Dr. Giinther removed is

as

it

the

Grey Trout,

which had become confined permanently it

from that

He

species.

to fresh

states that the eye

very small, being only one-fourth of the length of the post-orbital part of

the head.

The head its

of the

vomer

posterior margin.

is

triangular, with a transverse series of teeth across

There

is

a single series of teeth on the body of the

In the young these teeth form a zigzag

bone.

shed before the

fish

line,

and some of them are

acquires a large size.

There are fourteen

scales

between the adipose

fin

and the

lateral

Hue,

running obliquely forward.

The are

fish is silvery, inclining to

more

sides;

or less

brownish, or greenish on the back.

numerous small black

spots, angular,

and rounded spots on the ojierculum.

There

or X-shaped, on the

8AL]\I0 NTCtRIPINNTS.

It

from Sal/no

differs

emarginate caudal

fin,

t

rut la,

iu

and

is

probably a variety of S.

-iS'.

nigripinnm.

and in

niistops,

This

is

V.

12, P. 14,

There are

fifty-nine to sixty-two pyloric appendages. fin

Salmo mist ops

Dr.

more deeply

having- a higher bocly^

stronger maxillary bone, and smaller eye.

fifty-nine to sixty vertebrae,

D. 14, A.

285

Scales

9.

(GuNTnER). 118, trans.

lat. line

:

It

formula and scaling resembles

26—34.

a migratory Trout, found in the Eidf jord River, in Norway, which

Giiuther regards

as

Salmo galUrensis.

allied to

closely

eye

Its

is

extremely small, being from one-eighth to one-seventh of the length of the

harmony with the small

head, and, in

The vomerine teeth

weak.

vomer being

of the eye, the frontal region

size

The maxillary bone

convex above, and the snout pointed.

are in a single series,

is

and gradually disappear, the

toothless in fishes seventeen inches long.

The pre-operculum has

The

the posterior margin, the angle, and well-developed lower limb rounded. tail is

rather broad, and covered with rounded scales, which are a

The back

than those on the back.

with black X-shaped spots on the

;

loses its

Parr marks before

The Scandinavian Trout

It has fifty-nine to sixty

fin.

it is

D. 14, A. 12, P. 13, V. Trout

localities in

is

found

in

nine inches long.

are all closely allied.

Salmo nigripinnis Scales

9.

lat. line

;

(Ginther).

120—125,

The upper

the mountain pools of Merionethshire

The female part of the

sionally blackish.

The

is

28—30. and other

mature at a length of seven inches.

body

sides

is

dark, with a greenish or reddish colour, occa-

and belly are greyish, though each

The spotting

those of the back, usually has a silvery centre. ;

transverse

Wales, and Lough Melvin in Ireland, which reaches a length of

sixteen inches.

varies

silvery,

and forty-three to fifty-two plyloric appendages.

The young-

A

is

round black spots on the operculum

and head, and a few black spots on the dorsal vertebrae

larger

little

greenish, but the general colour

is

sides,

is

long, narrow, and

sometimes there are numerous black

ocelli,

scale,

like

of the sides

with a whitish rim, some-

times a few rounded reticulated black spots on the sides, with a series of red ones on the lateral

but

all

line.

The

dorsal fin

the fins are dark, and in the

a black and white outer margin.

commonly has rounded black

young

fish dorsal, ventral,

The depth

of the

spots,

and anal have

body slightly exceeds the

TlIK Fl{ESir-WATEi; FISHES OF EFROPE.

280

its

The head

head.

leng-th of the

across

and there

base,

persistent throughout racteristic.

The eye

eight inches,

it is

is

vomer has a transverse

of the

The long and black

life.

varies in relative size

pectoral iin

with age

;

is

The vertebne vary

in

it is

a

all

being

marked cha-

with a length of

in fishes

fully one-quarter of the length of the head

of eleven inches and a half,

series of teeth

a sing-le series on the body of the bone,

;

with a length

one-sixth of the length of the head.

num})er from fifty-seven to

appendages number from thirty-six to forty-two.

fifty -nine;

and the pyloric

Sterile specimens

have been

met with.

Salmo D. 14, A.

il— 12,

obtusirostris (Heckel).

P. 13, V. 9, C. 7/17/0.

Scales

:

101— 103, trans.

lat. line,

— 21.

The River Trout and

is

known

of

Dalmatia and Italy has no distinctive po^iular name,

to the Italians as Trota (Fig. 14-7).

In Dalmatia, from which

Fig. 147.

fourteen or fifteen inches.

it

was

— SALMO

first

described,

reaches a length of

it

OUTVSIKOSTRIS (hECKEL).

Heckel and Kner met with

it

in the

Salona, and the Verlica, near Imosky, and in these streams

ganean

larva;,

which occur in countless multitudes.

In Italy

it

Zcrmagna, the lived on

it is

Phry-

found in the

Tiber.

The snout and head dorsal it

and anal

fins are

shows several

regard

it

in this fish are shorter than in Sulii/n

higher; but, though

it

is

(iii.sonli,

and the

closely allied to the latter,

differences, especially in the fewer scales,

which lead us to

as one of those geographical representatives or varieties dependent

upon conditions of ancient physical geography which separated the parent type from both before Europe had ae(|uircd

its

present contours.

SALM(J

The height

body

of the

(

)BTUSIR( )STRIS.

always more than the length of the head, which

is

The head

one-fifth of the total length of the fish.

is

and

lutely

than in

relatively,

287

The base

S. ansoiili.

shortei',

is

of the tail

both abso-

thicker,

is

and

much as half the head length. The forehead descends to the mouth in a sharp curve, so that the snout is thick and rounded. The eye is relatively small height measures as

its least

—

one-fifth

of

length of the head

the

own diameter behind from

the

other

the

snout,

The

eye.

mouth

is

short,

and

all

its

diameter

its

broad, and

is

The

the eye.

of

more than

is

bone

maxillary

extends below the middle

in the preceding type.

—

and twice

Fig. 148.

— VOMER

OF SALMO OKTU-

of the

cleft

SIKOSTKIS.

the teeth in the jaws are smaller than

The

teeth on the

vomer form two

The

a transverse row of six teeth in front (Fig. 148).

parallel series, with

palatine bones are nearly-

straight,

and converge forward, so that the palatine den-

tary arch

is

not parallel to the maxillary arch (Fig. 149).

The edge of the pre-operculum more perpendicular than

is

straight,

and

is

The sub-

forms.

several

in

operculum does not extend back behind the operculum,

and the lower borders of both these opercular bones are

—

VOMER PALATINES AND MAXILLARY ARCH OF SALMO OHTf8IROSTRLS.

Fig. 149.

nearly horizontal.

There are ten to eleven branchiostegal

The rake-teeth on the

rays.

gill

arches are

long and

pointed, and the last arch carries ten rather long teeth.

The

dorsal profile rises less rapidly than in the

The

less.

long, and

Common

dorsal fin begins in the middle of the length, its

edge

is

Trout, and sinks

a third higher than

is

evenly truncate behind, so that the last ray

The adipose

as long as the longest ray.

is

about half

somewhat long and high, and

fin is

The base

reaches farther back than the end of the anal

fin.

only two-thirds as long as the base of the dorsal

;

but the fin-rays are only a

fins are

somewhat longer and more

little

The

shorter.

of the dorsal.

ventral

and pectoral

Common

pointed than in the

The

in S. ausonii, so that along the

are rather larger

more strongly-curved

row rims

The crown-shaped

Trout.

in a curve

first

back, and sides of

row

is

differ

th(;

body down

in

varieties of the

The

from those of

the longest.

on the intestine, recalling the condition

spots are both intense.

line there are

scales.

In colour this species resembles the pale

The red and black

is

and stronger than

lateral

Accorduig to Meckel and Kner, the pyloric aj^pendages

Common

fin

of the emarginate caudal are three-quarters scales

only about one hundred and three perforated

the

that

Trout, the pectoral reaching back to the beginning

The terminal rays

of the length of the head.

of

The second

Coregonus.

Common

Trout.

red spots cover the operculum,

to the caudal fin.

After death the red spots

THE FKESII-WATER FISHES

288

become

and the hlaek spots of the

paler,

and their round form

show

dorsal,

traces of coloured spots,

EUROPE.

and head become a deeper black,

l)ack

alters to an irregular

()E

X-shape.

All the

fins,

except the

and are ed<^ed with blackish-blue.

This

species does not migrate.

Salmo microlepis D.

13— li,

A. 11, P.

1

Y.

1,

Scales

I).

(Gunther).

lat. line

:

135—140, trans.-— 30.

The Trout thus named

known only from specimens, a little over eight inches long, from Hungary. The body is greenish or brown, with a silvery lustre, is

and round or reticulate black spots on the

side,

among which

red or orange

spots are more or less plentifully scattered.

One

of the specimens has twelve transverse Parr marks.

from black or yellow colour on the margin. scales in

an oblique

is

fins are free

descending backward from the adipose

series,

The head

lateral line.

The

There are fifteen or sixteen

short,

The snout

and the body slender.

the

fin to

short,

is

the broad maxillary bone does not extend to the hinder margin of the eye.

and

The

teeth on the vomer are in a zigzag line, and, therefore, presumably in a double

The

row.

pectoral fin

is

not pointed.

sixty to sixty-one vertebrae,

This

fish differs

from the Salmo

scales above the lateral line

The caudal

There are

emarginate.

is

and seventy-two pyloric appendages.

;

and

lacustris, in

having three extra rows of

in the absence of

mature specimens, we must

regard the large number of scales in the lateral line as marking an interesting specific variation

from that type.

Salmo D.

13—14,

A.

fario (Linn.^^us).— The

11—12,

P. 14, V. 9.

Scales

River Trout.

lat. line

:

120, transverse

There are two principal forms of the River Trout. of Scandinavia, Iceland, Scotland,

One

is

27—30.

characteristic

and Ireland, and the other occurs through-

out Central Europe, Russia, South Britain, and ranges into Sweden.

former variety

is

distinguished by Dr. Gunther as S. gohuardii, this

The name

having been given by Cuvier and Valenciennes to the Trout from Iceland,

by Monsieur Gaimard. The second name given by Cuvier and Valenciennes to

figured

Both

variety

is

named

S.

ansoni'i,

varieties occur in Britain, the southern

forms ranging as far north as

Eden and Calder, and the northern form, according to extending as far south as Shropshire. For this latter we are disposed the Rivers

the

name Hal mo

fario, as

it

certainlv

was the

a

a French example of the species.

fish

known

to Linn;cus.

Giinther, to reserve

SALMO FARIO. The Norwegian names It ranges

from Lapland

289

and Fjalloring.

for the River Trout are Fjalloret

to Scania,

Fjalls.

In Germany, where

become

restricted.

it

is

being found in the rivers and lakes of the

known

as Bachforelle, its distribution has

The longest Continental specimens, reaching seventeen

inches, have been found in Jutland.

Specimens

The

taken at Wellington, in

Shropshix-e.

Tweed and northern

weighs from

rivers

fifteen inches

five to

long have been

Trout recorded in

largest

seven pounds

;

the

but exceptional

taken in Yorkshire, have weighed seventeen pounds, and measured

fishes,

The female

thirty-one inches.

attains maturity at

a length of seven or eight

inches.

The body, according

fish is five

is

rather short

sent

is

indistinct

maxillary bone

is

;

is

the

fin,

when

nearly crescent-shaped, and the lower limb

the snout

is

blunt, conical, and of moderate length.

pre-

The

broad and stout, usually longer than the snout, extending as

The

back as the posterior border of the eye.

large,

and compressed, with

Excluding the caudal

times as long as deep, and less than four times as long as the head.

The pre-operculum

far

to Giinther,

head relatively small and well-shaped.

the

and are smallest on the maxillary bone.

teeth are not conspicuously

Those on the vomer are in a

double row, sometimes becoming zigzag, but with a single transverse row on the triangular head of the bone, completing the arch of the teeth on the palatine bones.

The

inter-orbital

has a conspicuous

space

median ridge, but

rather

is

flattened.

The

dorsal ^n\

higher than long. fin

commences

The anal

the middle of

front of

in

fin

may

commences under the hinder part of the

dorsal,

line,

it

is

ventral

The caudal

fin is

trun-

sometimes with the lower lobe rounded.

There are fifteen rows of the lateral

The

and does not reach to the

vent, nor does the pectoral extend near to the ventral. cated, sometimes concave,

the body;

be twice as high as long.

scales,

extending from the adipose

fin

forward to

but frequently there are more than one hundred and twenty

transverse series of scales.

The

scales are rounded,

with concentric striping,

and without any median ridge.

The back and sides are greenish-brown, but the belly is a dirty white. Numerous X-shaped or round black spots extend along the top and sides The spots are always of the head and the middle part of the sides of the fish. round on the opercular bones. The dorsal, adipose, and caudal fins are generally filled

with black spots, and the dorsal, anal, and ventral each have a white

outer edge, margined with black.

The habits

of the fish are rather nocturnal, or, at least,

active in the evening

19

and night, when

it

it

is

much more

moves with caution, and yet with

THE FRESH. WATER FISHES OF EURORE.

290

boldness, in pursuit

The

oi"

small

rearing" of this fish

by

and their

fishes, insects,

between Pike and Trout,

battles

in

which the

artificially

S.

The food. is

now

impregnating- the eggs,

in stocking rivers, appears to have been first carried

by Mr.

Yarrell mentions

larvae.

was eventually

latter

victorious.

so important

on successfully in Hanover

L. Jacobs.

flavour of the Trout varies with the stream, being dependent on the

The

flesh

is

a deeper red than that of the Salmon, and

the flavour

almost as rich, being best between June and the beginning of

Mr. Stoddart

worms. Minnows, and

On worms

insects.

they grew slowly

they became larger; while those which fed on

much

fed on

;

Minnows

soon weighed twice as

flies

as the others put together.

A

Trout are long-lived. for

October.

records an experiment of feeding Trout in separate tanks on

specimen kept in a well at Dumbarton Castle

twenty -eight years never increased in weight, probably from deficiency of Yarrell mentions another Trout, which

suitable food.

said to have lived for

is

fifty-three years in a well near Broughton-in-Furness.

The number

The number

Salmo

fario

of vertebrae

(Linnaeus).

D. 18—14, A. 10—11, P. 18, V. This

may

fish

be regarded

Trout, although in Russia

Sea and the

it is

but

;

:

lat. line

as a southern

in

Spain

;

it is

popularly

known

as BurJird

it

The head

is

to be elegant.

frequents stony said

and

it

;

the length.

The

in Britain as

is

thickness of the body

fish.

it

is

dis-

Fixlrang,

the Trout, which

Wareham

north-

somewhat too deep and

greatest height in front of the dorsal is

half the height

;

head exceeds the depth of body, and, excluding the caudal of the length of the

by Nilsson

Germany Hungary as

In

Westmoreland, and the Eden (Fig. 150).

well-proportioned, and the body

The

and

the Pyrenees

it

Stoioriutj

ranges from the Thames to Penzance, and from Poole and in

in Italy,

is

in Italy as Trota, in France as la Traile,

Troutbeck River,

in

and

tinguished as Forclle, in Transylvania as Forreii, in

to

River

In Sweden, where

never to occur in the higher mountain regions.

ward

the

Austria, and reaches

Maritime Alps,

and Moreau found

at a height of seven thousand feet.

brooks,

20—80.

of

streams which flow into the Black

Germany and

far south in France, occurs in the rivers of the

was found by Steindachner

120, trans.

representative

found in the smaller tributaries of the White

characteristic of

it is

fifty-nine or sixty.

is

—Var. ausonii.

Scales

9.

Baltic, as well as in the similar

Sea and Caspian

ranges between thirty-

of pyloric appendages in this variety

three and forty-six.

The eyes

are separated

fin is

full

two-ninths of

the length of the

one-quarter

fin, is

by one and

a

half times

SAL:\rO FARTO, YAK.

their diameter,

so that the

frontal sjiaee

AU.SOXII.

The

fold at the

broad and thick.

The small

rather large.

is

outer margin of the eye, or rudimentaiy eyelid^

round nares are nearer

2i)l

is

There

to the eye than to the snout.

and expanded, longer than the snout, and extends below the

When

the orbit.

it

mouth

the

is

is

closed the mandible

posterior

is

strong

margin of

shorter than the upper

is

The snout

broad and powerful.

an indistinct,

The maxillary bone

very oblique lower limb to the pre-operculum.

jaw, though

is

is

produced in the male,

and the lower jaw in old males has a terminal hook, which

is

received into

a deep depression of the extremity of the upper jaw, so as to keep the jaws apart.

The dible

in the maxillary

;almo

of the

vomer

teeth, while

which

may

is

There

branchiostegal rays arches

are

numerous.

is

is

is

man-

The head

a double series of strong teeth,

All the teeth of the

There are four or

members

in all

the

triangular, broader than long, carrying a transverse series of

be parallel or alternate.

of the tongue.

are larger in

and palatine bones.

vak. aisoxii (i.innmus).

iaiu(i,

on the body of the bone there

points curved inward.

As

They

teeth are strong and well-developed.

and pre-maxillary than

some variation

five

teeth in a

mouth have row on each

of the group, the gill-opening

of

moderate last

length,

side

in the dentition with sex. is

The number

wide.

nine on the right side, and ten on the

The

their

and

their

pointed

left.

rake-teeth

of

The

gill-

are

not

arch has usually only seven to eight short, blunt, finely

curved teeth.

The ventral and commences a truncate,

and nearly

rudimentary,

The

dorsal contours of the fish are similar.

little in

front of the middle of the body.

as

long as high.

and covered by the

The four

skin.

It

is

dorsal fin

rather sharply

anterior rays of this fin are

The adipose

fin

is

opposite

tiie

TIIK Fh'KSII-WATKli FISHES

•2\)-Z

the anal

ti'iTiiination of frniii

which

{'m,

is ])lac'cd

the bei^'inning- of the caudal

pectoral

and

The

anal.

The

may

may

is

The

their rays are shorter

;

pectoral fins are rounded

caudal varies with age, and

terminal rays

and the vent

far back,

by one head-length.

fin

below the hinder half of the dorsal

OF FXRoPE. only removed

ventral fins are

than those of the

rather than pointed;

the

be forked, truncated, or rounded, and the

be of unequal length.

scales are nearly

very small, and thin, without rays,

circular,

finely striped concentrically.

They

the back and belly, and smallest at the base of the

the middle rays of the caudal scales in the lateral line,

tail,

where they partly cover

There are fully one hundred and twenty

fin.

which

and

are largest on the lateral line, smaller on

The

horizontal for about half its length.

is

course of the ee])halic mucus-canals

traced

is

by round

pores, but the branches

are not conspicuous.

The number

pyloric appendages

of

The water.

that no

They

intestine varies

from thirty-

are longest in front.

colour of the Trout varies extremely with food, and condition of the

Even

in the

same brook

common colouring

and dorsal

fin

it

X-shaped.

is

rare for

many

to be absolutely alike, so

can be given, beyond saying that the head, body,

generally carry numerous red and black spots, that the black

spots often have a pale edging,

yellow.

the

to

eight to fifty-one, acccording to Gilnther.

The

As a

may

and that they

anterior part of the dorsal, anal,

rule the ground-colour of the

black, though the fishes

be round, irregular, or

and ventral

body

is

fins is

become darker where the stream

is

shady; and

dark variety, distinguished as Steinforelle in Austria, and Stenoring that

is

commonly termed the Black

generally

brownish or brownish-

in

it is

this

Sweden,

These darker forms often have

Trout.

the bright red spots on the sides surrounded by a light-coloured ring.

They

reach a weight of four to five pounds.

The Alpine

or

Mountain Trout has the body covered with much smaller

and more numerous brown, black, and red spots, which extend on to the head, but the belly

is

whitish, and, according to Bloch, the head

is

green with some

golden margins to the mouth, and opercular elements.

The Golden,

or

Pond Trout, which

lives in

brooks or ponds with a gravelly

bottom, through which spring-water runs, ma}^ have the sides glistening

with golden-yellow, and covered with bright red round enclosed in a blue ring, and the dorsal fin lakes the colours are

commonly but

irregular black spots;

in colour, are put into the

;

sjiots,

which are often

be spotted with purple.

and grey predominates with

these varieties, which vary in weight as

same pond, they gradually

Exceptionally the red spots

and become uniform. points or black specks

if

less bright,

may

lose

may

In

large,

much

as

their peculiarities,

be replaced by white

but, as a rule, the purer the water the brighter the

YAK. AUWUNIL

,SALM(t FAKIO,

colours.

as well as

but even then

penetrates

through the

half a

is common in waters that contain iron, when the water is shallow, and light fishes grow pale.

The black colour

in woods,

The

2dS

foliage, the

Trouf does not usually exceed one

size of the

pound

foot,

and the weight

pound, though Lloyd believes that he killed

to a

Kner mention

eleven pounds" weight, and Heckel and

it

thirty-five inches long, nine inches

weighed twenty-two pounds.

It

high, and

not rare for Trout to attain a weight of

is

twenty pounds

or

is

of

a Hsh taken in 1851 at

Wiener Neustadt, which was fifteen to seventeen

Sweden

in

in localities

in

which suitable food

is

abundant; and Valenciennes refers to Trout of three to four feet in length,

though the largest specimen taken recently in France appears to have weighed twelve kilogrammes.

In the young other proportions

by

the size of the eye, relative length of the head, and

fish

young

are generally less; but the

are

also distinguished

transverse bands, termed Parr markings, of dark-brown, like those of the

Perch, which gradually vanish with age.

The young

forked caudal

tail

fin,

while in old age the

mouth,

as well as

has also a deeply-

and stronger teeth on

are characterised by a larger head, fewer of the

fish

The males

becomes rounded.

the bones

all

by the hooked mandible.

Trout flourish best in clear cold running water, and when found in lakes

most numerous at the mouths of streams which flow from them.

are

swim with remarkable in the

shadow

speed, but

make sudden

falls,

and other impediments. fishes,

live

Like the Salmon, they

trees.

and pass over weirs, small water-

leaps out of the water,

They

They

for a long time in deep pools, or

still

overhanging bushes and

of

often

and small

lie

on

insects, molluscs,

spawn, worms,

and rush impetuously after gnats, which skim over the

When

surface of the water.

their

weight

is

about two pounds they

ai-e

as

greedy as Pike.

They spawn

in the

Germany, Benecke in the

The

mountain

autumn, from October

records

districts.

urogenital papilla

is

spawning

to

as late as

The female

is

December

January

;

;

but

and

mature at a length of eight inches.

then enlarged and tumid, and in both sexes there

thickening of the skin, and, according to Benecke, a swelling of the

eggs in a two-year-old Trout number two hundred to third year the

number

North

in

this is probably

fins.

is

a

The

hundred

;

in the

increases from five hundred to one thousand

;

in the

fourth to the fifth year the

number

is

two thousand.

five

They

are four to five

millimetres in diameter, yellowish or reddish, and are laid in small quantities, at intervals of

many

days, being placed between stones, under trunks of trees,

but also in holes, not unlike nests, which the deposited

is

partially covered with gravel.

fishes excavate.

The

The spawn when

period of incubation, according

to

OF EUKOPE.

TIIK I'UESll-WATEH FISHES

2U1 Blaiicliard,

is

forty

A

seventy days.

to

young

favourable to the growth of the

temperature of

Many

iish.

The Trout

is

everywhere one of the most valued

digested.

It

is

In England

in the best condition it

is

now

May

from

the end of September.

reared artificially for stocking rivers^

but the quality of the

and widely

with the stream in which

tributed

;

j)laced.

Trout-lishing has votaries wherever there are Trout streams

flesh varies

is

the flesh being easily

fishes,

till

Fahr.

5U'-'

individuals are sterile.

it

dis-

may

be

but when

;

taken with the rod the bait varies with the month and time of the day, for the angler needs to be a practical entomologist, and to study the habits of the flies

on which the Trout feeds,

feeding-time

is

they are to be taken with

if

artificial insects.

usually in the morning and evening, and they are

The Trout admits

taken where tributaries join a river or lake.

more cultivation than

it

may

has hitherto received, and

of

Their

commonly very much

be raised with

profit

wherever a stream runs through ponds with a sandy or gravelly bottom.

The weight augments

One form unknown,

rapidly where the food

of disease to

by an

characterised

is

which Trout

Such a

wasting of the body.

increase

fish is

abundant.

is

which

are liable, the nature of in

known

the size of the

in Austria as

is

head and a

an Adventurer, or

Quixote.

Dr. Giinther counts fifty-seven or fifty-eight vertebra;, of which twentythree are in the thoracic region, and the remainder in the

and accessory

feeble ribs, tribe.

The stomach

is

;

there

is

from the

The

fifty-one pyloric appendages.

not lobed

are developed, as

ribs

distinct

intestine

intestine

last six,

There are thirty

rest

of the

Salmon

there are thirty-eight to

;

makes two

The

a large gall-bladder.

in the

The

tail.

as in all s^^ecies of the genus, enter into the fan of the tail.

curves.

The

air-bladder extends

liver is

down the

entire length of the ventral cavity.

Salmo gallivensis(GrrNTHER).— The Gal^way Sea Tront. D.

1:5,

A.

1

1—12,

P. 15, V.

9.

Dr. Giinther has given names

which

Scales to,

:

125, transverse

25—38.

and described, a number of British Trout

his predecessors regarded as varieties either of the Sea or the River Trout.

Without considering

these interesting local forms as species in the ordinary

sense of the term, they

may

be accepted as convenient names for modifications

which would have been regarded as variation

had been

less closely linked.

species

One

a migratory species, well characterised by snout,

lat. line

broad convex

forehead,

small

eye,

if

the

of these its

is

chain of the

intermediate

Galway Sea Trout,

pointed, though not elongated

feeble

teeth,

slender

jaws,

and

8ALM0 LEMANUS.

295

extremely thin and short pyloric appendag-es, which number about forty-four. It

g-rows

to

a length of at least eighteen or nineteen

appear to spawn

a specimen of that

late, since

stated to have the eggs

still

Most

and right.

of

them

and

fixed in the ovaries,

The small vomerine teeth

inches

of the size of hemp-seed.

are in a single series bent alternately to the left

are persistent to the age of maturity.

the tongue are very small, not larger than those of the mandible. iin

is

pointed;

examples.

Its

the caudal

and would

;

caught in August, was

size,

The

teeth on

The

pectoral

forked in the young, and truncate in mature

is

rounded scales on the

a

tail are

larger than those on the

little

trunk.

The 3^oung have nine Parr marks, with dorsal,

very dark, with a

on the under

silvery lustre

and red

ocellated black

and ventral

have white borders to the anal,

blackish, with a few indistinct spots on the dorsal,

D. 13, A. 12, P.

Coregonus, is

The

Neva

scent,

in shoals to

which

which

spawn.

It

pectoral fins are reddish

in the is

two

month

dorsal fins are brown, in

Below the

and the belly It

is

is

harmony with the

lateral line the colour

is

to the species of

the ventrals bright-red

;

of October

feet six inches long,

Salmon and

offensive to

is

(Pallas).

brownish-red, and both the latter have white margins.

body.

the fins are

15.

Pallas mentioned a fish under this name,

and has a strong

;

and a black posterior

There are fifty-nine vertebrae.

Salmo antumnalis

ascends into the River

and

fish is

There are black spots on

side.

the operculum, and numerous X-shai)ed black spots on the sides

margin to the caudal.

spots,

The mature

fins.

;

the anal

The caudal and

colour on the npper part of the

greyish, with small yellowish spots,

white.

remarkable that this

fish,

which Pallas

sufficiently defined as

thirteen dorsal, twelve anal, and fifteen pectoral rays,

Salmo lemanus

is

entirely

having

unknown.

(Cuvier). Q

y —Q--"-

C)

D. 18, A. 12, P. 11, V.

9.

Scales

:

lat. line

115—118,

transverse

36.

This

fish

Salmo rappii.

may

be regarded as a connecting link between Salmo fario and

It is

found in the Lake of Geneva and in the Lago Maggiore,

but the specimens in the British suggests that they are silvery.

may

Museum

be hybrids.

are sterile, a condition

The back

is

greenish

;

which rather

the belly and sides

There are numerous very small X-shaped black markings scattered

THE FRESII-WATKl; FISHES OF EUROPE.

29(5

over the sides, and there are small black spots on the dorsal

but the other

while the body

is

The head The snout is

green.

fins are

stout.

series

The

The

teeth

are

in no

way

on the vomer alternates to the right and

The maxillary bone

left,

from fifty-seven

size,

is

well-

and

persists

through

and the caudal

life.

loses its

There are thirteen to fourteen scales

descending in a transverse series from the adipose vertebrae vary

medium

remarkable, except that the single

pectoral fin diminishes in relative length with age,

emargination, and becomes truncated.

and operculum,

rather elongated in the male, with a

corresponding mandilnilar hook at spawning-time. developed.

Ihi

well-shaped, and of

is

to fifty-nine,

fin to

the lateral

line.

The

and the pyloric appendages from

forty-live to fifty-two.

Salmo carpio

-The Trout of

(Lix.n.eus).

D.

1:3,

U

A.

Scales

:

kit. line

1

Lake Garda.

2'3.

This beautiful Italian Trout was known as early as the sixteenth century,

but has been

little

form and most

Eig.

to features in

medium

size

It agrees with the larger

studied (Fig. 151).

characteristics, so that

which

it

1.3 1.

differs

will be necessary to

it

— SALMO

CAKl'IO

The maxillary bone

from them.

;

in

(l.IXNilitTs).

extends below the hind margin of the orbit.

teeth in a triangle on the anterior plate

Lake Trout

draw attention only

in fishes of

The vomer has three

and on the middle

line of the

narrow

stalk of the bone, there are thirteen teeth in a simple row, with their points

turned back, though occasional specimens are bent to the right or the

The snout

is

left.

may

The mouth

is

be found in which some teeth rather wide.

The border of the operThe number of branchiostegal rays varies that the number on the right side is from ten to

longer than the diameter of the eye.

cular covering forms a regular curve.

by about three on each thirteen,

and on the

side, so

left

from eleven

to fourteen.

The number

of short, blunt

SALilU RAPPII. rake-teeth on the last g-ill-arch

297

They often assume a

seven to eight.

is

paired

arrangement. Tiie

scales

the

in

the trunk are relatively large^ so that,

fore-part of

although the number of scales in the lateral

line does

not differ materially

from that of the Salmon Trout, the number between the shoulder-girdle and the hinder extremity of the pectoral fin

sixteen, rarely

twenty

is

Salmon Trout, while

thirty in the Austrian

A

to twenty-two.

buted to the longer pectoral

very different, amounting to fully in this fish it

the Austrian

fin of

one ray more in the anal

is

The number and length varies

from forty

character, there being

some evidence

The Lake Garda Trout size of the

is

It

species

while

the

As compared with the

more resembles

laciistris

S.

than

S.

attach great importance to this

show that

it

varies with food.

by the comparative paucity and small

is

known

not

it

we learn through Canestrini Lombardy and Venetia, it is reputed to

as not migrating, but

occurs in the lakes of

and highly valued

of Carpione,

Italians Tralfa del

All the fins are unspotted.

sides of the head.

to attain a greater length than fifteen inches.

spawns during the month of December.

name

attri-

partly

fin.

descend the rivers to their mouths, and enter the It

be

it is

black spots which cover the body, though these spots are more

commonly regarded

is

tliat

to

characterised

numerous and rather larger on the

The

may

of the pyloric appendages, according to Glinther,

to fifty, and, therefore,

We are hardly prepared, however, to

marsiglii.

usually fifteen or

Salmon Trout, but

due to the larger scales of the Lake Garda Trout.

Salmon Trout there

is

part of this difference

Logo

and

;

is

sea.

It has long been

as food.

similarly

It

known

is

also

known under

termed by the

the Southern Tyrol as

in

Lachsforelle.

Salmo rappii

(Ginther).— The

Bottom Trout

of

Lake Constance. D.

1:3,

The

it

There

water.

from the is

very

in the anal,

vertebra

1:3,

Griind-forelle

distinguish

more

A. 12, P.

less,

is

V. 10.

named from

so

Sell

Scales

:

lat. line

its

120, transverse 27 -.'35.

habit of frequenting the bottom, to

w eh -for elle, which remains

little

difference in the

fins,

and often an extra ray in the

and the number

of pyloric

visibly suspended in the

and Salmo rappii has a ray ventral.

appendages

is

There

varying, according to Giinther, from forty-eight to fifty-four.

growing is

to a length of three feet,

and

is

limited to

may

be one

considerably fewer, is

a fine fish,

Lake Constance.

It

The head

rather depressed, and the body has a plump, thick, stouter build than in

Salmo

lacustris.

The snout

is

generally rather obtuse, and becomes elongated

THE FlJKSH-WATKlf FISHES OF EUROPE.

298 only in

The male has

males.

larg-e

maxillary bone

sti'ong-,

is

hinder part,

its

much

as in the Schweb-

The

furelle, and similarly extends back beyond the orbit in old fishes.

opereulnm

opercular margin

is

The

irregularly placed.

show no

fins

first

in a sing-le series,

pre-

posterior

The

obtusely rounded, the operculum being* short.

and the vomerine teeth are at

are strou^^^

The

crescent-shaped, with the lower limb distinct.

is

The

hook to the mandible.

also a short

expanded in

teeth

and then

distinctive peculiarities, but the caudal

There are sixteen rows of scales in a trans-

becomes truncate with maturity.

verse series, descending from behind the adipose fin forward to the lateral line;

which

is

one row more than

a reddish tone with a

is

number

found in the Saliao

X -shaped

of

The

lacnstris.

sides

have

brownish spots, and, as usual, the

spots on the operculum are round.

Salmo dentex

(Heckel).

— The

Great Dalmatian

Trout. 1).

12—1:3,

A.

1:>,

P.

1:5,

V.

U,

C.

7/17/0.

transverse 2t

There

is

Scales:

line

lat.

US— 120,

— 85.

probably no other European Salmonoid in which the jaws are so

jKjwerfully developed as in this species, but the large size of the pre-maxillary

Fig. 152.

teeth,

which suggested the name

— 8ALM0

DENTEX (heckel).

deiiicx, is

more conspicuous

in

young than

in

old specimens (Fig. 15£).

The head vhole l)ody X-shape.

is is

small and pointed

covered with

Among

;

small

the arch of the nose

black

is

low, and

the

marks, which often take on an

these a few larger round red spots are scattered.

The length

of the head exceeds the height of the body, the fish being five times as long as

high, and four and a half times as long as the head.

the length of the head.

The

l)readth

The eye

is

of the frontal interspace

one-fifth of

between the

SALMO DEXTEX. eyes

299

one and a half times the orbital diameter, and the eye

is

though the length

distance from the snout,

The mouth

sex and age.

below and behind the

The

the same

wide, and the broad maxillary bone extends back

is

eyes.

In the pre-maxillary they have a pre-

teeth are remarkably strong.

daceous character, and their length

The middle

is

somewhat with

of the snout varies

teeth in the lower

more than twice the diameter of the

jaw are

The

teeth are on the tongue.

is

less

teeth

developed

number four

scales.

but, as usual, the strongest

;

each side of the

six on

to

pre-maxillary, thirty in the maxillary, twenty on each side of the mandible, five on each side of the tongue, Four of the vomerine teeth form a transverse row in

twenty to twenty-one on the palatine bone,

and twenty on the vomer. front,

and the remainder make an alternating double row behind

are easily broken

off,

but the teeth

;

and gradually replaced, so that the number

may

vary in

different specimens.

The operculum

is

and extends

large,

margins form a right angle, but in

from eleven

to

lower

margin becomes

The number

indistinct.

from twelve to fourteen, and on the right branchio-

of rays on the left varies

and thirteen on the

hinder and

Its

back.

The pre-operculum has the lower limb very

curved.

stegal

far

old males the lower

thirteen

but there are commonly twelve on the right,

;

rake-teeth on the gill-arches are of moderate

The

left.

length; on the last arch they number six to seven, and are short and blunt.

The

ventral contour forms a flatter arch than the dorsal profile, which

somewhat indented behind the middle of the body

;

a

it is

the length of the head, and

The rounded adipose high as the dorsal;

little

its

base

is

dorsal fin

higher than long last

fin is opposite its

The

eyes.

ray

equal to half

is

the end of the anal fin

;

that fin

Common

Trout.

in maturity,

is

quite as

The

the head.

one-third of the length of

young specimens, truncate

emai-ginate in

base

its

half as long as the longest ray.

is

ventral and pectoral fins resemble those of the is

;

is

begins in front of the

The caudal

fin

and may be rounded

in old age.

The

scales resemble those of the

are thirteen to fourteen

the adipose

fin

The colour

forward to the lateral is

variable

aasonii, but always of a

brown on the

belly.

Common

Trout in

scales in a transverse series,

;

size

and form.

line.

sometimes

lighter,

sometimes darker than Saliuo

brownish tint on the back, silvery on the

Old individuals have

a

very numerous, small, irregular, black, and often fish a

splashed appearance.

and

There are numerous

round spots and irregular markings on the head, and the body

young

sides,

dark-brown colour, with coppery

metallic lustre, with the belly paler, and throat whitish.

the

There

descending from behind

X -shaped

is

covered with

dots,

which give

Everywhere between the black spots are

THE FUE8II-WATEK

3U()

less

numerous round

OF EUROPE.

FI8IIES

most intense on the

spots, of a blood-red colour,

sides.

There are two large pale spots between the eyes and pre-operculum, and white

mark

spots

The

the under side of the head, especially the lower jaw.

the dorsal fin

is

marked with black

but

s})ots,

base of

the other iins are brown

all

;

the brown passes into white at the tip of the ventral, and into yellow at the

The

edg-e of the pectoml.

iris is

a coppery-brown.

The

colour of the desh

sometimes reddish, sometimes white, from which we can colour

may vary with

This

where

fish

it

is

food.

does not migrate, and

is

known

only from the rivers of Dalmatia,

termed by the inhabitants Pastroca.

Fine specimens in the River

Narenta reach a length of forty-four inches, though the common length about two

is

infer only that the

is

feet.

Steindachner has regarded this species as a variety of the

Common

Trout,

S. aasonii.

Salmo

spectabilis (Heckel and Kner, Cuvier and Valenciennes). D. 1:2—1:3, A. 11, P.

This Trout

is

a

somewhat obscure

not intending quite the same over Northern Europe,

all

V.

species,

0,

C. 17.

Heckel and Kner apparently

Valenciennes.

They

state that

it is

— .SALMO

^^l•Et^.\HIHS

(VALEXCIEXXES).

not recognised by Russian, German, or Scandinavian ichtliyologists

Dr.

(jriinther

remarks that the only point in

Austrian and French naturalists usual, a

Since

\

criticism

spread

over Russia, and appears at Teschen, in Silesia, but

Fig. 153.

is

fish as

1:3,

is

common between

;

and

the fishes of the

that the scales are more conspicuous than

which the published descriptions do not

(juite

alenciennes gave no locality for his s])ccimcn, and, so far as

is

justify.

known,

SALMO SPECTABILIS. no rigid comparison has been made between

and Kner, we

The

fish

adojot the

it

Austrian nomenclature

301

and the

S. sjiectahUis

of Heckel

(Fig". l'>i).

has a somewhat fusiform shape of body^ with the snout pointed,

and the head longer than the body

is hig'h,

thoug'h the difference

is

not great,

the fish being over five times as long as high, and four and three-quarter times

The eye

as long as the head.

nearly four times

more than twice

its

its

is

from the snout,

small, twice its diameter

diameter from the hinder edge of the operculum, and

The mouth

diameter from the other eye.

is

of moderate

size,

with the jaws equal, and the maxillary bone extending behind the eye.

The

teeth of the jaws are of uniform size, and similar to those of the palate,

though the teeth of the maxillary bone, as usual, become smaller and thicker

The body

behind.

of the

vomer has a double row of rather larger

teeth,

The head

of the

the points of which diverge in a somewhat zig-zag

vomer has a simple transverse row of small

line.

The tongue

teeth.

is

armed with

three or four strong teeth on each side.

The pre-operculum and operculum are rounded. The latter is directed The number of gill-rays is eleven on the left, and ten on the right side. The dorsal and ventral profiles in the anterior part of the body are similar. The rays of the fins are rather short. The scales are somewhat backward.

large

they are

;

less

embedded

in the skin than

Valenciennes mentions

usual.

one hundred and thirty longitudinal

series,

and Heckel and Kner found one

hundred and twenty on the

line.

The

particularly those of

lateral

the crown

;

pyloric appendages are long,

and female

but the male

differ

in

the

width of stomach and length of intestine, which are larger and longer in the male.

The silvery

;

colour of the back

is

steel-blue; the sides towards

the belly become

the operculum has large, round, black spots, which are also seen on

the dorsal fin and sides,

whei'e they frequently take

on an

X -shape.

The

other fins are unspotted as a rule, though specimens are sometimes found with spots on the adipose fin and upper caudal lobe,

when the black pigment is The size of this fish

unusually developed on the sides of the head and body. varies

from about one foot nine inches to two

Salmo marsiglii

(Heckel).

feet six.

— The

Salmon Trout

of

Austria. D. 13, A. 11. This Salmon Trout (Fig. 151) tria,

is

Scales:

lat. line

120.

found only in the mountain lakes of Aus-

such as the Traun See and After See, and, according to

Chiem

See, in Bavaria.

Heckel and Kner also say

it

Von

occurs in

Siebold, in the

Lake Constance

.

THK

;3U2

As compared with

the

May

Trout, the whole form

body are much the same, and there of scales, or position

rather phimper and

is

and measurements of length

thicker, but the proportions

number

fishes of FT'ROPF.

fi{p:sii-wa'1'ki;

of head

and height of

no important difference in

is

and form of the

fins.

The diameter

also one-sixth of the length of the head, but its hinder border

is

and

size

of the eye

is

farther from

the edge of the pre-operculum, and the maxillary bone extends farther back.

The teeth on the body

of the

vomer form a single straight row

but Heckel and Kner remark that

so long as the skin

(Fig.

155)

of the palate

is

;

not

removed, the vomerine teeth appear to form a double row, since their points diverge alternately to the right and to the

Fig-. 154.

As

teeth.

in the

eleven on the

and

less

May Trout,

left.

— sAi.Mo

the branchiostogal rays are ten on the right side,

MAKSIGLII.

is

from each

dorsal profile

is

is

is

lower limb

of moderate length.

The number

in the first

row

of pyloric

appendages

The

;

but in

life

is

from

are not shorter than the others.

so quickly after death that the ground-colour

scarcely to be recognised

;

The

rather angular.

more regularly arched than the ventral contour.

Those

The colour changes

but sometimes

The pre-operculum

crescent-shaped, with a very indistinct

scales are always firmly adherent.

eighty to a hundred.

in pairs,

other.

the posterior opercular margin

snout

The

and from seven to nine

last arch,

number, often near together

at equal distances

FROXT VIEW

the branchial arches are shorter

all

numerous, remarkably short on the

OF VOMER OF SALMO

There are three transverse

MAHSiGi.ii (heckei.).

The rake-teeth on in

Fig. 155.

left.

is

then

the upper part of the head and the back

are dark -green, only comparable to the colour of the water of the lakes in

which the is in

fish lives.

This beautiful tint gets paler towards the lateral

contrast to the pale blue of the jNTay Trout.

brown.

The

sides are

silvery,

have the whiteness of pure

silver.

with a

The

little

uj^per

After death violet;

\):\vi:

it

the throat

of the

line,

and

becomes opaque

and belly

operculum

is

green,

SALilO MARSIGLTI.

and the lower part spots,

The

silvery.

skull

is

308.

marked with a few round black

which are larger but more angular on the cheeks and opercular bones.

The middle

few round dark

of the back has a

towards the lateral

They

line.

Trout, and towards the

tail

spots,

which become larger

are both denser and larger than in the

assume the X-form.

May

Similar spots occur below

the lateral line, as far back as the vent, and are largest over the pectoral

fins.

After death the sides become violet-grey, nearly reddish, and a carmine-red

The only perfectly black

shines through the black spots.

The greyish-white

are on the o^jereulum.

and

is

marked with many rows

of long black spots,

The caudal

a few red ones appear.

spots then remaining

dorsal fin has a broad dark border,

fin is violet,

between which, after death,

and has a broad black band near

the margin, succeeded by a narrow band of yellowish-white.

The

are unspotted, grey or whitish.

This

iris is silvery,

a length of three feet and more.

fish often attains

The other

fins

spotted with black. It

commonly

is

twenty-five to thirty pounds in weight, but has been caught of a weight of fifty to sixty-five

and generally remains

It loves deep water,

pounds.

depth of twenty to

in a

fathoms.

fifty

These Salmon Trout seek the haunts of species of Coregonus, which form their chief food, but pursue all kinds of small fishes.

When young

near the feeding-grounds of species of Leuciscus.

If they encounter a shoal

the pursuit

The shoal selves rapid,

is

fly

eager

the small fishes reach a shallow spot by the shores.

till

through the water swift as an arrow, and often seek to save them-

by springing

into the air

and the miserable

pounds,

it

down head

at the

first

itself to

Spawning takes place

first.

hunting Coregonus, chiefly taking

row holes

in

November and December, and is the occasion young fishes of a pound weight come up

in the ground,

excavations

deposited.

which are oblong, and when constructed by

the yellow

The same furrows

eggs, which are used

are said to be again frequented for fish

is

for

more tenacious

when taken out

to

lake into tributary streams and brooks, and bur-

twenty pounds' weight, are sufficiently long and deep for a

This

fishes of half a

Precocious

They ascend from the

quickly

less

given a

is

does not bother about the Leuciscus tribe and such small fry any

a grand gathering-.

these

tail,

two pounds' weight.

to

spawn.

but their enemies^ movements are no

the Salmon Trout has attained a weight of twenty-five to thirty

more, but devotes

pound

;

Leuciscus, seized

little

dexterous twist, which sends him

When

they remain

are as

fishes of

In

to lie in.

large as small

peas,

are

by other females spawning

later,

and

spawning purposes

of life than the

of water,

man

in the following year.

May

Trout, does not die so

and can be transported more

thrive in ponds which are not less than eight to ten feet deep,

easily. if

It will

the bottom

is

THE FRESH- WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

;}()4

gravelly, and streams run

The method

prized.

Hallstadt the

tlirnuL>'li

fish lie in

The

them.

The

day-time.

retreat,

reddish,

lakes.

the shadow of a mountain, and

and clear the fishermen follow them to their

at great depths

flesh is

in different

of fishinf^ varies

if

and

hio;hly

In the Lake of

the weather

is

and draw their nets

largest and heaviest specimens are caught in the colder

on

lines baited

ealm

in the

months

with small Perch, lludd, or other species of

Leuciscus.

Salmo

lacnstris (Willoughby).

D. 13, A. 11, P. 13, V. There

is

9, C. 17.

a Lake Trout found in

forelle or Hilberlachs.

— SALMO

rather small, with a slender bod3^

120, trans. is

20—30.

known as

Sclnreh-

LACUSTKIS

The is

(

WILLOUGHBY).

greatest height of the Ijody

is

one-fifth of the total length.

always

The

one-seventh of the length of the head, and twice

its

diameter from the snout (Fig, 156).

—

KllONT VIEW OF TOMER OF SALMO

Fig. lo7.

is

lat. line

Trout.

head long, low, compressed, pointed, and

equal to the length of the head, which

eye

:

Lake

Lake Constance, which

It has the

Fig-. 156.

Scales

— The

LACUSTRI.S.

The maxillary hone

is

much

strong, expanded behind, and in

beyond the hinder border

of the orbit.

The

longer than the

snout,

large fishes reaches well

teeth are strong

;

the vomer

is

comparatively broad, with two somewhat irregular rows of teeth (Fig. 157).

The hinder margin of the pre-operculum is nearly parallel to that of the operculum. The lower limb forms a very obtuse angle. The last gill-arch carries seven to eight distant blunt rake-teeth, which are usually shorter than in the Austrian

The contour is

fish

known

as the

May

Trout.

dorsal profile rises in a flattened arch to the dorsal is

less

convex.

The

rather longer than high.

dorsal fin begins half-way

The anal

fin

is

fin.

down the

The ventral length, and

considerably higher than long.

ALMc) LACT^STRIS

and

The

truncated beliind.

is

adipose

fin,

The

is

is

rather high,

The

body.

strong- silver lustre,

colour of the upper part of

dark-green, becoming bluish-green on the sides, and bright silver

Above the

belly.

lateral line are small

round, but are usually angular or X-shaped. spots on the operculum and on the dorsal

The

are few.

pointed, and the

anal,

and are distinguished by a

scales are very firm,

the head

fins are

at its base than in the upper part.

varies in different parts o£ the

on the

and ventral

which does not reach farther back than the

and narrower which

pectoral

305'

Below the

fin.

and anal

pectoral, ventral,

black flecks, which

may

be

There are a few round black

fins

lateral line the spots

The

are bluish-grey.

iris

is

silvery.

This

and

fish is

Museum

According to Rapp,

very voracious.

to spawn.

111

Like other Trout,

it

is

it

sterile.

contains sterile specimens, twenty-three inches long.

bone there are sixty to sixty-one

vertebrie.

Rhine

enters the rivers

frequently

The

British

In the back-

It attains a weight of twenty-five

to thirty pounds.

A

variety of this species,

Maiferclie (Fig. 158),

is

known

in Austria as the Maiforelle, Mailach>i, or

limited to the larger mountain lakes, such as the Atter

Fig. 158.— SAI.MO LACUSTllIS VAR. SCHIl-I'ERMULLERI (vALENCIENXES).

See,

Traun See, and Fuschler See, and may be conveniently distinguished

Sahiio schlffermMlleri

In

many

respects

body and length length of the

it is

similar to the Salino

of the head being the same,

fish.

as

(Valenciennes).

Von

Siebold, however,

lacastria,

the height of the

and both about one-fifth of the regarded

the

Schwehforelle as simply the sterile form of the Maiforelle,

and while he united both

in

FRONT VIEW OF VOMER

Fig. 159.—

the Salino lacnstris, included

OF SAI.MO SCHIFFERMVLLERI.

other forms under the same name.

In the

May Trout the

diameter of the eye does not exceed

one-fifth of the length of the head;

the end of the snout.

20

The nares

it is

one and a half times

its

diameter from

are neai-er to the snout tlian to the eye.

The

THE FKESir-WATKU FISHES OF

;}00

anterior eyelid

On

teeth.

and

is l)ron(l

and extends only

The maxillary

larfje.

an inclined direction,

l)one lias

The jaws have

behind the eye.

slig-htly

ET'ROPE.

rather slender short

the vomer there are three transverse teeth in front, with a simple

longitudinal row of four on the body of the bone, and a zig-zag- row or double

row

of eight or nine behind these (Fig. 1.59).

The margin of tlu; pre-operculum expands in the middle of the hinder The number of branchiostegal rays of the right side is ten, and on the border. The rake-teeth are thin, but long and pointed, and the last leftside eleven. arch carries nine or ten teeth.

The

dorsal

fin

The

dorsal

cate behind, nearly as high as long

The anal

the body.

The

scales are small

easily fall

profiles are similar.

but

its

height

The

dorsal.

is less

adipose

trun-

is

fin is

opposite the

smallest in the fore-part of the body and belly, and

smaller than in the typical forms of Snlmo

is

and back

becoming paler towards the

The

silvery.

lateral line,

which are generally angular

Red

and of considerable

or cross-shaped,

spots are scattered between

The skin

of spots diminishes, of the dorsal fin

The

broad, dark border.

greyish at the upper

of the fish

is

specimens are commonly

smaller

is

also

spots,

They

size.

are similar

Below the

lateral

and the belly may have a slight tinge of dotted with black, and margined with a

yellowish-white at the base,

fin is

The anal and

side.

The usual weight

is

pectoral

them; there

and rounder.

spots on the operculum, but generally larger

number

and giving

The operculum

body are marked with irregular deep-black

sides of the

are rarely round.

black, with steel-blue

is

place to silvery-white on the under side of the body.

red.

it

of the ventral are equal to those of the dorsal.

colour of the upper i)art of the head

lustrous scales, the blue

line the

;

than the depth of

but the pyloric appendages vary from sixty to seventy-four.

IdCKsfris,

The

;

The stomach

ofP.

;

high as the

as

fin is

The longest rays

end of the anal.

and ventral

begins in front of the middle of the length

and

ventral fins are whitish.

from ten caught

to fifteen pounds,

though much

and occasionally individuals are

;

captured which weigh from thirty to forty pounds.

During the greater part cesses of

surface,

mountain

and

rush at them.

which

may

is

also

in large circles,

of food,

of water, '^l^hey

drain them.

it

in

a

circle.

way during

and

vaivly

live

in

Trout frequents the deep

May.

feeds in the

It then

comes

re-

to the

morning and evening.

and drive their prey into the centre, and then

AVlien thus engaged they are

drawn

be taken in this

when out

them

on which

iiursues small fishes,

The Trout swim

May

of the year the

lakes, only leaving

They

commonly caught with the

net,

furnish good s]iort with the rod, and

a large part of the year,

but a short time

in })()1k1s,

^rhey die at once

even with a good supply

go out of the lakes into the streams which

ll(Âťw

into or

SALMO LEA^NENSIS.

307

Heckel and Kner say that their s^^awning-time

Though Herr

unknown.

is

Aignor, of Salzburg, states that they spawn in April and May, yet females

May

caught in

white, and

Their flesh

have the eggs scarcely larger than millet seed.

more prized

Austria for

in

flavour than that

its

of

is

the other

species of Trout.

Salmo levenensis D. 12—14, A. 10—12, P.

(Walker).

12— 14, V.9,C.

— Loch Scales

10.

Leven lat.

:

Trout.

120—130,

trans.

^

26.

The Loch Leven Trout

is

exclusively British, being almost limited to

Loch

Leven, in Fifeshire, and other lochs in the south of Scotland, such as Loch

Lomond, and Loch Scone, probably occurs

other

in

pounds in

artificial

is

found in Windermere, and

twenty-one

is

conditions

The common

six years.

It

inches

may

it

The

England.

north of

the

of

Museum

specimen in the British has shown that under

in Perthshire.

lakes

long.

largest

Mr. Day

reach a weight of seven

size is a little over a foot.

This Trout

does not migrate.

The upper part

of the

which are marked more or

some rounded the adipose

may be

is

becoming

olive-green,

belly inclines to yellow.

The

has small black or brown spots.

fin,

spotted,

paler on the sides,

with X-shaped brown or black spots, as well as

There are round black spots on the sides of the head and

spots.

The

operculum.

body less

and the pectoral

dorsal fin

The upper

is

grey, and, like

half of the caudal

usually blackish at the extremity, and

is

yellow at the base.

This

is

little less

The to five

a well-proportioned

The head,

S. farlo.

fish,

more elegant and

fish is rather less

;

is

a

the snout

is

conical,

tinct lower limb.

vomer usually

The teeth

reared artificially at of teeth on the

The

sharp points.

is

The

dorsal

;

is

longer

The maxillary bone extends

are of moderate strength

;

indis-

those on the body of the

but on the head of the vomer, which

a transverse row of a few teeth.

body of the vomer.

is

The pre-operculum has generally an

Howietown, near

fins are Avell

The mandible

and of moderate length.

persist as a single series

broader than long, there

five

The space between the eyes

than the snout, and occasionally hooked in males.

tongue.

dorsal profile

than four and a half times as long as high, and

below the hinder margin of the eye.

is

deep in body than

arched than the abdominal contour.

and a half times as long as the head.

convex

less

The

proportionately smaller.

too, is

Stirling,

Mr.

Day

In the specimens

records a double

row

Dr. Parnell mentions eight teeth on the

developed, though not large, and

all

terminate in

and anal are truncated, with concave borders.

The

r

THE FRESII-WATEU FISHES OF

:30y

caudal

is

more deeply concave

The

both are pointed.

sixty to eighty, tliough

Mr. Day

may The

by Dr. Giinther

from

at

range of variation to be between

finds the

The number

than the ventral, and

is lonpj'er

pyloric appendages are stated

forty-seven and ninety.

and

the pectoral

;

ET'ROPE.

of vertebne does not exceed fifty-nine,

be one or two fewer.

scales are thick

in a transverse series,

and have a ridge

line, is thirteen or fourteen.

Dr. Parnell

the colour and markings of this

In the Parr the number

and fourteen. mollusca.

It

The

})()inted

of scales

forward to the lateral

fin

out that focd and season affect

fisli.

of finger-marks

deep

flesh is of a

spawns

The number

in the centre.

descending from the adipose

red.

on the sides ranges between eleven It feeds largely

months

in the first three

upon fresh- water

of the year.

fungus, which most frequently affects old

Tliis fish is liable to attacks of

males and unspawned females. Sir J.

Gibson Maitland has reared

ponds at

this species successfully in his

Howictown, and demonstrated that hybrids may be produced between various Salmonoids. of a four-year-old

it

Mr. Day has described some of these experiments.

Loch Leven Trout were

fertilised

and

I^ggs

with the milt of Sal mo

In three years the fishes which resulted from this cross reached a

salar.

length of eleven inches.

The Loch Leven Trout

at

Ilowietown produces eggs of different

cording to the size of the parent C:<^g is

and

;

in a seven-year-old fish the

sizes, ac-

bulk of each

one-seventh greater than in a six-year-old, and there can be no

alx)ut

doubt that the larger eggs produce the larger

fish,

since in ten or eleven

months

the fry of the older parents were three and a half inches long, and those of the

younger parents two and a half inches long eggs small in an old

fish.

Mr. Day

;

but poor food

may make

the

Loch Leven Trout

inclined to regard

is

as

derived from the Brook Trout, but suggests the white variety of Salmon

Trout as

its

immediate ancestor.

Salrao orcadensis D. 13, A. 11, P. 14, Y.

1).

(G nth kr).— Orkney Scales:

lat. line

Trout.

115, transverse

-^-

30.

There appear to be two races of Trout in the Orkneys, one of which the older writers identified with the

Grey Trout

the Lake Trout

One

garded

[Sd/iiio J'cro.v).

apparently

as

the

Grey Trout, Dr.

specimens twelve inches long, taken

nigriplnnu

is

obvious, but

{Salii/o eriox),

it

and the other with

of these, which had previously been re-

in

Ciiinther

IjocIi

describes

Stcnnis.

Its

from male

affinity

to

^S'.

has a broader and stronger maxillary bone, like

8ALM0 BEACHYPOMA. that of the Brook Trout

;

larger scales on the

tail

;

309

and

fifty pyloric

appendages,

instead of about forty, as in that form.

The head

rather short, and the body

is

somewhat

culum has the lower limb

indistinct, as

similarly short and conical.

The vomerine teeth

The

persistent.

pectoral fin

slender

The snout

are in a single series,

rounded, the caudal truncate.

is

the pi-e-oper-

;

S. nigrijnnnis.

in

is

and

There are about

thirteen scales in a transverse series, descending obliquely forward, from behind

the adipose fin to the lateral

The

line.

dorsal fin

shows some black spots, and

the sides have more or less numerous black reticulated spots, with a few red

ones interspersed. It has fifty-six to fifty-seven vertebrae.

Salmo polyosteus D. 13, A. 11, P. 14, V.

This species

founded upon

:

lat. line

28— ;30.

128, transverse

fishes, in indifferent preservation,

from Lap-

which reach a length of about seventeen inches.

laud,

The in

is

Scales

\).

(Gunther).

teeth on the

an oblique

series,

body of the vomer are in

There are

pairs.

running from behind the adipose

fin

fifteen scales

to the lateral line.

The pre-operculum is somewhat crescent-shaped, with the lower limb indistinct. With the diminished number of rays in the fins there are ten branchiostegal rays instead of eleven in S. It

is

probably a variety of

*S'.

reneniensis,

Salmo brachypoma lU— 11,

D. 18, A.

P. 11, V. 9.

The Grey Trout Trent, and Ouse. nteus

;

but

is

is

(Gunther).— The

US—

Scales: lat. line

a migratory species which frequents the rivers Forth,

in length in old males,

body Avithout the caudal

when

rather

strong in both

mostly

lost

when the

jaws

;

fish is little

and anal

The

fins

in

S. fario.

more than half grown.

be a quarter

is

rather more

The

teeth are

all

The caudal

the fins are small.

fin

is is

The

have the outer margin black and white in young

sides of the

body show X-shaped

with some red spots below the lateral line fin.

may

but the zigzag double row on the vomer

truncate in individuals only ten inches long, but dorsal, ventral,

it

The body

fin.

and the maxillary bone narrower, than

the dorsal

Grey Trout. 12S, transverse 27/80.

distinguished by Giinther as having a comparatively small head,

of the length of the

specimens.

in S. mido])S.

It has generally been identified with the S. eriox of Lin-

though the head increases

slender,

and eleven or twelve

veiieriienns.

It reaches a length of

;

or ocellate black spots,

and there are round black spots on

30 inches.

THE FUKSH-WATKl; FISHES

;31()

Salmo trutta D.

A. 11,

1-4,

P.

L"),

V.

EUK(Jl'E.

()E

(Linn.eus).— Salmon Scales:

1).

lat.

line

Trout.

transverse

1:2(1,

— to — 30

31-.

much more common in Scotland than in l^^ng-land. In Wales and Ireland it is known It is characteristic of Scandinavia, where it is known as as White Tront. In North Germany it is usually termed Meerforellc but L(nrori}if/, or Or/aw. The Salmon Tront,

or Sea Trout,

essentiall}- a Nortli-l]ur(>pean fish,

is

,

is

also called Lachaforelle, or

White Sea and the

SMerlachs.

It occurs in Russia, chieHy in the

and

Baltic regions,

common

is

in the rivers

and

fiords of

Jutland. Its habits are

much

voracious, and

when

Salmon.

like those of the

and remains some days

sea,

in brackish

fattest the flesh

is

pale pink

is

inferior to that of the

;

commonly

lives in the

It is

rivers.

the fish gets out

l)ut as

The

of condition the colour becomes nearly white.

English taste,

It

water before ascendintf-

flavour, according- to the

Salmon, but

it

is

much

quite as

esteemed as Salmon in France. It

is

very hardy, and

to interfere clip

the

with the Salmon

tail of

be kept alive for some time in boxes by

;

it is

so

abundant

is

in the

Tweed

fish-

as seriously

and he assures us that the fishwives sometimes

the Trout square, and then

that their abundance

They

may

Buckland mentions that

dealers.

sell

annoying when fishing

eat small fishes, shrimps,

it

for

and many kinds

as

Salmon.

Jardine states

Salmon. Their stomachs

of insects.

and the colour

crammed with the common saudhopper. The body is deeper, higher, in the Aberdeen rivers and the Tay than in other parts

of Scotland.

It has been

are frequently

to the sea, the

asserted

said that

if

they are prevented from descending

head will become large, and the body thin

that the Sea Trout

is

now

lake in the island of Lismore, off Argyleshire, where

there have

;

but McCulloch

a permanent resident in a fresh-water

not been wanting those who^ like

it

breeds freely.

Hence

Mr. Day, are disposed to

regard the migi-atory Sea Trout as closely related to the non-migratory River Trout, since the most striking difference between that the former after a time sheds

them through

In

life.

New

its

them

while in Britain these range in

form, when reared

There

is

in

no doubl

in the circumstance

Zealand the Sea Trout breeds in a fresh-water

pond, and, like the Brook Trout, varies the number of for,

is

vomerine teeth, while the latter retains

number from

its

pyloric appendages;

forty-nine to sixty-one, this

a fresh-water pond, has only thirty-six. llial

this species

is

the

White Salmon

of Pennant, which

;

8ALM0 TKUTTA. he describes from the Esk in Cumberland is

known

local

Scotland as the Phinoc.

in

namesj such

as, Hireling-,

The Salmon Trout grows

It

compared with

body.

c>f

it

tliat in

also

known

the Grilse condition in Scotland

may

it

by various

Whiting-, and Black Tail.

The head

but the female becomes

of the fish

rather deep

is

length, and slig-htly exceeds the g-reatest depth of the

though

fish,

in old

be one-quarter of the length, owing to the increased development

The snout

the jaw-bones, and the hook of the lower jnw.

that the upper profile of the head is

and

about two-ninths of the total length of the

It is

males

its

;

is

to a length of three feet,

mature when ten or twelve inches long. as

311

is

elongated, so

is

The maxillary bone

sometimes concave.

The

inter-

The hinder

oper-

longer than the snout, and does not extend far behind the orbit.

orbital space

is

convex, and as wide as the snout

margin

is

obtusely rounded, but with the sub-operculum projecting a little

cular

The pre-operculum has a

backward.

The head

of the

vomer

is

long.

is

distinct lower limb.

body of the bone has a longitudinal ridge, along which

some

and

triangular, as broad as long-, is

which diverge ovitward alternately

of the hinder of

The

toothless.

a single series of teeth,

Von

to each side.

Siebold and Dr. Giinther state that most of these teeth are lost successively at different ages; often only three or four are left in specimens a foot long-, while

sometimes

six or eight teeth

in larg-er specimens

In erio.r,

all these

of the

still

may remain

characters the Salmo tnilfa agrees with the

Tweed and the Forth, and we

specific character to separate the latter,

from

specimens twenty inches long, but

in

only two or three teeth in front are found.

The

this type.

posterior

Grey Trout, Salmo

are unable to discover

which

is

any

sufticient

the S. hrachijpoma of Giinther,

margin of the caudal

fin

may

be rounded in

old specimens, truncate, or slightly emarginate, or deeply forked in the young*

but

all

fins are as

transverse series, line,

There are fourteen or

high as long.

fifteen scales in

a

running- from behind the adipose fin forward to the lateral

a character which this species shares with

8.

cambricns,

8.

hrachijpoma,

The upper

parts

body are blackish, usually with a purplish tinge on the silvery

sides,

and other forms. of the

Both the dorsal

the fins are short, especially the caudal and ])ectoral.

and anal

The

scales are short, thin,

and the under part of the body

is

and rounded.

There are generally X-like spots,

silvery.

which may be numerous or few, and there are commonly small round black spots on the sides of the head and dorsal Silberlachs of the scale is frequently

Germans, and 8almo

fin.

albiis of

When

unspotted

some British

surrounded by minute black dots.

it

writers.

is

the

Each

In the young state

there are nine or ten dusky ti-ansverse bars, but as the Parr changes to the Grilse they sides,

become

lost.

When young

it

and the Bull Trout Parr of the Tweed

often has orange or red spots on the is

sometimes called

''

Orange Fins."

— THE FKESII-WATKl; FISHES OF EUKOPE.

••312

Tlie caudal, adipose fin,

tlie

inner side of the pectoral, and ventral, are blackish,

with the outer side colourless.

There are fifty-nine to sixty

vertebra:'

;

and usually from forty-nine

to sixty-

one pyloric appendages.

Like

its allies, this fish is

where

sea,

it

known

is

to

sometimes found the Prussian

sterile,

and then remains in the

The

fishermen as Strandlachs.

breeding- fishes are believed to remain in fresh water longer than the Salmon,

and

spawn from September

to

to

November.

This Trout makes

its

way up

the small tributaries.

In France It

it

found only in the Loire, the Seine, and the Meuse.

is

recorded by Steindachner from Sjiain.

is

Moselle, and

is

occasionally taken at

Weser, Elbe, and other

rivers of

Metz

;

It goes

up the Rhine

and, like the Salmon,

it

to the

ascends the

North Germany.

"We have regarded the Bull Trout, or Sewin of Scotland, which Yarrell identified

with

i\xe

but

initla ;

Salmo eriox of

it is

Ijinnajus, as only a condition or variety of

his conviction that

it

Salmo

and Dr. Giinther records

at present imperfectly understood,

comprises

(1),

Hybrids between the Salmon and Sea Trout;

(2),

Salmon which have prematurely returned from the

sea after

spawn-

ing; and (8), Sterile fish.

Dr. Giinther mentions having seen in the in Scotland, thirty

Salmon

month

to three Bull Trout

of

August, in the Beauly,

and one Sea Trout

;

and adds

that the differences between the Bull Trout and Salmon are sometimes so slight as to be scarcely perceptible to

an inexperienced

eye.

Yarrell regarded the form of the opercular bones as furnishing distinction,

but we have already seen that the opercular bones are

The Welsh fishermen apply the name Sewin

expected variation. Avhich are if

commonly

Salmo eriox

spawn

is

of fifteen to

Home did

and

is

add that

found with the

not find any difficulty in distinguishing Salmon Trout from

Bidl Trout, and states that the latter

He

fertile,

im-

well developed.

Lord former

it is

infallible

to these fish,

We may

twenty pounds" weight.

a hybrid with the Salmon,

an

liable to

is

an

inferior fish,

which replaces the

in several Scottish rivers.

mentions that they do not enter the river

menced spawning, and observes

that,

till

though he had

the Salmon have com-

killed

more Salmon with

the rod than ain^ other man, yet he had not killed twenty clean Bull Trout,

though Bull Trout Kelts may be

killed in thousands.

SALMO FEROX.

Salmo ferox

(Cuvier and Valenciennes).

D. 13, A. 10—11, P. 16, V.

The Great Lake Trout

is

313

9.

Scales

:

lat. line

125, trans.

2G— 30. and

It does not migrate,

entirely British.

is

found in the lochs of the North of Scotland, in Dervventwater, and other lakes of the

North of England,

Melvin

in Ireland.

It reaches a length of thirty-one inches, but the female

only fourteen inches long.

It

and head rather large

short,

.shaped, so that its posterior

snout

is

in

Lough

the Lake of LlanLeris in Wales, and

in

The pre-operculum

mature males.

and

matures eggs when

a fine Trout, with a deep body, with the

is

inferior

The

margins do not form an angle.

one-third of the length of the head in the male

;

but

it

elongated

is

The maxillary bone

with age, and the mandible forms a hook.

tail

crescent-

is

longer

is

than the snout, extends beyond the eye in the adult, though, as usual, the teeth are smaller on

the maxillary and palatine bones than on the inter-

The head

maxillary and mandible.

of the

vomer

is

toothless.

The body

of

the bone has a double or zigzag series of teeth, almost becoming a single series

behind.

The

They

are persistent throughout

life.

are rather short, especially the pectoral

fins

margin of the caudal Tlie skin

is

is

and ventral.

The hinder

truncate.

remarkably thick, and completely embeds the scales both on

the back and on the abdomen.

There are thirteen to sixteen

series of scales in

a transverse series, descending anteriorly from behind the adipose

fin

to the

lateral line.

The

colour of the upper part of the body

is

a deep purple-brown, some-

times greenish-brown, with the sides lighter, and marked with roimd deep-

During spawning-

black spots, which occasionally have a blood-red margin.

The

time the spots have a red centre and black margin. black spots, and the other

fins

dorsal fin has small

Sometimes the spots on the

are blackish.

bright silvery sides are reticulated.

There are fifty-eight or

fifty-nine

vertebne, and forty-four to forty-nine

pyloric appendages.

Mr. C. will

Pike

in size

catch. rush,

St.

John, in his *^'Tour in Sutherlandshire," says

always maintain

A

its

high repute for

its

large

and voracity, but are stronger, and

Salmo ferox of

when he

fifteen

pounds^ weight

far is

more wary and

And

then comes the tug of war.

enough

rival the

difficult to

no mean adversary.

finds himself iirmly hooked, is nearly strong

fishing coble after him.

:—" Loch Awe

Lake Trout, which

to

His

first

tow the

The monster, held

314

FKKSlI-WATEi; FISHES OF EUROPE.

Till-;

only by a lu'iid

Hue and

slio-ht

bottom

to the

bent into the water;

tlie

and

close to the

all

your

to

wind your

is

one moment deep down,

next betakes a new

surface Hke a steamboat, and

reel is whirring-

rod,

laiM'riiio-

bottom of

l)ef()re

your

it,

fancie(l skill.

15ut

no

wood he manages

feel

your

If there

its keel.

would give

At

an angler.

last

long exhausted yourself critical

moment

and darts

tail,

in sjnte of

or,

example

by Jove! to upset you

if

he

After you have cleared your

it.

Your Highland boatman swears

in

English

—at

a certainty,

least, to

rid of the iish

without discredit to your

your enemy appears exhausted

— and

floats

— you

have been

But

quietly near the surface.

at

the

of placing the gaff in a position to secure him, he flaps his

again as strong as ever, taking good care to go right under

off

At

the boat again.

last,

however, patience and good tackle and

skill

begin to

and, after two or three more feeble efforts to escape, your noble-looking

tell,

fellow of a Trout

is

safely lodged in the

Salmo

A. lU, p. 12, V.

1.3,

Dr. Giinther mentions this

He

a migratory Trout.

cdiufjririi.s,

says

it is

mon Salmon

from

Trout.

appears to define

it

as a

fish as

found

states that it

but the description

distinct

bottom of the landing-net."

bailloni (Cuvieu and Valenciennfs). D.

1)0

Again the

must break

rowing too fast or too slow, and begin to think that you

for

guinea to be honourably

a

line

near the

a projecting nail or notch in the

is

to get the line fixed in

in Gaelic; you, i)erhaps, follow his

skill as

off

he stops suddenly, and again seems inclined

!

tackle from this danger, off he darts again.

you blame him

his

under your boat,

in, is rig-ht

you know not where.

line beinc^

rtnmd and round the boat;

can, by running against

and goes

fri'uk,

you can wind

round so raindly that you

line

Ixirini;-

the hdve, Avith every yard of line run out. and the rod

ol'

is

in the

spots.

The

is

believed to

identifies it

of rays in the anal

INIoreau

with the com-

and pectoral

fins

scales in the

lateral line.

At

lead-coloured, with violet reflections, and purple

sides are silvery.

fins are yellow,

It

S2)ecies.

There are about one hundred and twenty is

Somme.

should be compared with Salmo

and Blanchard

The small number

sixxwning-time the back

C. 23.

insufficient to elucidate its affinities.

S. ciiDihriciis,

good

!),

and the ventral

The caudal is

white.

fin

is

grey.

The

anal and pectoral

8ALM0 GENIVITTATUW.

Salmo

:315

genivittatiis (Heckel and Kner).

D. 11.

Scales

lat. line

:

UO,

traus.

Heekcl and Kner had but one specimen of this inches long-

Nothing-

is

IGO).

(Fig;.

known

It

was found It

of its habits.

is

body, inclusive of the caudal

height

Fig. 160.

its

— SALMO

times

five

is

two-thirds of the length, and

The eye

twice

is

its

.

diameter from the

is

more than twice the

fold at the front of the orbit is small.

orbital diameter.

The mouth

the strong, broad, maxillary bone reaches far behind the eye. is

strong

;

plate

parallel double

row

carries

It

is

is

rounded

The number

on the

The

left.

six teeth in a

transverse

series

;

in front,

the lower edge of the operculum

higher than the sub-operculum, which

operculum.

of branchiostegal rays

last gill-arch carries

and a

fin

;

is

is

is

directed

wider than the

ten on the right, eleven

about six short, thick, blunt rake-teeth.

distance from the snout to the occiput

the snout to the dorsal is

and

posteriorly.

The pre-operculum backward.

dorsal

is large,

The dentition

the pre-maxillary teeth are larger than those in the maxillary bone;

the vomerine

The

The

tail.

diameter from the hinder opercular margin, and the

its

breadth of the convex frontal region

The lunate

and a long

GENIVITTATUS (lIECKEL AND KNEK)

breadth nearly half the length.

snout,

fins,

about one-quarter of the length of the

is

its

eig'hteen

a beautiful species, of elegant form,

head, according to Heckel and Knei', ;

which was

in the Sala, a tributary of the Isonzo.

with a large head, small eye, short dorsal and anal

fin

^

fish,

is

one-third of the distance from

and the distance between the adipose

equal to the distance between the dorsal and the occiput.

slight indentation of the i)rofile behind the eyes, but

it

is less

fin

and the

There

is

marked than

a in

THE FKESII-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE.

;il6

iS'.

The

ilentt'.r.

ventral contour

is

rather less arched than the dorsal profile.

The part of the tail behind the anal fin is conspicuously lon^^. The dorsal fin has eleven jointed rays^ the longest of which are equal to The adipose fin is larg-e and long-. The ventral fins are those of the anal fin. imder the

last third of the base of the dorsal

;

their longest rays are scarcely

The longest rays

shorter than those of the anal.

The caudal

the terminal rays of the caudal.

of the pectoral are equal to

fin

but

is

little

has seventeen jointed rays, two unjointed terminal rays, and

notched

;

it

five or six trun-

cated rays on each side.

The

scales are

about the same

beginning of the dorsal

The perforated

scales in the lateral line

become small on the lateral line

are

and are a

belly,

At

those in S. ohttisirosfris.

size as

there

fin

twenty

above the

scales

are the smallest of

little larger

the

lateral line.

all.

on the sides of the

The

scales

The

tail.

runs nearly horizontally in the middle of the height in the hinder

two-thirds of the body.

Ten

distinct pores

may

be traced on the branch of the

cephalic canal, which runs along the lower jaw.

The

colour of this species

is

The whole

peculiar.

of the head

is

covered

with large brownish-black patches, which are drawn out longitudinally, and give an irregular banded a])])earance, comparable to the watering on free edges of the scales are silvery,

where they cover each other barred aspect; but there are no

but there

laterally, sj)ots

giving the

D. 10, A.

The

flesh of this fish is

common

in the Crimea,

Sevastopol, and

is

fish

a delicately crossfins.

(Pallas). 9.

esteemed as food, and becomes red

in cooking.

taken with spears or nets about Kherson.

black

sjiots.

The

It

being often speared at the entrance to the harbour of It has very

the aspect of Sdhno fario, but there are only ten rays in the dorsal

nine in the anal.

The

silk.

a band of black pigment,

on the body, caudal, or other

Salmo labrax

is

is

much

fin,

and

pectoral fins are bluish, and the dorsal has irregular

—

—

—

—

-;

.

317

CHAPTP]K

IX.

FRESH-WATEE, FISHES OF THE ORDEE PHYSOSTOMI

FAMILY SALMONID.E alpinus— S. nivalis arius

—

S.

grayi

(row^^/^rM)

— S.

:

— Sub-Gexus Charr — colli—

killinensis— S. perisii

— S. hucho — S. lossos

S.

:

{contiuilCfl)

Salmo salvclinus

S. willughbii

Genus Luciotrutta

:

—

—

S.

S. rutilus

L. leucichthys

umUa — S. — S. carbon

Gents Osmeeus:

upper jaw prolonged — Species with the snout Sijecies with — Species with the snout vex-ticaUy truncated— Powan —Species with the mandible longer than the snout — PoUan — Vendace Genus Thymallus Grayling— ThymalSmelt

Genus Coregoxus

tlie

:

obliquely truncated

:

lus microlepis.

Sub-Genus The Salvelini is a group known as Charr, and widely The

America.

Salvelini,

:

sub-genus

or

of

the

Salmon

tribe,

popularly-

distributed in Europe, Northern Asia, and

North

Charr are united together, because their vomerine

species of

This character, insig-nificant enough

teeth are limited to the head of the vomer. in

Charr.

or

useful in facilitating" the study of a large tribe of variable fishes

itself, is

which require

The members

classification.

of this group, like Trout, vary with

almost every sheet of water, so that local races and varieties have been developed, which

many

writers

term

modification

of

with

characters,

enables us to recognise the steps

changed structures which,

We are

if

These mutations of form do

species.

not confuse our conception of a species

;

because they demonstrate a gradual

geographical

varied

examined

in one locality only,

would greatly reduce the number

of existence have

seem to be

specific character in

adopted in the British species, such as

were

difference in a large

vertebrae

them

all.

is

find the

number

almost as constant.

And

of

fishes well

almost every one of the species

Catalogue favours their union into larger

in favour with

Thus we

naturalists.

Museum

stable.

of species of Charr, although they

founded on characters which in other groupvS might characterise

but the variability of

which

distribution,

by which circumstances

Louis Agassiz, Yarrell, and the earlier

number

presenting but

of fin-rays

so-called species of Charr.

The colouring

is

little

The number

of

on the same general plan in

even the pyloric appendages in the majority of

tliese

fishes

vary in number between small limits.

The number

of scales in the lateral line,

variable chai'acters in the geographical races,

however,

is

one of the most

and we are disposed to asso-

ciate Sahiio salvelinns, S. nmbla, S. a/pin as, S. nivalis, S. Jclllineusls, S. perlsii, S. willvghbii,

and

S. colii as

types of Salmo mlvelinus, in which the variation

THE FRESII-WATKi; FISHES OF EUROFE.

318 is

by

cumulative

and

Some

1()0.

oradation. differs

])arts

of

from the ordinary Charr

North America, a

enume-

in

in i^aps in this

fill

be considered a distinct species, since

havint]^

no median teeth on the hyoid

fish

which has recently been successfully intro-

rivers.

But while we advocate the it

exjiressed

resembles the Saliiio foniinalis of the northern

it

duced into British lakes and

fishes,

may

hue ho, however,

bone, a character in which

as

200, 195 to 200, 190, 180, 170, 1G5,

2:20,

of the species found in other localities

Sulii/.o

scales,

in the lateral line, in the several forms

which the numbers are

rated, in

it

numbers

size of the

increased

the direction of

in

their diminished

institution of larger species for closely-allied

seems indispensable that the constituent varieties of those species

should be kept distinct, and treated as thoug-h they were species in process of

development,

still

showing

their connection with the parent stock.

Salmo salvelinus D. 12—1.3, A.

The Alpine

13, P. 13,

V.

(Linnaeus).

17/0— 7.

9, C.

Sq.

lat.

lakes of Austria and Bavaria yield a fish which

those countries as the

It has

Salblirirj.

scarcely so elongated as the ILucli

;

220. is

known

in

an elongated form of body, though the

jjut

proportions vary considerably

%

Fio-. 161.

with sex, age, and varieties.

— SALMO

localities,

SALVKLINTS

that

so

The young have a very

short

(LIXN-lCrs).

the species exhibits a snout.

The length

sometimes one-sixth of the length, and sometimes the half times as long as the head

;

its

is

live

IJsuall}^,

and

its

a hall'

may

equal the

the height of the head

length, and its thickness half the head-length.

height of the body and

The head

less.

of

only four and a

hence the height of the body

length of the head, or be greater or two-thirds of

fish is

multitude

of the head is

The

is

greatest

thickness are always nearly e(]ual to each other. to six times as

long as the eye.

The eye

is

less

SALMO SALVELIXUS. than twice

its

diameter from the snout, and more than twice

the other eye, so that the frontal interspace is

wide

319 diameter from

its

The gape

broad.

is

of the

mouth

the maxillary bone usually reaches back for fully half the length of

;

the head.

Both jaws

are equal, or,

if

there

is

any

inequality, the lower

is

the

shorter (Fig. 161).

The

row

teeth are in a single

bones, and lower jaw.

The tongue

Those

bone are comparatively small.

not toothed at the edges, but a double row of teeth, parted

is

by a deep furrow, extends longitudinal

in the pre-maxillary, maxillary, palatine

in the maxillary

row of

The hyoid bone has a simple

along- the middle.

The

teeth.

dentition of the vomerine

plate

very

is

variable; generally there are six or seven teeth arranged in a nearly equal -sided triangle, with its apex directed backwards, or there

may

be a simple transverse

row, or two longitudinal rows, with nine teeth in each.

The operculum

is

The rake-teeth The

left,

though there are occasionally ten on both

and

of the gill-arches are thin, long,

dorsal profile

dorsal fin

There are usually ten branchiostegal rays on the

rounded.

right side, and eleven on the

is

much more convex than

commences rather

in front of the

It

The

more truncate behind.

They

latter

The adipose

fin is

high as the dorsal, bnt

as

ventrals are opposite the hinder part of the dorsal.

of the forked caudal are a little longer

and are from one-seventh to one-sixth

The

They

is

is

are well developed, their longest rays being equal to those of the anal.

The terminal rays fin,

The

fin.

It

truncated, but the trun-

is

cation scarcely reduces the height of the last rays one-half.

opposite to the end of the anal

The

the ventral contour.

middle of the length.

about two-thirds of the height of the body.

sides.

finely denticulated.

scales

are very minute,

on the

sides,

The

delicate,

and firmly attached to the

and most elongated on the throat and

are smallest

where they are more

lateral line is straight,

than the pectoral

of the length of the fish.

belly,

skin.

and largest

circular.

and nearer

to the liaek

than the abdomen.

It

comprises from one hundred and twenty-four to one hundred and thirty simple pores, although there are generally over lateral

line,

canals the lower

The numl)er rately long,

The

two hundred and twenty

scales in the

Among

the cephalic

but only every second scale

jaw has the pores most of pyloric

appendages

is

perforated.

distinct. is

from thirty

to forty.

and none exceed the length of those forming the

colour

is

almost as variable as that of the

Common

living fish at spawning-time the upper part of the head

green, the sides of the

body

under side passes through behind the ventral

fins,

lighter,

all

and the lower jaw

All are mode-

first circle.

Trout.

In the

and back are brownish-

is

yellowish-white.

The

shades of orange to vermilion, from the throat to

the colour being most brilliant in front of the ventrals.

THE FRESII-WATEIt FISHES

320 paler

<i;"ottint4"

[)oints, spots,

and

Ijcliiml,

and

strii)es,

at last

])apsing'

below

The

to white

The

it.

pectorals

where

hn

is

becoming faintly red

more or

The

pure white, while the anal

less pale.

Out

on the abdomen, and

of

is

ray of the ventral and

first

pale red, except in the middle,

The caudal

like the pectoral.

The

in the lower lobe.

iris is

spawning-time the colours are

differ

is

are paler, too, in

but in the lakes

high mountains the colours are more intense, as

in the

Aim

and

The

See.

The

size of

Langbath

;

and the

sides,

as Schwarzreuterl,

The usual

See, or Bartholomaus See.

five to six

pounds, are

much

rarer,

Hinter See, near Berchtesgaden.

The

size

is

male than in the female, not only

the male the total length of the

iish is

length of the head, but in the female

in

most lakes

is

Fishes two feet long,

Fusehler

occasionally

is

See and the

diminishing from over-fishing.

The head

variations with sex are remarkable.

from the Langbath

size in

but the species

taken weighing eighteen to twenty pounds in the

in the

yellowish-white

no larger in the variety carnea from

a foot long, with a weight of half a pound to a pound.

The

are

White

than half a pound, or longer

heavier

size is

known

the Traun See, and in the fish

weighing

Fitzinger^s

In some lakes, such as the INIond See and

the Salbling varies.

See, the fishes are rarely

Konig

such as

fins.

than eight or nine inches

See, -Upper

pale,

with pale-violet back, rose-red

var. carnea,

and pale-red

quite

the

Gosau

Among them

Johann, in Pongau.

St.

found some individuals which are

belly,

among

Altau See, Grundel

colours are most beautiful and brilliant in the

See and the Tappenkar See, near

Salbling,

greonish-

less intense, especially

They

with the locality and water.

fin

reddish-yellow, but

the lower-lying lakes, even thoug'h they are deep;

See,

colours,

greenish-yellow or brownish, with cloudy spots.

dark grey or black,

it is

brow^n,

is

sides are

which present a variety of

spots,

and ventrals are vermilion-red.

of the anal fin

Blackish

and the

the majority of these spots are near the lateral line, or

;

dorsal

yellowish-white.

into

are seen on the branchiosteg-al rays,

ornamented with rounder and smaller from deep red

EFROFE.

(JF

is

considerably longer

the adult, but in the young.

In

four and two-thirds as nnieh as the

it is

five

and a half times as long as the

The male has a wider mouth, longer maxillary bone, and longer rays to The colour is similar in both sexes, but the shallower the water all the fins. The varieties in the different lakes are constant. the paler the colour. head.

The Salbling never considerable depths.

leaves the clear

mountain waters, and usually

In the Austrian Alps

it is

fre(]uents

found as high as six thousand

feet above the sea, as in the Griin See,

These fishes.

as

fishes feed

on univalve fresh-water

Tlie usual time for

spawning

November, and others not

till

is

shells,

and on various small

December, though some.sjiawn as early

January.

They

increase rapidly, but their

,

SALMU UMBLA. jTvowth

They

slower than that of Trout, which often occur in the same lakes.

is

They

do not associate with the Trout.

Elm,

See, on the

and can be removed from one

are hardy,

Thus Salbling taken from the Grundel

lake to another, often with advantage.

put into a lake four thousand feet up the mountain,

wei-e

rapidly gained from three to five pounds^ weight, and became larger

when they

than the native

The

3-21

same

fishes of the

Salbling

flesh of the

species.

held in extraordinary esteem.

is

It

is

sometimes

sometimes white, the colour of the flesh varying with the season of the year,

red,

the lake, or even with the water in which fishes have been temporarily placed.

The

excellence of the flesh varies in a distance of

two

account the species has not been thought suitable.for so

many

other fishes,

vigilance

is

relaxed.

it

It

captured easily at spawning-time,

is is

taken in Upper Austria with a net,

Segen, which has a sack-shaped form, and sions, or

wings, so that

it

manned by two men.

The smaller

fishes,

Von

this

Like

when its usual known as the

furnished with two lateral expan-

can be drawn through the water to shore by two

boats, each

lake.

is

On

or three miles.

artificial cultivation.

weighing

In this

way

a plentiful supply

obtained.

is

than half a pound, are thrown back into the

less

common

Siebold says sterile individuals are

in the

where they weigh about three pounds or three pounds and a

Bavarian lakes,

half.

This species has sixty-four vertebree, and thirty-six pyloric appendages to the intestine.

Salmo umbla D. 12, A. 12—1:3, P. 14, V.

A

Scales

9, C. 19.

well-marked variety of Sahiio salvelinus

Constance, Neuchatelj and Geneva, which or

(Linn.eus).

Rothforelle, and

to

is

known

the French as Ombre

The body

Oinhle-chevalier.

is

lat. line 2(H).

:

found in the Swiss lakes to the

is

The

never red.

Rot he I

as

higher, the scales are larger, the teeth in the

is

pre-maxillaiy and maxillary bones are stronger than in belly

Germans

Chevalier, sometimes written

entire fish

is

S. salvelinus,

and the

about four and a half times as long as

the head, and about five times as long as the greatest height of the body in front of the dorsal

The snout of the

back

Exclusive of

is

is

fin

(Fig. 102).

always more pointed than in the Salbling, and the

profile

similar to the ventral profile for the first half of the length.

the

furrow

for

the

eyelid,

the eye

is

more than

its

own

diameter from the

diameter from the point of the snout, and three times

its

margin of the operculum.

narrower than in the

The

frontal interspace

is

Salbling, being in width only one and a half times the diameter of the eye.

The jaws 21

are e(|nal in length

;

the mouth

is

wide, while the maxillary bone

THE

:32:>

FRKSll-WA'I'Kl;

extends behind the eye.

FISHES

(lE

EFHOPE.

All the tooth-hearing- elements of the jaws have large

teeth of uniform size, Avhieh are stronger than in the Salbling.

palatine bone,

The hyoid bone has a row

row, are as strong as the others.

the smallest teeth are on the vomer.

may

be grouped as variously as

They

usually

in S. .salrelimis,

margins are nearly

parallel.

and twelve on the

The

but

and

in

a simple

are rounded and their

There are eleven branchiostegal rays on the right

left.

dorsal fin begins in front of the middle of the body,

The anal

high as long.

;

or eight,

though often placed

The pre-operculum and operculum

doiible

of feeble teeth

number seven

transverse row.

side,

Those on the

whieh form a single row, and those on the tongue in a

lin is

and

is

nearly as

The small adipose

lower and shorter.

fin

is

Fig. 162.— SAI.MCI I'MULA (iixx.Krs).

opposite the termination of the anal.

The

ventral fins are opposite the middle

of the dorsal,

and have longer rays than the anal.

forked caudal

fin

The

The terminal rays

are a little longer than the pointed pectoral

scales furnish

along the lateral

marked evidence

line there

hundred and twenty-two

of

affinity

with

scales, perforated

with mucus

])ores

bouring rows there are twenty to twenty-five fewer scales species.

The

S.

.sulrernnis, for

and twenty

are similarly one hundred

of the

fin.

;

in a

to

one

but in the neigh-

row than

in that

cephalic canals are distinct, and the sub-orbital branch opens

with six or seven large pores.

The number

of ])yloric

appendages

is

similarly about thirty-six, and there

are sixty-live vertebrae instead of sixty-four.

The

colour at the back

is

small round yellowish spots. silvery,

bluish-grey, sometimes without, sometimes with,

The lower

parts of the

body are whitish and

but sometimes slightly tinged with yellow or red.

In old males the

operculum and sides of the belly have a smudged appearance, as though

marked with a

stick of charcoal.

The dorsal

fin is

marked with

isolated black

;

SALMo ALPTXrs. spots

The

This

weight

fish

Geneva, where

It it

is

frequents deep water.

size,

its

October and November.

The

species, a

lis,

to

The

commoner

in the

spawning-time.

Lake of It there

have been taken. fish

spawns in January and

According to Blanchard,

native lake.

Its

aljjhius,

it

spawns

eggs are semi-transparent, and yellow.

and salinarinus,

which Linnseus had named

same

as different conditions of the

view which Professor Nilsson also adopted after examination of the

original specimens.

And

we have

if

Kner, and Giinther, who keep them

rather followed authors like Heckel and

distinct, it is not because

claims to specific distinction, but because

is,

is

elder Agassiz united the species of Saliiio,

Mvibla, .sal cell )i

may

It

pounds are said

and esteemed.

reddish,

flesh is

or three pounds'

twelve pounds' weight being not unusual, while speci-

of twenty-five to thirty

February, but never leaves in

though lighter than the

not so frequently taken as other Salmon in Lake

also affects great depths, except at

it

grows to a larger

The

blue^

is

pound; but two

usually weighs less than a

not rare.

is

colour

its

iris is silvery.

Constance, because

mens

and caudal^

like the anal

;

back.

;3:>;3

all

they possess any

species consist of varieties,

give rise to varieties which are limited in geographical range.

regarded only as a western form of Salmo salvelinus,

be

therefore, to

and

Salmo umbla

and both Charr only

differ as varieties

from forms met with

in Britain

and

Scandinavia.

Salmo alpinus D. 13, A. 1ÂŁ, P. 13, V. 10. This Charr is

may

195 to 200.

lat. line

in, at least,

It

ranging up to Lapland, occurs in Iceland, in

the northern counties of Scotland.

of vertebra has been observed to vary

and sixty-two

:

be regarded as a northern variety of Salmo salvelinm.

characteristic of Scandinavia,

the Orkneys, and

(Linn.^^us).

Scales

The number

between fifty-nine in the Orkney

in those of Scandinavia.

The length

of the

fishes,

body and head^ the

form of the operculum, and other characters, are variable.

The back

is

dark green and the nnder-part of the abdomen

There are small round spots on the green.

In

Scandinavia

it

is

sides,

which vary

limited to the higher lakes, and

found in those which are frozen through the greater It

dark is

spawns

red.

in

is

said to be

of the year.

]oart

September on stony ground, when the abdomen becomes a

The eggs

are as large as those of the Trout.

It

usually between nine and seventeen inches long, but

weight of

light red.

is

between red and

in tint

fifteen pounds.

The

flesh is red,

is

is

and accounted

taken with nets

said to

grow

to a

delicious.

Dr. Giinther describes the body as being slightly compressed and elon-

324 gated, is

frksii-watki; fishks ok

'J'ln-:

five

the head

is

long as high.

times as

or six

about as long as the body

is

high,

The diameter

greater.

l)ut in

mature specimens the

In the

of the eye

is

Kriidi'i:.

young the

liead

relative length of

one-sixth of the length of the

The snout is compressed and conical, half as long again as the (>r])ital The jaws are equal iu front. The maxillary bone extends but little diameter.

head.

beyond the hinder margin of the There are

teeth of moderate size.

twenty

It contains

orbit.

six

twenty-two

to

There are

teeth in each pre-maxillary.

nineteen teeth on each palatine bone, six pairs on the tongue, three pairs on

the vomer, in two longitudinal series, and fifteen on each mandible.

The width

of the inter-orbital space does not exceed twice the oi'bital diameter.

The

culum, rounded obtusely behind,

is

oper-

sometimes as long as high, sometimes with

the length only two-thirds of the height.

The

origin of the dorsal fin

truncated, and

it is

base

its

is

nearer the snout than the base of the caudal

a third longer than

is

distant fully twice the length of its base from the dorsal.

fiu is

;

The adipose

last ray.

its

The anal

fin

midway between the root of the caudal and the ventral; it has a shorter base than the dorsal. The caudal fin is forked, with pointed lobes. The ventral is below the middle of the dorsal. The pectoral is longer than the rays of the is

than half the distance between

It covers less

dorsal.

its root,

and that

of the

ventral.

The number

of

crectal

a])pendages

is

thirty-six to forty-two.

Sal mo nivalis D. It, A.

13.

Scales:

((H-nther). lat. line

Farther north, in the rivers and lakes of Iceland

Salmo

a/p'nui.s, so

Iceland.

It

is

that

known

it

might be regarded

to reach a length of

is

190.

a Charr, closely allied to

as a representative of that

twenty-one inches.

The

describes the body as slightly compressed and elongated.

equal to the length of the head, and

is

form

in

Dr. Giinther

greatest depth

is

one-fifth of the length of the fish.

The maxillary bone extends beyond the orbit in the The breadth of the frontal inters])ace rather small.

adult. is

less

The

teeth are

than twice the

orbital diameter.

The

pectoral fin measures

more than

half the distance between

the root of the ventral, and this elongation of the pectoral best distinctive characters.

the pectoral.

lower

fins

sixtv-two

The lower

The longest ray

of the dorsal

is ecpial

base and

one of

its

to that of

parts of the body are of a deep orange colour, and the

have the anterior margin orangi'-coloured or while. vertel)ra',

its

fin is

and forly-one

]>yloric a])i)endages.

This species has

SALMo

Salmo fish is

P. 13, V. 9.

Lech

lat line 180. Killin, in Inverness-shire,

The head and body

to fifteen inches in length.

and but slightly compressed.

thick,

Scales:

described by Dr. Giiather from

from adult examples ten

;325

killinensis (Gunther).

D. 14—15, A. 13, This

PEiasii.

The

greatest depth of the body

are

equal to

is

the length of the head, and measures two-ninths of the total length.

The

maxillary bone scarcely extends beyond the hind margin of the orbit.

The

lower jaw of the eye

rather shorter than the upper

is

the snout

blunt.

is

The diameter

than the length of the snout, and half the width of the inter-

is less

The teeth

orbital space.

;

The sub-operculum

are very small.

is

very short

and high. This species

remarkable for the excessive development of the

is

pectoral being scarcely shorter than the head,

and long,

is

a

to the vent.

little

The

shorter than the pectoral.

caudal

The head and upper

is

and the

The

dorsal,

fins,

which

the

high

is

ventral fin extends nearly

broad.

parts of the body and fins are brownish-black

;

the

lower parts are orange-coloured, and there are very small light spots on the sides,

of

The

which are not very conspicuous.

fins are

anterior margins of the abdominal

white or orange-coloured, as in the Icelandic Charr, Salmo

which

may

this fish

The number

of vertebrae

the same

is

pendages vary between forty-four and

Salmo

(sixty-two), and the pyloric ap-

fifty- two.

perisii (GuxNther).

D. 13—1-4, A. l->— 11, P. 12—13, V.

The Charr,

lakes of

known

North Wales,

as the Torgoch,

carefully described

especially the

the mandible

The nostril.

Charr.

is

lat. line

:

of

17U.

Llanberis,

as the

Welsh

flap

is

upward

is

a

It has

been close

same compressed

elon-

so as to reach the

of the head, but

upper jaw.

round, open, and surrounded by a membrane, which

posteriorly,

This character

It has the

yield

variety of

its

similarly one-fifth of the length

slightly curved

anterior nostril

becomes a small

Lake

by Dr. Giinther, whose description brings out

The eye is

Scales

which we UTay regard

resemblance to the Charr of AVindermere.

gated body.

9.

Adult specimens have a length of nine inches.

Sabiio salreliiins.

nivali-^,

be regarded as a Scottish representative.

that covei-s the

smaller

oblong posterior

one of the most distinctive peculiarities of the Welsh

THK FKESII-WATKli

;32()

FJSIIES

The maxillary bone has the same twenty-one medium-sized teeth.

OF EI'ROPF.

posterior extension, with

There are

nineteen to

six or seven teeth

eaeh pre-

in

maxillary, seventeen in each mandible, seven on the vomer, in a V-shape,

on each palatine bone, and

fifteen

pairs

iive

Only

on the tongue.

The lower branch

branchiostegal rays are exposed in a side view.

three

of the

outer branchial arch has thirteen strait^ht lanceolate ÂŤ-ill-rakers.

The

fins

present but

of the pectoral

The

is

from the other types, thouo-h the base

variation

little

overlapped by the opercular apparatus.

and the perforated

scales are similar to those of S. icillnoliljii,

series of

the lateral line similarly does not correspond to the transverse series. colour

The

same

essentially the

is

The

but the sides show numerous orange-red spots.

;

have the same white anterior margin, red colour on the abdomen,

fins

and black on the back and

though both dorsal and caudal

tail,

fins

have lighter

margins.

Salmo D. 14, A. 12, This

is

a small

fish,

P.

colli (Ginther).

1:3,

V.

which the depth of the body

eye

is

lat. line

:

KiO.

seven to eight inches long, described by Dr.

from the Irish loughs, Dan and Esk. in

Scales

<).

It has the

same form

Giintliei",

as other Charr,

one-fifth of the total length of the fish.

is

similarly one-fifth of the length of the head.

The

The

frontal interspace

is

half as wide again as the eye, very slightly convex, with a faint median ridge.

The maxillary bone has mandible and

The

thirteen to seventeen small teeth, and

j^alatine bones, three

on the vomer, and four pairs on the tongue.

toral fin is not overlapped is

the other

six in the pre-maxillary, fifteen each in the

base of the dorsal fin

The back

all

There are four to

teeth are small.

is

by

longer than

the operculum

The base

its last ray. ;

the fin

is

of the pec-

shorter than the head.

bluish-black, with silvery sides, dotted over with light salmon-

coloured markings; the belly

is

The

reddish.

fins are black,

though there

is

a

reddish tinge in the pectoral and ventral, and the ventral and anal have a

The number

white margin. ])yloric

to the

is

It

short.

sixty-three is

;

and the forty-two

perhaps most nearly related

Windermere Charr.

Salmo D.

in

of vertebrie

appendages are exti-emely

\-l

—

\:\,

^willughbii (Gunther).

A. 12, p. l.-i— 1

The Charr

of

Scotland.

The Lancashire

Windermere

1,

V.

]'J.

also occurs in fishes

are

Scales

:

lat. line JG.j.

Cumbei-laud and in Loch Bruiach,

eleven inches long, with fifty-nine

SALMU vertebra3^

and thirty-two

some variation

is

wiLLUcaiiJir.

to thirty-five pyloric appeiulag-es

The number

fish is so closely allied to

and

S. killitiensis

The head and body, according four times as long as high.

in

Scothnid

The

fewer, but otherwise the

is

that

8. nivalis,

from Salmo

it

may

is

be regarded

salreliniis.

to Dr. Giinther, are compressed. orbital diameter

The

fish is

one-fifth of the length of

the length of the sub-conical snout exceeds the diameter of the eye,

;

and the breadth of the convex frontal interspace of the eye.

The

pores.

but

while the tishes are seven to eight

;

of scales in the lateral line

as another link in the chain of variation

the head

;

perceptible, for the vertebrre are sixty-one to sixty-two, the

pyloric appendages thirty-nine to forty-four

inches long.

3:>7

is less

than twice the diameter

This area has a prominent ridge on the middle, with two series of

The maxillary bone

nostrils are just in front of the eye.

twenty to twenty-one teeth

of

medium

size,

and extends

as far

carries

back as the

posterior orbital border.

There are four teeth in the

two

pairs

tongue.

Nearly

all

maxillary bone, seventeen in each mandible,

the branchiostegal rays are exposed in a side view of the

The lower branch

fish.

pre-

on the vomer, fifteen on each palatine bone, and four pairs on the

of the outermost branchial arch carries eleven lanceolate

slightly-curved gill-rakers.

The caudal.

ventral

The length fin is

of its base

is

The

scales are ovate,

with black below.

The lower

As

in

in the skin.

back

salveliiLus, the

*S'.

The

two-thirds as long as

is

minute on the back, and hidden

are largest in the lateral line.

green, and the belly deep red.

of the

equal to the heig-ht of the last ray.

below the hinder part of the dorsal, and

the pectoral.

They

commences midway between the snout and the base

dorsal fin

is

a dark

The

sides of the

fins

are red, with white anterior margins,

head are

silvery, finely dotted

and

blackish in the middle.

Salmo A

rutilus

small Charr, about twelve inches long,

(Nilsson). is

western Norway, which has been thus named. five

and a third times

as long as the head,

found in the lakes of south-

We

and that

only it

know

that the body

is

has a pointed snout, with

the lower jaw sometimes prominent.

The

colour

is

brownish above, yellowish at the

while the sides have small light spots.

white anterior margins. fish

The red

These characters are

sides,

orange, or red below,

ventral and anal fins have

insufficient to distinguish the

from the British Charr, and we can only suspect that

this

variation from the type so well represented in Great Britain.

is

another slight

THE FJiE.SH-WATEK FISHES OF EUKOPE.

32S

Salmo carbonarius Mi: Lloyd the

})e()ple

(Stronn).

us of a Cluirr, found only in Lake Sigdal, in Norway, which

tells

distinguish as

characterised

G'a/is/i?*^'*^-,

by

its

small eyes, blunt white

snout, and inflated belly, which led Nilsson to distinguish It reaches a length of a foot,

regards

it

and

is

with the

as identical

it

as S. renfricosas.

taken with the hook in winter.

fish

f(nuKl in the

wooded

Dr. Giinther

lakes of "Western

Norway, which the people name the KcUiiiuml.

The

;

but

it

lives in

The only

even to spawn.

face,

sides grey, with small tins black,

difference

round white spots

from

Lough Melvin,

in

\-l,

summer with

rentricosna

H.

is

apparently the

parts are black, the

the under parts are white, and the

;

fins

Nothing

have white margins.

P. 1:3—1

1,

(Gunther).

V.

Scales

9.

:

line l^o.

lat.

the north-west of Ireland, between

Ulster and Con-

naught, yields a peculiar Charr, with sixty vertebrte, and thirty-seven a})pendages,

first

is

anatomy, or other characters.

Salmo grayi D. L-3— II, A.

taken in the

The head and upper

though the ventral and anal

of the scales, internal

is

deep water, and does not come to the sur-

absence of the abdominal inflation.

known

and

latter has a soft, white, insipid Hesh,

a bait of live frogs

recognised and described by Dr. Giinther.

He

finds

[)yloric it

to be

eleven inches long, with the head and body compressed, and the dej)th at the origin of the dorsal fin one-fourth of the total length.

As

in

the English Charr, the snout

and longer than the diameter of the the head.

mere,

The

is

The

eye,,

is

slightly compressed, sub-conical,

which

is

one-fifth of the length of

frontal space between the eyes, as in the Charr of

Winder-

convex, with a median ridge, two series of pores, and similar width.

nostrils are a little

more distant from the

eye.

The maxillary bone has

sixteen small teeth, with those at the back rudimentary.

All the other teeth

are small, and slightly fewer than in the English Charr, being four in the pre-

maxillary, twelve in the mandible, two to four on the vomer, fifteen on the palatine bone, and four pairs on the tongue. stegal rays are exposed laterally, as in the

The two

or three outer branchio-

Welsh Charr.

The lower branch

of

the outer branchial arch has only nine straight lanceolate gill-rakers, instead of thirteen, as in that fish.

The little

dorsal

longer.

fin

commences

The base

a little

of the pectoral

farther fin

is

forward,

and

its

base

not overlapped by the

is

a

oper-

8ALM0 culai-

apparatus, so that in this character

the Welsh ventral

is

The and

The pectoral

fish.

3^9

IlUCIiO.

resembh'S

it

fin is as long-, or

tlic

Eng-lish rather than

longer than the head, and the

three-quarters of this length.

scales are larger

Between the dorsal

than in other British forms.

fin

they are nearly square, with the hind margin rounded, and those

lateral line

of the lateral line are not larg-er than the others.

Even the small

back are distinctly formed.

have a silvery centre, and a

The head and back

blackish margin. silvery, inclining

The hns

sides.

Those on the

sides

are bluish-black

scales

on the

the sides and belly are

;

below to a reddish tinge.

There are light orange dots on the

are blackish, with a white

margin

Salmo hncho D. 18, A.

U,

•)— 10, C.

P. 17, V.

to the ventral.

(Linneus). 11).

Scales

:

lat. line

180.

The River Charr of the Danube occurs nowhere else. It is sometimes known as lioihjisch, but more frequently as ILnch. The Hungarians name it (JaUcza Its

(Fi,g.

form

is

103).

elongated, slender, and

and elongated form

readil}'

separate

— SALMO

Fig. 163.

body fish

head

is

cylindrical.

from other Salmon.

HUCHO

young specimens

It

is

its

The round body The height of the

(LINX.TiUs).

;

and

young

in the

four and a half times the length of the head.

nearly as broad as high

in

the eye

;

diameter

is

is

close to the frontal profile,

The

and even

only one-seventh of the length of the head

;

twice the orbital diameter from the snout, and the same distance from the

other eye;

though

in

The half-moon-shaped wide

young eyelid

The small nares

Salmon. is

somewhat

only half to two-thirds of the length of the head

is

the entire length is

it

;

fish is

the breadth of the inter-orbital space

less

developed than in the

are rather near to the eye.

May

is less.

Trout and the

The gape

of the

mouth

the maxillary bone extends behind the eye, and the bhmt-pointed

THE FKESll-WATHl;

;33{)

ErKuPK,

FISIIKS ol'

The

snout exteiuls slightly beyond the closed jaws.

they curve backward, and are developed on

all

teeth are in single rows

the elements of the jaws.

The vomerine bones

are smallest on the maxillary bone, but numerous.

and have a simple curved transverse row of four to six teeth

strong-,

;

The

on

bordered

is

mucus skin

thick

each side with a row of six of the

between the rows of teeth

The teeth.

folds or corrugations

and in some of these depressions the new teeth

;

There

can be seen developing.

to eight curved

mouth forms projecting

are

flanked on

each side with a stronger row of teeth on each of the palatine bones.

tongue

;

They

no median series of teeth along the hyoid

is

bone.

The edge is

of the pi-e-operculum

triangular, with

The

farther back.

rays

is

its

removed from the

far

is

The operculum

eye.

extremity covered by a broad sub-operculum, which reaches

gill-aperture

is

The number

very wide.

ten on the right, and eleven on the

of branchiostegal

Four branchial arches are

left.

strongly developed, with very long, slender, finely-denticulated rake-teeth on

The pseudobranchiae

the concave side.

The

frontal profile rises

are large

from the snout

and comb-shaped. and then runs nearly

in a flat arch,

horizontally along the back, but the ventral profile forms a regular

The

to the vent.

may commence

dorsal fin

It is nearly as long as high,

body.

the hinder part of the anal, and

is

which

is

The Trout.

The adipose

and truncated.

The

pointed, exceed those of the dorsal and anal. scales are

They

much

smaller than in either the

and everywhere

are elongated,

of the

fin is as

ventral fins are shortest,

The longest rays

of the dorsal.

arch

fin is opposite

The anal

rather long and high.

high as the dorsal, but more truncated behind.

and opposite the termination

flat

rather behind the middle of the

of the pectoral,

The caudal

fin is forketl.

May

Trout or the Salmon

same

size.

On

the lateral

line

Meckel and Kner counted two hundred, Giinther one hundred and eighty.

The

lateral line

curved in

its

is

nearer to the dorsal than the ventral profile, and slightly

The number

anterior half.

hundred, distinguishes this

fish

from

all

of pyloric aj^pendages, which

They

other Salmon.

is

two

are short, nearly

equal in length, and are arranged on a large portion of the intestine, so as to overlap, like the scales of a

fir

cone, except in the

median

line.

There are two

convolutions to the intestine.

The colour

of the upper part of the head and back

is

a dark-brownish

green, passing into violet, which shades into reddish-grey, while the throat and belly

have a clear silvery

lustre.

The head and body

are covered with very

small dark-grey or black spots, between which larger round spots of black are seen on the skull, temporal region, and operculum, and on the back towards the lateral line.

shape.

The

Higher

u]),

and farther back, they gradually assume

dorsal tin has a

few black spots

at its base,

and

;i

a

half-moon

dark Ijonler above.

SALilO IIUCHO.

and a similar border characterises the caudal yellow or pale red and unspotted.

The

vanish.

This

is

Danube,

if

not the largest Salmon known.

It

though

and

is

to

spawn

;

Ammer

and only

weighs four pounds.

It

spawns

in

growth

high weirs, form

Fall, or

Spawn matures when the fish and May, and is reputed to

April

other large fishes of the

its tail, like

and Heckel and Kner state that while thus occupied

so absorbed as to be undisturbed

Its

and Traisen, but

It ascends the tributary streams

Traun

unable to leap.

excavate furrows in the ground with

is

one hundred

It occurs in the Scliiul in Transyl-

See and Chiem See.

it is

tribe;

is

rapid, but the fish

is

by a boat passing over

not tenacious of

and well-flavoured, but not so much esteemed

Salmon Trout.

It

the

Danube, which flow from the Alps,

large waterfalls, like the

obstructions over which

Salmon

in

and Maros, and in the Danube from Bavaria downwards.

in the Alt

rare in the

It

found

fishes of

especially the Inn, Salzach, Ager, Traun, Ens, Steyr,

vania,

is

tribe

met with throughout the Austrian empire,

is

always found in the Save and Drave.

tion

Salmon

It attains a length of four to six

to sixty pounds,

chiefly in the various tributaries of the

is

are pale

tins

grey-green, with a clear yellow ring round the pupil.

iris is

pounds are sometimes taken.

more

The other

fin.

In old age the black spots on the body

the largest and heaviest fish oÂŁ the

and a weight of forty

feet,

'S'M

is

captured with nets, but

frequently speared as

it lies still

Its flesh

life.

May

as the

atten-

whitish,

is

Trout or Austrian

also taken

is

its

it.

with the rod.

It

with the head up stream, or

at the bottom,

shot with a ball. It flourishes in

ponds which have a good current flowing through them,

and would be well suited put

in

ponds

it

plentiful diet of

pounds a year.

for

pond cultivation were

is

liable to a

fins,

fungoid skin

disease,

then fed with a it

which

Dr. Giinther founds this species upon a

H,

V.

fish

described by Pallas as Salino hncho.

It

may

is

Kama, but

is

rare in the Volga,

and

remarkable for the small number of

be as few as twenty-four.

two

appears on

to the tail.

0.

known in Russia common in

It is

[lowing into the Baltic, and in the fish-ponds of St. Petersburg. the River

increases

first

(Gunther).

D. 11, A. 1(1— 11, P.

is

if

and spreads up to the head, and down

SaliTLO losses

When

not so voracious.

Gudgeon, Rudd, Carp, Roach, and Dace, It

the margins of the

which

it

should not exceed a pound in weight, and

it

its

It

as Lossos,

the rivers is

found in

occurs in the Caspian Sea. pyloric appendages, which

It reaches a length of

two

feet

six

inches.

THE FUESII-WATKK FISHES oF

;5;i;i

has a

It

(Mjnical

The teeth

sides.

The

upper.

bUmt

head,

su(jut,

EUKOl'E.

thick cum])rc'ÂŤsed

jaw than

in the

teeth on the palatine bones are smaller than those on the tongue.

The

scales are small, inclined to be silvery, with scattered sjjots.

The

convex

with

body,

are pointed, reenrved, and longer in the lower

The head, which

white and unspotted.

is

blotched with brown,

is

belly

is

about two-

ninths the leng-th of the body.

Genus: Luciotrutta (GiNTiiEu). This genus includes two species of migratory Trout, one of which

lives in

the river ^Mackenzie, and the other in the Caspian Sea, the A^olga, and rivers of llussia.

The jaw.

tyjie

is

The

far backward. villiform,

and occur

maxillary

is

are

by the mandible projecting

characterised

The mouth has a wide

many

cleft,

teeth are remarkable for in

toothless.

far

beyond the ujiper

and the long maxillary bone minute

their

is

size;

prolonged they are

bands on the vomer, palatine bones, and tongue.

The

gill-rakers are

rough on the inner

side.

The There

pyloric appendages.

Luciotrutta leucichthys

(Guldenstadt).

D. 15, A. 14, V. 11. This

(juent the

It

is

size. is

known only from

fish is

It goes

Lepechin.

the descriptions of Giildenstiidt, Pallas, and

up the Volga

periodically,

and appears

to similarly fre-

great rivers of Siberia, ascending them from the Arctic Ocean.

usually about three feet long, and resembles the Salmon in form and

Both the maxillary and mandible

The

are toothless.

cleft of the

wide, the tongue triangular, free, and somewhat rough.

the bones of the palate

is

eyes are large and lateral.

blunt snout.

It

is artificially

Genus: The Smelts on the other.

so fine that

The

it is

nares are

more

easily felt than seen.

midway between

The

the eye and the

cultivated in Russia.

Osmerus

(Artedi).

are closely related to Saluion on the one hand, and to

The genus

mouth

The dentition on

differs

from both types

the stomach having a moderately long blind sac and

in its internal

Coregonus anatomy,

very few short pyloric

()s:merus

The

appeiidag'es.

epeklants.

33:3

eg-gs are small, like those of Coreg-onus,

Lut the distinctive

characters are in the dentition.

The pre-maxillary and maxillary There

teeth are small; especially the onter row.

a transverse series of large teeth on the small vomerine bones^ and

is

conical teeth on the pterygoid and palatine bones

;

while the tongue has strong

The opening

fang-like teeth in front, and small teeth behind. is

wide, and the maxillary bone so long that

margin

The pseudobranchise

of the orbit.

the body have no lustre, are species of

waters of Northern and Central Europe, another,

third,

common

in the

The

North America.

it

Bay is

of

San Francisco,

known

13— 1(),

S— 11, V.

P.

to the

scales of

Three

size.

coasts

and fresh

by

scarcely distinguished

is

limited to the Pacific coast of

an oily

fish,

that

is

capable of being

as the Candle Fish along the Pacific coast.

Osmerns eperlanns D. 11, A.

medium

on the Atlantic side of the United States, while a

allied Thaleichihijs is

burned as a candle, and

The

are rudimentary.

transversely oval, and of

Smelt have been recognised, one limited

smaller scales, represents

mouth

of the

reaches almost to the hinder

it

(Linn.eus). Scales

:

— The

line

lat.

Smelt.

00— ()2,

'^

transverse

11.

The name Smelt is said to be derived from the odour which this fish exhales when freshly taken from the water, an odour which is not always the same, but

suggestive of cucumber, though Pennant also compares

usually

is

The odour would

says the Smelt has a frightful smell of putrid cucumbers.

seem

to

it

In (xcrmany the perfume would appear to be stronger, since Benecke

violets.

to arise

from the mucus secretion which

readily imparted to the hand,

The French name

it

lubricates the fish, since

and soon disappears as the skin of the

Ejjerlau.

The Dutch nnxne

it

is

fish is dried.

Spier/ i//^ appears to have been

introduced by the Dutch engineers into the East of England, and survives in the local English names, Spirling and Sparling, by which the fish

known.

many

Although generally distinguished

provincial names,

Germany

quotes Linnaeus as saying that in spring, filled

In Sweden

with

it is

its

known

is

sometimes

Sfi/if, it

Stinkjiscli,

when the peasants come

buy

to

has

and he it,

all

foul odour, and he adds that agues are as Sloi/i.

Not only

countries enumerated, but penetrates southward into Central

Russia

is

the

as

among which Pennant mentioned

the streets of Upsala are

then prevalent.

In

is it

found in the

Germany, and

in

found in the White Sea and Baltic, and the lakes which are connected

with those waters.

Smelts ascend rivers to spawn, and according- to Yarrell,

water from August

to

May.

live

Pennant remarks that they appear

in

in

fresh

certaiu

TIIK FliKSir-WATEi;

:y4\

time

rivers a ]ong;

spawn,

tliey

Ijefore

November, December, and January, not

till

They spawn

Februaiy.

to the salt water.

snow-water

in

taken

bein<2;

March and

in

in

April, after which they return

Mersey

into the

as long- as there

They ascend the

Brighton.

in the INIedway, plentiful at

Boston

with this

fish.

any

is

They

Seine.

are

Norwich, and

in Lincolnshire,

King's Lynn, and make their way into the Bedford artificial

in

in other rivers

Smelts are not commonly captured in the English

the river.

and other

abundance

ijreat

Thames and Dee, but

in the

They never come

Channel, though taken at

abundant

OF KCKOl'K.

I-'ISIIKS

Hundred- Foot,

river.

waterways of the Bedford Level which supply Cambridge

They

West

coast,

and

in the great lakes

and

are also abundant at Ulverstoue on the

other localities in Lancashire.

Smelts are

common

in the interior of Jutland,

and

where the large

rivers of the middle part of Scandinavia,

inches long, keep by themselves in schools, and go by the

the smaller variety, two to four inches long,

goes by the name of

is

count of

food,

It is

and

its

it is

Many

odour.

fish

both in Scandinavia and Prussia,

believe that the odour

repiited as insipid

and

Fishermen declare that

the fishing grounds.

Mr. Lubbock speaks

the Smelt in Norfolk, as

it

makes

it

it

fishes

from

Roach and Dace

fleeing

from

Some French

ascends the rivers.

writers have re-

garded the odour as a protection from enemies, and in certain is

said to be so penetrating that

anything dipped

the fishes abound becomes impregnated with national prejudice

here

is

somewhat unjust

Blanchard finds only a beautiful odour of Nor-s

other

is

We

fishes.

;

and

article of food for the poor,

Sweden.

We the

and

is

it

feeds.

localities

in the \vater

cannot but think that

and the small variety is

fishes

are

more discrimina-

of the

Nevertheless,

classes along the

it is

perfume proan important

down

is

for

Haffs of Prussia and

other parts of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea almost live ujion

the Kurische llaff, where their abundance

called

reputed the best bait for

either dried in the sun or salted

The poorer

the

where

Smelt, since in France

though the nature and intensity

bably depend on the insects on which

in

to

may, perhaps, think that the

ting than the ])eople

winlcr use

it.

violets,

largely taken in Scandinavia for bait,

in the

is

away other

drives

of the

unwholesome as

but this

of disagreeable flavour,

land of the Salmon.

smell

movements,

seldom found singly, and

deep water during the greater part of the year.

Great prejudice exists against the a(

of Slom, while

of a dull disj^osition, slow in its

and prefers large lakes with sandy bottoms.

on

name

found in distinct shoals, and

is

JVor.s.

Mr. Lloyd says the Smelt

lives in

eight

fishes, six to

it.

In

almost incredible, fishes sometimes

reach a length of afoot, and they have been used for feeding cattle, for manure,

and

for the

manufacture of

oil

and guano.

OSilERT^S

In Eno'lauJ the Smelt

is

EPERLAXUS.

when

reg-arded

.-385

freshly taken as one of the most

choice and delicately-flavoufed fishes that comes to table

it is

;

always served

fried.

In form of body this

fish is

a half times as long as the head

The back

elongated from four and a half to five and

and

;

six to seven times as long" as deep.

is

The

rounded, and the abdomen somewhat compressed.

is

and dorsal contours

The lower jaw extends

very slightly arched.

ai'e

ventral far in

front of the upper^ so that the chin forms the extremity of the head, and the

gape of the mouth

is

deejier

than wide

the teeth are dense and slender on

;

The large The size

both the pre-maxillary and maxillaiy bones.

vomer and on the tongue curve inward.

of the it

may

be

little less

The breadth

head.

The

than one-quarter or

teeth at the extremity of the eye

is

variable;

than one-sixth of the length of the

less

of the frontal interspace

about twice the orbital diameter.

is

midway between the extremity of the head and the or a little farther back. The adipose fin is midway

dorsal fin begins

base of the caudal

fin,

between the end of the dorsal

fin

and the root of the caudal, and opposite to

The caudal

the middle of the anal, which has a long base.

fin

is

deeply

forked.

The

The

line

lateral

beyond the

not traced

is

scales are delicate

and

growth with the nucleus

easily fall off

far back, as in

lustre gives the fish a semi-transparent

vertebral column, ribs,

eight

first

an oyster-shell.

waxy

or

ten

scales.

they show concentric lines of

;

aspect,

and

Their absence of

in a living state the

and viscera may be seen through

The colour

it.

is

ashy-green or bluish on the back, and dull yellow below, sometimes pinkish.

A

band extends down the

faint silvery

head are spots

;

silvery.

The

dorsal, pectoral,

The ashy tone

side.

The

to diffused points of black pigment.

iris,

Smelts

live

and caudal

fins are

into the lake.

They spawn

In Sweden

the chosen localities in

fishes

Lake Wener

in spring,

may spawn

are at the

sundown.

It

is

are eaten

of streams

which flow

According to Eckstrom, the spawning takes place at night

is

a peculiarity

of

this

fish that the

on this account, Eckstrom

tells us, a

dawn and

spawning, which in

;

and

return at lasts

stormy weather,

snow-storm in the spawning-

termed by the Swedes a Smelt-blast.

Mr. Lloyd of

and

before the ice breaks up, and

mouths

from eight to fourteen days, takes place by preference it is

;

and sometimes change the

the fishes are reputed to leave the spawning-grounds at

shore

grey with pigment

on Whitebait, worms, small shrimps, and insects

spawning ground.

season

largely due

the other fins are colourless.

by the Zander and Perch.

and

is

lower jaw, and sides of the

states,

on the information of a friend resident near the north

Lake Wener, that Smelts

are occasionally taken there of nearly a

nF EUROPE.

TIIK FKKSII-WATEP. FISIIKS

;386

])oini(l in

Wo

weii^ht.

some other

that

<^ivo this reiniirkublo assertion

common

specimens larger than those which are

The time,

fishing

when

is

not without a suspicion

has been mistaken for the Smelt, for Mr. Lloyd saw no

fish

in England.

generally carried on during the spawning-season in the night-

large fires are kindled on the shores to attract the fishes out of the

The net used

deeper water, to within the sweep of the net.

is

attached to an

iron ring six feet in diameter.

There

is

no doubt that Smelts are capable of being naturalised in ponds.

Yarrell mentions that Colonel

Meynell kept them successfully

for four years in

a three-acre pond which had no communication with the sea; and SirT.

Wilson introduced Smelts from Rochester to a pond at

Maryon

Series, near

Lewes,

where they bred and flourished. Professor

Huxley has drawn attention

They

ovaries in the Smelt.

the

other,

so that

to the

remarkable condition of the

are divided into two,

the left ovary

and

are placed one behind

and the right ovary behind.

in front,

is

These ovaries have large oviducts which extend below the swim-bladder, one long and the other short, on each side of the intestine. outlet in

which they terminate

is

situate

The common

genital

between the vent and the urinary

aperture; while the ovary agrees in structure with that of the Salmon

tri])e,

the

oviducts constitute a singular difference.

CoregOnuS

Genus:

The genus Coregonus has which is

The

easily fall off.

(Artkdi).

the body covered with scales of moderate size,

cleft of the

mouth

is

small.

broad and short, and does not extend behind the orbit.

The maxillary bone The teeth are ex-

tremely minute and deciduous, and when present in the adult limited to the tongue.

The

dorsal fin

The air-bladder

deeply forked.

is

is

fish

are usually

higher than long, and the caudal

is

very large, undivided, and opens into the

throat by a short duct.

The stomach

is

pyloric appendages

horse-shoe-shaped.

There are about one hundred and

of nearly uniform length

slender intestine, behind the portal region. filled

with Entomostraca.

Coregonus

is

The

intestine

often completely

is

are small.

found in the temperate and northern parts of Europe, Asia,

and North America, to the sea.

The eggs

fifty

and thickness, attached to the

in fresh waters:

In North America

it

and known everywhere as AVhite

is

and

many

abundant

Fish.

species periodically

in the lakes

go down

and fresh waters,

At spawning-time

several

rows of

-

COREGONUS OXYRHYNCHUS. scales

837

on the sides of the body develop tubercles, like those o£ Cyprinoid

Individuals

same

the

of

size

The

herd together in schools.

valued for food, and most are esteemed for their delicate flavour

numerous

as in the

they are as

;

limited in

some

and are best distinguished, according

species are often difficult to separate,

to Dr. Giinther,

by the shape

of the maxillary bone,

and

vertebrae

development

of the snout, its relative length, the

form of the supplementary maxillary bone, length of

the mandible, height of body and of scales

is

other types are as widely distributed as some kinds of Salmon.

types^ while

The

The geographical range

genus Salmo.

fishes.

species are all

;

position of the dorsal

tail,

and number

fin,

but these characters often define species on small

differences.

Most

species have the upper

jaw the

many have

longer, though

jaw longer than the snout, and differences in the length recognised, and

we have followed Dr. Giinther

the lower

of snout are

in grouping

easily

the species

by

this characteristic.

Species irith the upper jaw prolouped.

(1.)

Coregonus oxyrhynchus D. 14, A. 14—15.

Scales

:

lat. line

(Linn/eus).

75—81,

—

transverse

12.

This

frequents the coasts, and enters the fresh waters

fish

Germany, Denmark, and Sweden.

Holland, Ilautiii, is

common

in

Antwerp, and sent thence

the fish-markets as L'until the

7/o/?////.{/,

known

and

known

where

to Paris,

plentiful,

known

It ascends the

Hhine

is

as

sold in

to fishermen as

as far as Strassburg,

and

Belgium it is

it is

popularly

sometimes to be

said

Scheldt, Weser, Elbe, and the rivers flowing into the

as a British species

of Belgium,

in

French markets. In Germany

It thrives as well in the sea as in lakes

Baltic. it

it is

is

very rare in France, but

It is

caught in the Doubs.

Maas and

In Holland

.

also supplies the

as Selinapel.

It

is

found

in the

North Sea and

Mr. Day records

rivers.

from Lincolnshire, Chichester, and the Medway, taken

with Smelts. C.

oxyrhynchus

is

conical fleshy snout.

easily distinguished

The head

is

from

all

one-fifth of the total length, exclusive of the caudal

body slightly exceeds the length of the head. below the fatty eyelid, and

The mouth

is

Behind the head the back of a

high shoulder. "2

'2

is

at the lower

The

is

other species by

compressed and small. fin,

It

is

its

long

two-ninths or

and the height of the

The maxillary bone extends

more than one-quarter

of the length of the head.

and hinder extremity of the

soft black snout.

moderately curved, but enough to give the aspect

scales are

more

circular than in other species, with

;

denser concentric pectoral

is

The

fish

the weight

The

stri;e.

dorsal iin

is

in tlie

The

middle of the back.

as long" as the liead^ exclusive of the snout.

measures from sixteen to eighteen inches

two pounds, are recorded

inches, with a weig-ht of

may

;

individuals of twenty

Denmark, while

in

in

Sweden

be eight to twelve pounds.

and spawns at the end of Octol^er or beginning of November.

It migrates

As

OF EUROFE.

TIIK FRESII-WATEK FISHES

338

in other species, rows of tubercles then api)ear on the scales of the

two rows above the

these g'rowths have fallen

off,

male

After spawning, when

and three below.

lateral line,

the scales show longitudinal bands in both sexes.

This species has fifty-eight vertebrfe.

Coregonus lloydii D.

A. L5.

1-1',

Scales

line 90, transverse

lat.

:

(Gunther).

— 10.

The Nahh-sik

of

Sweden was

first

regarded as a distinct species by Dr.

It has thirty-nine vertebrse in the thorax,

GLinther.

and twenty-three

tail.

The length

scales,

and longer and blunter snout from Coregoniis oxjirhynchus, which

what resembles.

is

about twenty-two inches.

The height

body

of the

is

It

is

in the

distinguished by smaller it

some-

greater than the length of the head,

the former being one-fourth and the latter one- fifth of the length of the exclusive of the caudal

fin.

The upper jaw

and the

cha^.

The maxillary bone extends

profile of the

bone of the maxillary

In

The

is

C. oxyrhijn-

and The supplementary

to the anterior border of the fatty eyelid,

therefore, relatively shorter than in the former species.

strongly arched.

fish,

produced into a short, fleshy

snout makes a less acute angle than in

cone,

is,

is

long and narrow.

pectoral fin

this species there are fully

is

Behind the head the back

is

as long as the head, without the snout.

two hundred pyloric appendages

to the in-

testine.

It

is

found in Lake

Wener and

allied to C. ox>/rJi//Hchiis, of

Species

[i.)

wUh

which

may

racters

very closely

the snout obliqnel// Iniucated.

D. II, A.

Many

is

prove to be a thick-nosed variety.

Coregonus lavaretus

different

This species

other localities. it

15.

Scales

:

lat. line

writers have described this fish,

names, such as

which establish

C. its

(Linnaeus).

90—91., transverse

which

is

extremely variable, under

marina, C.fera, and we owe the definition of chageographical range, as indeed

is

the case with the

COREGONUS LAVARETUS. whole Salmon fish J

tribe, to the patience

339

and genius of Dr. Giinther.

widely distributed in the great lakes of

It

is

a lake

and

Switzerland, the Tyrol,

Sweden; Ladoga, Onega, and Peipus in Russia j Madua See in Pomerauia, and it occurs in Mecklenburg. It frequents the Baltic, and is found in the Haffs on the Prussian coast.

It

is

everywhere valued for food (Fig. 104).

known as Si/,-, or Knnhh dk, or Helge siJc, which in Russia becomes Sig, a name applied indifferently to many species, for in that country as many as thirty-five varieties have been named. In Northern Germany it is In Sweden

it is

Marline or Seliudpel

Bavaria

in

,

Boden.renlxC,

it is

and

in the lakes of

KropjVuig and Kindling, and in Lake Constance Samlfelchen, or Its

size varies

Austria

IFeissJ'elcheri.

with the locality, being only fourteen to fifteen inches long,

with a weight of half a pound, in the Austrian lakes, while in Lake Constance

(5;

Fig. 164.

and the Prussian lakes

— COREGONUS

LAVARETUS

(LIXN.ia's).

reaches a length of two feet or more, and a weight

it

of four to six pounds.

The greatest height

The

the thickness. in

C. ivartinamii.

of the

body exceeds the length

fish is five

times as long as high

The upper jaw

is

and

of the head, ;

the head

is

is

twice

larger than

obtuse, longer than the lower, with the

snout obliquely truncated, so that the thick blunt nose projects forward as in

The mouth

Chondrostowa.

is

large and the

the front part of the fatty eyelid.

It

may

little more The supplementary maxillary bone

than one-fourth the length of the head. is

semicircular, broad,

the head, and its

is

own diameter from

the eye

is

short. its

The eye

is

nearly one-fifth of the length of

own diameter from the snout.

the other eye.

The half-moon-shaped

It

A

in the suborbital

is

more than

fold in front of

rather large but variable, and the pupil extends towards

species of the genus.

narrow

and

separated by

maxillary bone extends below

be from one-third to

it,

as in other

wide mucus-canal developed behind the eye, becomes region,

and

is

often prolonged

nares in Swiss and other southern specimens.

forward below the

The opercular bones

are strong-

;

THE

840

FIlESII-WATEi; FISHES

and extend Ijackward and upward, so

The

directions.

and

tliat

OF ErROPE.

the head appears

nearly straight between the dorsal and adipose

is

The

show no

fins

edge of the dorsal small adipose

fin

distinctive characters

is

more curved, the

C.

in those

is

fins.

vartmanni, except that the

longer and more pointed, the

is

deeply forked, and

fin

The base

of the tail

is

its tei'minal raj^s

thicker and higher

There are sixty to sixty-one

cephalic canals are similar.

and the colour

vertebrae,

from

pectoral

pointed, the caudal

just exceed the length of the head.

the lateral and

prohmged

dorsal profile forms a flat curve similar to the ventral outline,

similar but not so deep, and there

is

black

less

pigment on the body.

At spawning-time

the fins are pale red, often finely dotted with black,

But in South Germany black edging

though never edged with black. in Prussia it occurs in the variety

end of November or December

named

C. wartmatrni

from 20,000

thoi;gh Jurine says

;

to 50,000,

haj)pens a fortnight it

spawns

in

found

;

in the

spawning, according earlier

February.

and measure from two and

is

spawns

species

in shalhnv, gravelly places;

Lake (yonstance fishermen,

to the

The

murana.

C.

than

in

the

The eggs number

a half to three millimetres

in diameter.

At

ordinary times the fish lives in great dej)ths, and

when drawn up

in nets

the air-bladder expands and inflates the body, so as to suggest the idea of the fish

having a

flesh is

worms,

It lives on

full crop.

insects,

and small mollusca.

The

white and firm, greatly esteemed when fresh, and, according to Benecke,

has then an agreeable odour of cucumber.

Coregonus lapponicus

(Gunther). "^^

D. 15, A. This

fish

the caudal

length

reaches a

fin is

about

height of the body.

Scales

G.

1

five

:

of

lat. line

94—100,

sixteen

transverse

inches; the total length without

times the length of the head and four times the

The diameter

of the eye

the head and two-thirds of the length

is

one-fifth of the length of

of the snout.

The head

small, of

is

moderate height, with the snout obliquely truncated and the upper jaw projecting

beyond the lower.

convex, and in

The

frontal

space l)etween the orbits

maxillary bone barely extends below the beginning of the fatty eyelid

plementary bone of the maxillary

is

short, broad,

fin is

longer than the head without the snout.

fin is

nearer to the back

closely

\\\\\q(S.

is

width one and a third times the diameter of the eye.

ol:

to Co }•('[]() in IX

the head /^/r^/>r//^s,

;

rather

The

the sup-

and semicircular. The pectoral

The commencement

of the dorsal

This

fish

is

but has smaller and shorter jaws.

It

is

-

than to the adipose

fin.

C0EEG0NU8 WARTMANNT. found only

of C.

sikiiji, it is

not possible to recognise

Coregonus D. 14, A. 15

—

This Swedish species

from

their description.

lat. line

Ul

— lOU,

transverse

about fourteen inches long.

is

The body

Iiieinalls.

in the adult the height

it

gracilis (Gunther).

Scales:

IG.

most resembles Coregonus and

In form of head

and the length of the head are respectively oue-

times as long as the eye.

It

relatively

is

small,

much

The

upper jaw projecting beyond the lower.

fatty eyelid.

to the adipose fin

;

;

the dorsal

fin

A and

— 17.

Scales:

is

short and semicircular.

The

little

lat. line

with age.

(Maljigren). 9U, transverse

Coregonus, having the usual proportions of body, has been thus named,

is

found in the lakes of Sweden and Finland.

truncated in front, and the upper jaw that

with the

convex and

nearer to the back o£ the head than

is

Coregonus ^widegreni It)

is

not strong, and extends back only to the

the pectoral fin increases a

D. 14, A.

still

interorbital space

The supplementary maxillary bone

rather elongated

tail is

is

is

The maxillary bone, which measures

than twice the diameter of the eye.

one-fourth of the length of the head,

The head

fin.

compressed, with

the snout pointed and rounded rather than obliquely truncate,

less

it

increases in depth with age,

fourth and one-fifth of the total length, without the caudal five

Although

recorded from the river Munio.

is

and Valenciennes indicated a Coregonus from Lai)land^ under the

Cuvier

name

Laplanil, and

in

341

it

long.

is

Its snout is obliquely

considerably longer than the lower, so

belongs to the type of C. laiiaretus, though the snout

The maxillary bone extends a

mentary maxillary

i^

of similar

little

form and

is

not quite so

farther backward, but the size,

supple-

and we have no doubt of the

propriety of regarding this form as a variety of that species.

(8.)

Sjxicies toith the

snout vertically tnutcated.

Coregonus ^wartmanni D. 14—15, A. This

15— 16, V.

fish (Fig.

165)

is

1;^,

P.

15—17,

C. 19. Sq.

(Bloch). lat.

80—92,

transverse

^

moderately elongated and compressed, with a small

pointed head and jaws of equal length, the upper reaching back as far as the front of the orbit.

The

greatest height of the body in front of the dorsal

THE FRESH-WxVTEU

342 fin is loss tlian

oiie-li}"tli

of the entire length,

the length of the head, which

The diameter it is

of the

separated by

its

than

and the height always exceeds

one-sixth of the entire length of the

is

large eye

is

own diameter from

between the eyes

frontal interspace

There

somewhat

OF EUROPE.

EISIIES

is

the

snout

and the width

;

The nares

most other Salmonidse.

ill

between the eyes and snout.

The snout

vertically truncate

is

toothless, but there are short pointed teeth on the tongue.

moderate curve, and the dorsal

rises in a

The

fin.

ventral profile

is

a

profile is

more

it is

smaller

and double, midway

are small

mouth

is

The mouth

is

the

;

terminal and the broad upper jaw partly covers the mandible.

dorsal

;

of the

one and a half times the orbital diameter.

a half-moon-shaped fatty border in front of the orbit, but

is

fish.

one-fifth of the length of the head

The

frontal profile

highest at the beginning of the

flattened curve in its middle part.

Jih.^,

W'u^^

^

^K,

Fig. IGo.

The gill-openings

are wide

— COKEGONIS

W.MiT.M.VNNI (hLOCH).

they open below

;

in

the middle of the throat, and

extend laterally as high as the middle of the eye. rior gill-arch are long, finely

The rake-teeth

fourth gill-arch are pointed and not more than ten in number.

The pseudobranchise

branchiostegal rays.

The

truncated

and the

commences

dorsal fin ])eliind,

fin

thirds as high.

ai'e

in front of

comb-like and

the middle

of

There are nine

Avell

developed.

the body.

It

is

the longest rays are two-thirds of the height of the body,

last ray is one-third of

The anal

of the ante-

notched, and croAvded together, while those of the

is

It

i:)laced is

the length of the fifth and sixth.

far back,

and resembles the

dorsal,

opposite to the small and low adipose

but

fin.

is

only two-

The

ventral

fins are

below the hinder part of the dorsal, as long as the pectorals, and have

the free

margin rounded.

The

pectoral fins are pointed behind; the caudal

fin is

deeply forked, evenly lobed, longer than the head, with seven to eight short truncated rays on each side

The

scales are

of"

the

tail.

nearly circular, soft, liuely marked with concentric stripes.

COREGONUS WARTMANNI.

The

mucus-canal runs

lateral

of the heig-ht of the side, of the cephalic canal

the pectoral and caudal

ol:

over the base of the ventral

si)ine-like scale

They

and overlapping nearly half their diameter.

entire at the marg-in,

smallest on the back, throat, and bases

point.

343

and opens with simple

The

pores.

and

membranous

in a

above the middle

in a nearly straig-ht line

strong-ly developed,

is

and ends

is long-,

suborbital branch

sunk so deeply

is

are

The

fins.

in the

bone

that the suborbital ring appears to be double.

The colour of the upper part lateral line

is

In young individuals the is

from

marked

In Lake Constance the

iris is silvery.

and the abdomen are

fifteen to eighteen inches,

when

varies

sometimes dark

The common length

in

colour.

of this fish

usually weighs from one and a half to

it

from nine

to

twenty-eight inches, and

names among fishermen, according

passes under different

The

ventral and anal fins.

in the

fish is

fins are colourless.

two pounds ; but the length

lateral

silvery.

All the fins are yellowish-white with broad

especially

is

and back, as far down as the

of the head,

spotted with black.

bluish-black edging-, which

The

of the head

The sides

blue and silvery.

line, is

to its

size.

it

It has

fifty-nine to sixty vertebra;.

This species stocks certain lakes almost to the exclusion of other is

particularly

Austria, and

common found

is

most of the large lakes

in

Switzerland, especially in

Moreau,

it is

found

Gmiinden

in the Atter See,

Lake

and

It usually lives at a considerable depth,

often going

down

to a

Spawning-time autumn, according ber and fishes

December

Blanchard and

places in the east

of

France.

weather descends deeper,

hundred fathoms.

somewhat uncertain, taking place in spring, summer, and

to different observers ;

in

and

;

according to

Von

Siebold, in

Novem-

February and March, according to Heckel and Kner. Most

then come into shallow water, but this species keeps at a depth of ten

fathoms.

The spawning

fishes collect in

scales

is

and

Austria, Bavaria,

in

in cold

fishes,

and Fuschler See,

According to

Constance.

Lake Bourget, and other

in

See,

on their

lasts for

about fourteen days or three weeks, when the

immense numbers, and many

sides are

of the water above the

rubbed

off

and

are so pressed together that the

float for

spawning ground.

some distance over the surface

It does not

spawn

till

ten to twelve

inches long.

This species lives on worms, insect-larva;, the spawn of other

many

kinds of animal

when spawning.

life,

as well as vegetable substances.

It increases rapidly

;

but

is

fishes,

and

It does not eat

not tenacious of

life,

dying as

soon as taken out of the water.

These

fishes are

greatly eaten by Trout.

They

sunk deep in the lakes at spawning-time, and important local trade.

They

are eaten fresh on

are

taken with large nets

their capture constitutes

an

Lake Constance and other

TiiK Fiu:sii-\VATEi; flsiie.s of eukupe.

344

In some

Swiss lakes, and are an esteemed delicacy.

thev are salted,

localities

smoked, or baked, and packed for export. This species

is

known

Ui^per Austria as liheiiianken

in

Bavaria as

in

;

Renke, in the Tyrol as Benken, and in Lake Constance ^s Fclclicn, thoug-h the

names vary with age even

in the

same

locality

and many of the great lakes

;

have independent systems of nomenclature.

Coregonus clnpeoides

(Laci^;pede).

— The

Po^wan.

D. 14—15, A. 13-10, V. 11—12, P. 17, C. JO. Scales

The Powan belongs and

cated,

to the

73

—

90, transverse i)/ll.

group of species with the snout vertically trun-

and may reach a length

Loch Lomond

in

lat. line

confined to the lakes of Great Britain.

is

to four pounds,

known

:

Herring, which

it is

as the

of as

Fowcm, and

is

not unlike in appearance.

commonly weighs

It

much

as sixteen inches.

three It

is

usually termed the Freshwater It abounds in Ullswater

and

the lakes of Cumberland to a height of two thousand six hundred feet above the sea, and the

is

known

in the

of Wales,

lakes

Lake

district as the Scliell//.

Lake, where

especially Bala

abundant before Pike were put into the century;

it

known

is

as the

Gwnlad.

It

the

lake at is

It

is

also

found in

said to have been

is

it

beginning of

gregarious, and,

this

according to

Pennant, approaches the shore in spring and summer in immense shoals, so that as

many

in one of the Carlisle,

as eight hundred have

been taken in a single sweep of the net

Westmoreland lakes; and Pennant says the Rev. Mr. Farrish,

of

wrote that he was assured by an Ullswater fisherman that one summer

he took between seven and eight thovisand at a single draught. It

sometimes wanders from Bala Lake, but

Dee only

at Llandrillo, six miles

states that

vations

on

it

spawns

its

in

December

down

habits appear to have been

tured, and requires to be eaten at once,

so,

It

is

said to be insipid as food

probably,

when contrasting

recollections of the delicate

it

;

biit

of

Some

made. It dies

though

of his

very soon after it

is

specimens it

is

cap-

often preserved with

though Pennant may have thought

with Trout or

Powan

This excellent observer

Llyntegid, but since his time no obser-

in

weighed between three and four pounds.

salt.

recorded by Pennant in the

is

the stream.

Salmon, we have pleasant

Loch Lomond

as a

lish

to be eaten

again in September.

GUnther compares the length of the

lish,

it

to Corcijimii.s

but the body

is

warlindu ni

.

The head

deeper than the head

is

is

one-fil'th

lon^'.

of

In shai)e

C0REG0NU8 HIEMALIS. Ihe head

sub-triangular, rather truncated at the snovit, with the jaws nearly

is

though the upper

equal,

31i5

The maxillary bone extends

slightly the longer.

is

below the front margin of the eye, and the supplementary maxillary

broad

is

and semicircular. There are a few minute teeth on the tongue and jaws, though from their small size they

may

The eye

be easily worn away.

is

rather large, one-quarter

and separated from the snout by

of the length of the head,

its

own

diameter.

midway The The dorsal and abdominal profiles are moderately convex, as in the Herring. lateral line is in the middle of the side. The dorsal fin is midway between the snout and the base of the adipose fin it is higher than its own base is long. The ventral fin is below the middle of the first dorsal, and the The pectoral elongated scale at its base is one-third of the length of the fin. As

in other species of the genus,

the

are

nostrils

between the eye and the snout, and rather near the

together,

close

head.

profile of the

;

fin

is

is

down on the

inserted low

The anal

fin is

throat and

more pointed than the

is

nearer the caiidal than the ventral

the sides are paler, often with a tinge of yellow

one

its

base

the belly and under side

;

There are

All the fins are dull bluish-black, darkest at the margin.

hundred and twenty pyloric appendages to the intestine

vertebriB in the thorax,

and twenty

D. 14, A. 15.

Scales

In the Lake of Geneva

Lake Constance

is

is

a

:

thirty-eight

;

in the tail.

Coregonus hiemalis

fish in

ventral.

deep as

as

In colour, the back and upper part of the head are dark blue;

long.

silvery.

it is

;

76

lat. line

(Jurine).

— 90, transverse

9 -rr

Coregonus known as la Gravemhe, the same

Krojiffelclten.

It occurs generally in the lakes of

Switzerland and South Gei*many, such as the

Ammer

See

it is

;

known

also

as

Kilck and Kilchen (Fig. 166). This species

is

somewhat smaller than the other German forms

ranging from eight to eleven inches

and at the

close of

summer,

at great depths, mostly less

in length.

It

at spawning-time.

upon the bottom, where

is

chietly

It lives in considerable herds it

feeds on small mollusca.

prized as food than the other species which occur with C. Jiiemalis

of the genus.

The length

of Coregonus,

caught in the spring

It

is

it.

has a shorter body than the other Continental representatives

The body

of the

head

is

is

four and a half times as long as high (Fig. 166). less

than the height of the

ninths of the length of the fish without the caudal

fin.

body

;

it

The snout

short, as long as the eye, obliquely truncated so that the upper

is

is

two-

rather

jaw projects

THE FKESII-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

340 beyond

tlie

mandiljlc.

Tlie breailtli of the frontal iuterspaee Ijctween the eyes

one and a third times the orbital diameter, and the distance of the hinder

is

edge of the operculum behind the orbit fold of skin in front of the eye

pointed towards

is

The usual mucus-canal

it.

is

and the narrow pupil

maxillary

is

is

developed behind and below the of the orbit

The su])plementary bone on the

one-fourth of the length of the head.

is

The

twice the orbital diameter.

fairly large,

The maxillary bone extends back below the front margin

eye.

and

is

The tongue has five pointed curved teeth. There The pseudobranchia are large, but the fringing

rather narrow.

are eight branchiostegal rays. is

The

short.

gill-rakers on the last branchial arch are fine, pointed, rather short,

The

and about nine in number.

frontal

and dorsal

profiles

form a continuous

arch.

The

dorsal

lin

commences

front of the middle of the bodv

in

;

it

is

as

V

IV Fig-. 166.

long as the caudal.

The

— COKEGONIS

HIEMALIS

(.IURINE).

ventral and pectoral fins are also ecpial

The adipose

other species, the anal has the shortest rays.

The colour

blunt.

The upper part The

silvery.

always pale; on the back

is

of the head

This

fish

;

the

it is

and, as

in

broad and

brownish-yellow or grey.

yellowish-white, and the sides and operculum are

pectoral fins are colourless

are bordered with black

dei)th

is

;

fin is

and transparent, but

iris is silvery.

The

fiesh is firm

spawns during September and October.

of about forty fathoms.

When

It

all

the other fins

and well-fiavoured.

commonly

lives in a

captured the body becomes distended

by the reduction of the atmospheric pressure on the gas in the air-bladder, which

is

condition

so inflated as often to burst the is

unsightly,

the

fish

is

but

flying before a pursuing Pike, or otherwise insects on the water, air

it

on the blood-vessels.

falls

abdominal walls; and as the torn little

caught.

Sometimes, when

rising to the surface attracted

by

back dead from the pressure of the expanded

COREGONUS MEGALOrS.

Coregonus maxillaris D. 13, A. (14)— 10.

Scales

:

lat.

347

(Gtunther).

87— (00),

Hue

™

transverse

Species which resemble each other in the vertically trnncate form of snout

do not pi'esent very striking differences in other parts of the body.

Dr.

Giuither admits the close correspondence of this form with C. wartmanni, but distinguishes in

it

as

Lake Wener,

having the body much more elevated. But as

may

quite possible that tbis

it is

Excluding the caudal

rather than a distinct species.

body^ as measured by Giinther,

The eye

one-fifth of the length of the head,

is

The lower jaw

and shorter than the snout.

The space between the eyes

is

a little shorter than the upper.

is

The maxillary bone

Hat.

strong, and the supplementary bone upon

it

is

are inclined to regard

some other

of the

semicircular.

Scandinavia, according to Mr. Lloyd, as the Lof-sik.

We

the height of the

fin,

two-sevenths, and the length of the head

is

two-ninths of the total length.

It

is

is

known

is

in

eighteen inches long.

of Dr. Giin therms species also in the

a British representative of the same species. it is

upper jaw

It

light of northern representatives of C. loarlmanni, just as the

on the following types,

found only

it is

be a representative variety

And though we

C. cl iipeoides is

give short notes

with a view of showing the nature of the diversity

which a species may assume in Lake Wener in which they occur.

Coregonus humilis D. ly, A.

Scales

15.

:

lat. line

90

(Gunther).

— 90, transverse

This variety grows to the same size as C. maxillarh, and in

Lake Wener.

It

cluding the caudal

is

fin,

referred to

the

two-ninths of the length.

fish is

Ex-

four times as long as high, and the head

The eye

is

one-fifth of the length of the head,

two-thirds of the length of the snout. there are

similarly found

is

by Mr. Lloyd as Marlinsmess-sik.

The head

is

fiattened,

numerous small black dots on the head and dorsal

and

in the

is

and

male

fin.

There are sixty vertebrae.

Coregonus megalops D. 14, A. iV

Coregonus

tinguished from

is

10,

V. 11.

Scales

(Widegren). :

lat. line 92.

found in the lakes of Northern Sweden which

those of

Lake Wener.

The height

of the

may

body

is

be disnearly

3 IS

Tin-:

FKESH-WATEK FISHES OF

equal to the length of the head.

The snout

diameter of the eye, which measures

The jaws

truncated, shorter than the

is

more then one-third of the

The maxillary bone extends back

of the head.

the eye.

little

EL'Kol'E.

to

leng-th

below the front margin of

are equal in length.

Coregon"as nilssoni D. 11—1.5, A. 15.

Scales:

(Cuvier and Val.).

85—88.

hit. line

This Coregonus has a small head and elongated body; the body, without the caudal fin, being six times as long as the head, while the depth of the body is

no more than the head length.

The truncated snout

rather larger than the

is

and the diameter of the eye

is

from one-fourth

eye, the jaws are equal,

to one-fifth of the length

of

the head. It

is

known from Lake Ring,

Bladk, and

other lakes in

(4.)

near Lund, in Sweden, where

attains a length of ten to twelve inches.

It

it

is

named

said to occur in

is

Sweden and Lapland.

Sjiecies

with the mandif)le lonr/er than the

Coregonus albula

anoiit.

(Linn^us).

D. 12—13, A. 15—10, p. 15—10, V. Scales:

lat.

75

line

U,

C.

I'J.

— 81, transverse 9/10.

Coregouus atljida belongs to a division of the genus in which the mandible is

longer than the upper jaw, into a shallow notch of which

approximates in aspect to that of the Herring.

There are

The maxillary bone does not reach back

tongue.

it

fits.

The head

five teeth

on the

The eye

to the eye.

is

as

long, or nearly as long, as the snout, and about one-fourth of the length of the

The

head.

iris is silvery.

The

or position.

The

lateral line

fins

present no distinctive peculiarities in form

descends over the pectoral

straight line in the middle of the body.

arched than the ventral contour.

and belly are

silvery.

are colourless.

The dorsal,

The

The colour

is

fins

and then runs

dorsal outline

is

rather

in a

more

greenish-blue above; the sides

caudal, and adipose fins are grey

There are fifty-seven to fifty-eight vertebra?

;

the other fins

in the vertebral

column. This species to

is

found

in the north of

Europe, from the Ural region in Russia,

Mecklenburg, Scandinavia, Poland, and

trout,

and

is

chiclly captured in nets.

Silesia.

It never takes the fiy for

;

COREGONrs ALBULA. made up

Dr. Giinther reg-ards the species as

There

is, first,

of four varieties.

the variety a, distinguished as C. albnln, which has

seven vertebrae, and

is

found

Lake Wener.

in

fully one-fourth of the length of the head.

without the snout.

.3-19

The eye

The

pectoral fin

In males the height of the body

length, exclusive of the caudal

is

as long as the head

one-sixth of the total

In females the height

or rather more.

fin,

is

fifty-

as long- as the snout,

is

is

rather more than one-fifth of that length, while the length of the head varies

between one-fifth and two-ninths.

The second

variety,

the snout, and a pectoral fin

little

It

adult at a length of six inches.

is

C. nonvegica, has the eye rather shorter

called

fish

than

The

than one-quarter of the length of the head.

less

rather longer than the head without the snout, and

is

the length of the ninths,

/9,

without the caudal

The length

fin.

and the height of the body rather more than

length, exclusive of the caudal

It

fin.

is

is

one-fifth of

of the head

is

two-

one-fifth, of the total

Norway,

characteristic of

is

adult at

a length of seven inches, and also has fifty-seven vertebrae.

The

third variety, 7,

named

C. maraniila, has the

The

one-fourth of the length of the head.

eye as long as the snout,

pectoral fin

is

as long as the

head

without the snout, but though these proportions resemble those of the variety of the length exclusive of the caudal, in

(\ (dhnJa, the fin is two-elevenths C. iiiarceaula,

and two-thirteenths of that length

one-fourth of the length, and the third times as long as high. at a leng-th of eight inches,

It

fish,

characteristic of

is

The head

C. albicla.

in

without the caudal

fin, is

four

North Germany,

is

and twois

adult

though exceptionally reaching a length of a

foot.

It has fifty-eig'ht vertebrae.

Dr. Giinther's fourth variety,

Gulf of Finland, where total length

it is

S,

named

Jinnica,

seven inches long.

without the caudal

is

and we have given

is

the

two-ninths of the

fin.

Probably most species admit of being separated in varieties,

known only from

The head this

this classification as the best

way

into constituent

means

of illustrating-

the variability of the type under different geographical conditions.

Except at spawning-time, which

lasts a fortnight, it frequents

deep w^ater

but begins to travel in September and October, and, reaching shallow places, drops about ten thousand large eggs, with noisy and lively movements, during

November and December. The female

in

Sweden

is

said to rub herself against

stones to get rid of the eggs.

The smoked. it is

flesh is greatly

It

is

known

esteemed for food.

in

Sildbja, Sinasik, or

It is eaten fresh,

Germany as Moranke Sik. In Norway it is

or

but

Kl elite Marane.

is

sometimes In Sweden

LaJcesild, Skadd, or IVemnie.

THE FRESII-WATElf FISHES OF EUROPE.

.350

Coregonus vimba D.

A. II

l-Z,

—

]

Scales

0.

(Linn/eus). SO,' transverse

lat. lino

:

'

10.

Popularly Coreg-onus

under the name

disting-uislied

widely distributed

is

albuld, with which

it

agrees in

Sweden.

in

tin rays,

this

variety

of

most closely

allied to

C.

HlL--iriinnia,

It

is

arrangement of the

scales,

and number

There are similarly seven long-itudinal rows of scales between

of the vertebrae.

the lateral line and the root of the pectoral

The diameter

fin.

of the eye

is

in

both cases equal to the leng-th of the snout, and about one-quarter of the leng-th

we

of the head, and

sufficient character

adipose

fin is said to

The habits water; but

from Dr. Giinther's diagnosis

are unable to

separate

it

as a species.

Lloyd

]Mr.

spring approach

the

following

shore,

They

own spawning.

they return to the shore ag-ain for their

The

head, according to Mr. Lloyd, causes death.

and the Swedes have a saying' of a sly person that he flesh

eaten fresh or salted, and

is

long winter in Lapland

it

is

The

fish is is

deep

live in

Smelt

the

spawning-g-round, for the purpose of feeding on the spawn.

The

states that the

be slightly serrated.

of the different kinds of Sik are similar.

in

any

to recognise

the

to

In the autumn least

blow on the

reputed very cunning,

" as cunning- as a Sik.'^

occasionally smoked.

During the

furnishes a considerable part of the food of

ti)e

people.

Coregonus poUan

(Thompson).

D. 13—11., A. 12—13, Y. 12, P. Scales

The PoUan monly about

is

six

:

lat. line

80

known only from inches

long-,

large shoals in spring and

meal.

It

It is

is

commonly

PoUan. C. 23.

9/11.

the loughs of Ireland, where

though occasionally twice

summer

in search of

this

it

is

com-

length.

Its

It

approaches the shores in

food,

and even far on into the

fished for in the afternoon, probably for the evening-

rarely taken with

insect-eating-,

15— IG,

— 86, transverse

habits are not dissimilar to those of the Powan.

autumn.

— The

the

but feeds on small

fly,

from which we may infer that

mollusca.

Mr.

Thompson

it is

records

not that

seventeen thousand two hundred and twenty were taken in a single draught in

Lough Neagh

in

one September, and were sold on the spot for

£-l'i Os. 8d.

They

where the cry of " Fresh Pollan " is more common than that of " Fresh Herring " It is taken to neighbouring places

are largely

consumed

in Belfast,

!

!

by

rail,

but recpiires to be eaten sjieedily after caj)tufe.

COREGONUS VANDESIU8. favourite spawning- g-round

Its

The stomach

rather the Larger.

is

The female

a hard rocky bottom.

is

found to contain the small bivalve

is

and Llninaa, besides

Pisidiiim, the fry of Stickleback, Entomostraca,

fish

shell

larvae of

and the freshwater shrimp, Gamu)aru^.

insects,

The

The^ length

species varies a little in proportions in the different lakes.

head

of the

351

equal to the depth of the body, which

is

The eye

total length of the fish.

The jaws

are equal in length

about one-sixth of the

one-quarter of the length of the head.

is

may have

both

;

is

a few delicate teeth, and the

teeth are chiefly seen on the tongue.

The

descends a

lateral line

straight to the lateral line

and the ventral

abdomen

is

due to

its

series of scales

between the

of the upper part of the

The

are silvery.

Nearly

with finely-diffused pigment.

fins are dark.,

and then runs

at the opercular region,

The colour

fin.

a dark blue, the sides and

species

little

There are eight longitudinal

tail.

body

all

that

is

is

of

and anal

dorsal, caudal,

known

of this

original discoverer.

There are sixty to sixty-one

vertebrae.

Coregonus vandesius D. 11, A. 13, V.

(Richardson).— The

Scales

11.

lat.

:

OS— 71,

line

Vendace.

transverse

10

The name VenJaee, according

Ydvdohe (Dace) which the Scottish scales

of

;

and

in

Pennant,

to

of Scots.

As the

fish does

derived from the French

the whiteness of

resembles in

fish

Scotland the tradition runs that

Mary Queen

is

it

was introduced

its

in the time

not occur on the Continent,

it is

more

probable that the Continental taste of the Frenchmen about her Court for fresh-

may have brought it now identified. It

water fishes

which

it

is

and

Dumfriesshire,

down the Annan

Powan

;

it is

readily

weather

their

and provided

it

with a name by

found in the lochs near Lochmaben

Windermere and Bassenthwaite, and

Jardine states that the constitution of the fish

quite unable to bear transport.

they both swim

They make

in

is

way

captured retire to

in

In habit

it

is

so deli-

nearly resembles the

large shoals and are taken only with the net.

against the direction of the wind, and on dull days are

near the

shore of the loch, but during

warm and

clear

deep water, better able apparently to accommodate them-

selves to the increased pressure than to the increased temperature.

dace feeds on Entomostraca and other minute forms of

life.

It

The Venspawns

October and November, and then often jumps out of the water into the

The females

in

comes

to the Sol way Firth.

Sir William cate that

also

into notice,

are larg-er and

more numerous than the males.

in

air.

THE FRESn-WATER FISHES OF EUROFE.

352

The

flavour

compared

is

the Smelt^ and the fish

to that of

res^arded as

is

a delicacy, probably, Jardine remarks, on account of the difficulty of always obtaining" a supply

thoug-h Yarrell, writing from practical experience, says he

;

considers the fish (piite entitled to

Without the caudal length eye

is

five

is

is

The lower jaw

of the head,

and the diameter

minute teeth on the tongue;

fin is

begins under the front part of the dorsal.

The

is

long-er than

is

the longest rays of the dorsal

;

The adipose

its base.

long, though the pectoral

total

of the

few

a

The

the ventral and dorsal profiles are similar.

middle of the side

lateral line is in the

twice the length of

it

The small mouth contains

the longer.

is

The

four times as long- as high.

and a quarter times that

about one-third of the length of the head, so that

the snout.

fin

high character for excellence.

its

the fish

fin

fin are

near the caudal

;

The

conspicuously

fins are all

the ventral

shorter than the head.

colour of the upper part of the body

is

a dull greenish or bluish tint,

while the sides and lower part of the body are silvery, though the colour varies

The

with the nature of the bottom.

and there

is

There are

of the body.

than

in the

vcliiin

Grimm

(Pallas) in

polkur (Pallas) and C. p('J('(l in

Poland

;

takes the colour of the back, fins

fifty-six vertebrae in this species,

C.

enimierates

Lake Koobin,

the Petchora only;

and

many in

of the

which

is

lower part

two fewer

other species of Coregonus, such as

the

Dwina and

omul (Lepechin), both occur

Lakes Ladoga and Onega; in

fin

Powan.

In Russia Dr. C.

dorsal

a paler colour of the same tint in the

C.

C. fera

(Jurine)

:

The genus Thymallus

ThymalluS is

;

Baeril

C.

(Kessler),

(Cuvier).

found in the temperate parts of the northern

characters are the

distinctive

in

found only in Lake Onega.

hemisphere, occurring in North America, Northern Asia, and Europe.

most

C.

Mezen andPetchora;

maneita (Bloch) in Lake Peipus and the lakes

C. I.scliolmur/ensis (Dauilewski)

Genus

rivers of Siberia;

in the

great length and size of the dorsal

Its fin,

which includes from thirteen to twenty-three rays; and secondly, the mouth

and maxillary bones are small and furnished with are developed on the jawbones, the head of the are absent

from the tongue.

numerous than the air-bladder

The only

is

The

])yloric

Coregonus or Salmo.

in

teeth, which,

though small,

vomer and palatine bones, and

aj)pendages to the intestine are less

The stomach

is

horse-shoe-shaped

;

very large.

J^]uropean

examples are the widely distributed

Tl/j/iini/hts ru/;/(ir/x,

THE (lENUS THY:\[ALLUS its

Thy mall m

variety

Dalmatian

cbliani,

which

limited to

is

Two

1\ microlepis.

species,

353

Lago Maggiore^ and the North America

species are limited to

:

the Toisson bleu of the Canadians, or Ileivlookpowak of the Eskimo, found

north of the Mackenzie River, and the other, T. tricolor, in Lake Michigan.

Thymallus vulgaris

(LiNN.Eus).^The Grayling.

D. :20— 23, A. 13—10, Scales

lat. line

:

P.

75

16,

flie

yEsche or der

it is

J.sr/^,

I'Oiiihre;

and Ilarr

Upper

who found

— THYMALLUS

14.

riili/aris (Fig*.

167)

Temolo

Italy^

in Scandinavia.

apparently from the time of vElian,

167.

in

9 "~

— 88, transverse

In the rivers of England, Tkyijiallns Grayling"; in France

Y. 10—11, C. 19.

;

The name

is

known

as the

and in Germany, of the

genus dates

the fish in the Ticino and Adige.

VULGAIUS (xiLSSOX)

The name says,

is attributed to the thyme-like odour which the fish exhales. Walton " some think he feeds on water-thyme, and smells of it on being first

taken out of the water," but Pennant observes that he never could distinguish

Lloyd attributes the odour

the imaginary scent.

which have a strong odour, It

is

a voracious

readily to the fly,

October that

it

so that

whii^h

fish,

though

flies

it

Pennant

when

takes the fly freely, and then,

insect

life

is

over and the

Grayling, out of condition, has to feed on

23

fish

eating

insects

be absent.

states will eagerly take a bait, rising

are probably an

speedily gets into fine condition, and feasts on

the days

to the

may sometimes

autumn luxury, for it is not till when the taste is once acquired, flies

work

through November of

spawning

is

;

but

in

done, the

what the streams may provide,

TlIK Fi;Esir.wATEi; fisiiks of ettrope.

:]r>%

and

its taslollu'ii lies in llio

AVlien

(ine

direction of univalve mollusoa, small

^linnows and Gud<^eons, spawn, and

fishes, small fislies like

remembers

the

power of water

refractincf

ii-reat

remaikalilc that the Graylino^ should often

worms,

jump out

vonn^'j'

larva; of insects.

seems

it

of the water and succeed

but the swiftness of their movements has been

in catchino- insects in the air,

compared to the passing of a shadow.

As

a rule the

swim

shallow streams with pools,

fish is solitary, preferrino- clear

At spawning-time

having- a bottom of sand or gravel.

The

in couples.

it

deposits the eggs, which are four millimetres in diameter,

though Blanchard found them to

l)e

male has covered them with the

stones,

and abandoned.

Upper

in

May;

As soon

milt, they are protected with

The spawning often takes

sometimes in April and

which the female

and orange-coloured,

white and opalescent in France.

as the

spawns

mates, and they then

pair excavate holes with their tails, in

small

place early in March, but

though, according to Canestrini, the species

Italy between January and April

;

and Lloyd mentions

May or

the beginning of June in Scandinavia; the time depending upon temperature,

and

in Continental waters

In spawning thus early

it

being governed by the melting of the diffei'sfrom the Salmon.

ice in spring.

The young brood

is

usually

hatched out in fourteen days, commonly in June; the process being more

members of the Salmon tribe. The young grow quickly, and under favourable circumstances may reach a weight of a pound or a pound and a half in two years, when they rapid than in other

begin to spawn.

Many

Von

individuals, according to

specimens are paler in colour and have smaller

fins.

Siebold, are sterile

On

jirogress to

;

such

maturity

many dangers, and are by no means tenacious of life. Where Salmon abound they feed on Grayling; and water birds are discriminating enough to prefer a Grayling, when he can be caught. The fish is not easily naturalised anywhere. Sir Humphry Davy failed in getting it to live

they encounter

in brackish water,

and

it is

only by a

that they are introduced into ponds in

The

flesh

would seem to have been even more prized

now, and numerous laws

which

its

delicate life

in

was protected by the

was once much used

in ancient times than

the Codex Austriacus testify to the care with

a rei)utation for being easily digested, reschia,

system of slow change of the water

Germany.

and

earlier rulers of Austria. its fat,

It

had

under the name of Oleum

in medicine for its reputed healing proi)erties.

Grayling are commonly caught with the net and weir-basket, though taken with the

line

even when

l)aited

with

artificial Hies.

and Kner record the practice of an ingenious fishing,

which consists

in the application of the

general use for the capture of birds.

if

In l^pper Austria, lleekel

unsportsmanlike

mode

of

decoy such as wns formerly in

At spawning-time

a female fish

is

taken

THYMALLUS VULGARIS. just ready to deposit the

and

fish,

net

near the net

is

is

tied firmly to the dorsal fin of the

not recorded from Ireland, has only recently been in-

is

in the

is

most abundant

England, and Triassic sands

of

The Severn, Dee, Trent and

of the Central districts.

says the largest fish he ever heai'd

of,

its tributaries,

taken near Ludlow in the

little inferior to this in size

is

found also in Lapland, where the gastric juice

measures from a foot to fifteen inches.

Lake

of Geneva, the

Switzerland

tributary streams, where

and a

Russia

it is

It

half.

is

Lake Constance and the other

it

is

lakes.

In It their

sometimes two feet long, though commonly a

White

of the Grayling

is

Sea, Baltic, Black Sea,

eminently elegant

;

as long as high,

and

six times as long as the head,

viduals the head

may

be a

broad.

it

France,

Istria.

In

confined to the small rivers, and upper parts of the large rivers which

The shape

is

used in

Hungary, and Transylvania, and

found in Lombardy, Piedmont, Venice, and

fiow into the Arctic Ocean,

body

The Gray-

said to be

It occurs only in the East of

occurs in the mountain lakes of Austria,

foot

is

Auvergne, and some tributaries of the Rhone.

characteristic of

it is

Denmark, and

in

In France and Germany

of the reindeer.

to

are taken in the South of

recorded in Northern Scandinavia.

is

making cheese from the milk the

Wye, was above

But from time

Specimens weighing four pounds have been got

a weight of five pounds

and the

Pennant

Grayling waters.

half a yard long and weighed four pounds, six ounces.

time specimens only a

the

the limestone country of

in

Chalk streams of the South

tributaries of the Yorkshire Ouse, are all favourite

ling

oÂŁ the

quickly raised.

troduced into Scotland, and

England.

bottom

in the

then placed on the bottom, and as soon as the males come

is

The Grayling Pennine chain,

thread

end to a small stake driven

fixed at the other

A

brook.

A

eg-g-s.

;355

little

larger,

and Caspian.

the body

though

and the body a

little

thick, but the head

The eyes

from each other as from the snout.

are as far

dorsal profile

is

is

indi-

higher.

is

The

Their diameter,

The

one-quarter of the length of the head.

more arched than the ventral

develojied in the front of the

some

only one-third higher than

twice as high as

including the adipose margin,

times

is five

in

body than

outline,

in the

and the convexity

genus Coregonus.

nares are nearer to the eye than to the snout, which

is

is

more

The double

blunt and somewhat

broad, and projects a little over the lower jaw, so that the aspect of the

mouth

is inferior.

The pre-maxillary and maxillary bones are far as the anterior

margin of the pupil

;

small, the latter extends back as

though the mouth

delicate teeth are largest in the pre-maxillary

bone

;

is

small.

the maxillary bone, but are in groups on the vomer and palatine bones.

termination of the tongue

is

a round free point.

The

they form a simple row in

The

The

gill-openings are very

;

356

FllESII-WA'l'Ki;

TTTF.

OF

FTSTIES

FT'lJOPE.

wide; the number of bvanchiosteo^al rays, according- to Giinther,

Meckel and Kner state

eight.

the

tliat

number

times ten on each side, sometimes nine on the right and ten on the a St. Petersburg exam])le shows eleven on the

left

and compressed at the

base.

is

left,

some-

though

and ten on the right, an

unsymmetrical arrangement very common in the genus. pointed,

seven to

is

of branchiostegal rays

Those of the

The

gill-rakers are

last branchial arch are

The

nine or ten in number, short, conically pointed, and not denticulated. opercular shield

remarkable for the small

is

broad sub-operculum, which

The

fin differs

acquires fin

with age, and

is

only in the fourth to the

The adipose

ray.

its last

which case

it

may

fin,

which

is

perhaps represent a second

entirely disappeared ;

it

fifth it

year that the

fin

touches the adipose

common

Salmon

to all the

highly suggestive, as probably a consequence of fatty degeneration, in

tribe, is

type

of the length, with a short

development, and then when laid back

its full

with

placed high up.

in the second third

increase in length to the first jointed ray, but the height of the

The rays

ray.

is

commences

dorsal fin

operculum, and the

size of the

in these fishes,

nevertheless, that there

and a bony skeleton

which has

of jointed rays

fin

may have

existed in

some ancestral

no necessary connection between a fatty

is

to support

but

it

is

shown by the development

fin

of a fatty fin

The anal fin is o])i)Osite to the commonly four unjointed and eleven jointed rays it is the The ventral fins are fins, and strongly truncated behind.

on the backs of Dolphins and other cetacea. adipose

fin

it

has

all

the

;

shortest of

middle of the dorsal

opposite the rather

The caudal

shorter.

variable,

The

;

and

row

they are broader than the pectoral, but as long as the head; its

above the middle of the body;

They have

Salmon.

free margin, with a

and truncate,

They

so

The

fine concentric striping, are generally

few short delicate rays.

tiiat

on the

marked

tliere are

the scale

is

much

The

sides

of

in the sub-

three or four

than

convex at the

posterior border

higher than long.

smaller on the back than on the sides, but smallest on the

scales

very

The mucus-canals

are well

scales are adherent, larger

they become gradually larger round the ventral

The

is

opens with simple pores it.

open with a row of pores over the eye, and

pores on each branch of the lower jaw. in the

it

of scales than those on each side of

the head are similar to those in Coregonus. orbital bone,

forking

descends at the back of the head, and then runs straight

line

to the tail a little

in a smaller

;

is

evenly-Iobed.

it is

lateral

fin

is

The

notched

scales are

abdomen and throat

fin.

commonly have the

aspect of being ari-anged in

parallel lines,

and the name Grayling has sometimes been sujjposed to be a

corruption of

''

U-om

grey

scales, but

lines,""

due

the caudal

is

to this appearance.

covered at

its

The head and

longest rav for half

fins are free its

length

—

THYMALLUS VULGARIS. with small delicate

than in the old

fish^

Naked

scales.

median

sides of the densely-scaled

357

occur on the throat on both

patches

These patches are larger in the young-

line.

and probably have no importance in

Valenciennes founded a species,

Thymallm

though

classification,

gymnotliorax, on fishes which had

the belly naked and a hundred scales in the lateral line.

The colour year,

and

varies considerably with the condition of the fish, season of the

The back

age.

the sides, while the belly sides,

generally greenish-brown, becoming grey on

is

The head

silvery.

is

is

especially over the lateral line,

brown

often with

and brownish-grey longitudinal

the rows of scales.

the direction of

transverse bands.

The

spawning-time.

young

fish

the

fins are

Some Swedish

run

stripes

dorsal and caudal fins are bordered with black

;

in

violet,

red at

they are

commonly shows dai'k-brown

The caudal may also be

spots or bands extending horizontally.

spots.

at the

The ventral and anal fins are The pectoral is yellow, becoming

generally red, and sometimes blue, and the dorsal

the

brown above, yellow

with spots of black, which also occur in the fore part of the body,

transparent, and even the dorsal

In

decorated.

may

be free from

writers state that during the sj)awning season the usual

white colour of the belly becomes red.

The number

of

The

twenty-four.

pyloric appendages

The

the stomach are very thick.

liver

Two

small, varying

fi-ont,

;

air-bladder

and the accessory

and twenty-two

fin.

ribs are well-developed.

ali-

There

in the tail, of

There are thirty-six pairs Giinther mentions that in

infested with a parasite,

is

of

very

is

kidneys extend along the length of the abdomen.

Neckar the stomach

to

The walls

extends back behind the vent,

it

which eight extend into the fan of the caudal the

from nineteen

and opens by a pneumatic duct into the

are thirty-nine vertebraj in the thoracic region,

of ribs,

The

not lobed.

is

long, and united to the abdominal walls

terminates in a point in

mentary canal.

is

conspicuously thicker than the others.

last is

Aacaru capsularia, and

with Citcullaniis salaris.

The Grayling Trout,

is

is

eminently a lover of

more commonly met with

in

where they empty themselves into

Tennyson has recorded

in his

'•

''

rivers

lakes, a point of natural history

Brook "

With here and

Aud

clear, rapid streams, and, like

mountain brooks and small

the

than

which

:

there a lusty Trout,

here and there a Gi'ayling."

In the Lago Maggiore a Tlnjniallua occurs, which was named by Cuvier

and Valenciennes

T.

alianl, but

having only seventeen rays T. r alga fix.

It

may

its

chief difference

in the dorsal tin,

which

from is

be regarded as a local lake variety.

T.

viUgaria

is

in

three fewer than in

THE

358

FHESII-WATI-:U FISHES OF EUROFE.

Thymallus microlepis

(Stein dach nek). al)ove

1).

i:3_14, A. 12.

21^—22

UU

Scales: lateral line

The body

is

elongated, and the

tail

"

17—19

below

compressed, so as to form a sort of

edge, which disappears on the fore-part of the back.

The height

of the

body

slightly exceeds the length of the head.

The height

of the

head

two-thirds of

is

what trimcate, and projects a is

and

short,

its

little

The snout

length.

its

over the month.

The

some-

is

month

cleft of the

There

angles are below the middle of the eye.

is

a row of

small pointed teeth in the pre-maxillary and maxillary bones, and in the man-

The

dible.

rows of teeth on the tongue are much larger.

lateral

two long rows of vomerine

The eye

teeth.

The

a fifth the length of the head.

varies

frontal region of the head

There are eleven branchiostegal rays.

The

border of the operculum

curved.

operculum

The contour

is

very

is

little

is flatter.

The

dorsal fin

of the ventral fin

is

Both these

most elevated

are

caudal fin

is

length of the head

The lower border

of the pre-

The

fins

the ventral

;

The

middle of the length, and below the

in the

is

dorsal fin

is

high as

as

The anal

fin is

its

base

is

long, and

two-thirds the length of

have their posterior free margins slightly concave.

at the fifth ray, Avhieh

is

;

is

jointed and branched.

its

base

is

covered with scales.

The

pectoral

The which

fin,

longer than the ventral, but shorter than the head.

ventral fin contains ten rays is

flat.

forked, with pointed lobes, which are only a little shorter than the

has fourteen rays,

which

than

The hinder

wide.

is

less

nearly

advance of the middle of the body.

in

about half as long again as the head. the dorsal.

is

more rounded.

hinder part of the dorsal.

They

gill-aperture

dorsal profile rises in a moderate arch to the dorsal fin

insertion

There are

from a quarter to

;

over

its

covered with smaller scales in

base its

is

Tlie

a rather long s])ur-like scale,

front part.

The adipose

fin is

above

the hinder half of the anal.

The texture,

with

The fin.

scales are smaller

than in the

and more nearly uniform

scales,

in

Common size.

Thymallus, but

The body

is

(piite as firm in

comjiletely covered

without any of the naked ])atches which characterise the (Irayling.

smallest scales are on the throat, and increase in size towards the ventral

The The

largest scales are above

and below the

lateral line is nearly straight.

lateral line.

It includes one

hundred and leu

rated scales, of wliicli from four lo eight are uj)on the base of the caudal

\h'vI\)liii.

THYMALLUS MICROLEPIS. The colour

oi*

the back

body

is

The

its

The

sides

and ventral region

greater part of the middle of the sides of the

marked with grey or black pigment

number, are

and has

greenish-brown.

is

are a brilliant silver- white.

:359

scattei'ed flecks of orange-red.

spots,

The

among

which, in varying

dorsal finis yellowish-white,

middle part adorned with reddish stripes in the direction of the

rays, while a blackish border

pectoral, ventral,

and anal

free edge of the caudal,

middle of the anal.

margins

fins are

anterior and

superior edges.

The

Blackish spots extend along the

and similar spots are sometimes seen on the dorsal and

The length

The swim-bladder

its

orange.

is

is

from seven

long-^ thin,

to ten inches.

and pointed at the ends.

There are upwards of thirty pyloric appendages. This

sj^ecies is

described

Vergoraz, in Dalmatia. rays, the greater

number

It

by Steindachner from the mountain streams of distinguished by the small number of dorsal

is

of rows of scales,

and the dentition

of the tongue.

——

—

;3GU

CHAPTER

X.

FRESII-WATER FISHES OF THE ORDER PHYSOSTOMI {concluded).

Pike— FAMILY UMBEIDiE— Gems Umuka- Umbra Kramcri— FAMILY CYPRINODONTID^- Gexus Cypuixodon Cyprinodon calaiitanus Genus Fundulus Fundulus hispanicus — FAMILY MUR^ENID^E Genus C. ibericus

FAl\riLY ESOCIDiE -Genus Esox

:

:

—

—

Anguilla

:

Eel — Broad-nosod

Common

Et'l

ESOCID^.

Family: Genus: The Pike lish,

not

g-eiius

very

the

is

distantly

—Dalmatian Eel.

Esox

only ty])e

(Artedi).

of

family, and

its

removed from the Salmon

a pliysostonious

is

and some

tribe,

inter-

mediate genera occur in the rivers of Africa, Australia, and North America.

Among

the more strikingly distinctive characters are, the absence in Pikes of

the adipose of

the

fin,

the situation of the dorsal

the position of the adipose

fin, in

Salmon, the glandular condition of

absence of pyloric appendages to the intestine. in

pseudobranchise, and

the

maxillary bones at the sides, but the maxillary bone the mandible vary in

size,

is

The caudal

fin is

The genus Esox

length of the upper jaw.

mentioned by Giinther are found

The Pike is

Incius

(Pig. lOS)

is

known

and the old

long,

It

may

— The

when a

little

its

all

the seven

many

mammals and larger

a fatto pavtricke

nuuiy a Brenic and

it

had ho

many

It

I'emains occurring i)lentifully in

is

birds.

When young

often termed a Pickerel,

were formerly called Luce, a designation common lines in the " Canterbury Talcs " show

And

is

Pike.

time of Chaucer, as the familiar ' Full

and

be regarded,

universally distributed in Britain and in Europe.

as a Jack,

fishes

is

United States.

(Linn/eus).

the peat of the Fens, with those of extinct is

teeth on

limited to fresh water, and

is

in the

one of the older inhabitants of England,

the ^sh

The

forked, the body

Europe, Asia, and North America.

Esox

and the

toothless.

however, as rather an American than an Old World type, since species

tribe

front,

and depressed, with the mandible exceeding the

long, broad,

distributed through

is

in

and those on the pre-maxillary, vomer, palatine, and

hyoid 1)ones are sickle-shaped. the snout

Salmon

It resembles the

having the upper jaw formed by the pre-maxilkiry bones

fin

the

a

in

Luce

niewe. in stovvc."'

in the :

361

E.SUX Lucirs.

In France

it is

known

as Brockef,

and by a figure of speech

it

some-

is

times spoken of in that country, as in Eng-Land, as the "Fresh-water Shark." It

is

absent from some Departments in the South of France, and has not been

recorded in Spain.

The Dutch term

it

In

(ireepfisch or Siiuek.

Germany

it

Ilechi ,

is

and

absent only from the highest mountain lakes, occurring indifferently in waters, though, as in Britain, preferring such as do not flow rapidly. it is

Litccio

Bohemia,

;

in

Hungary the and

Sfi/ca;

Stefanos, in Turkey.

It

is

found

Fig-.

it is

is

It,

collection contains

Csukaj in Roumania,

In Italy Stiike

examples from the Lake of St. Russia in Europe, and in

In

Crimea and the Trans-Caucasus region.

168.— E.SOX LUCIUS (lixn.^us).

found throughout the peninsula, extending even beyond the limits

of the birch-tree in

Lapland.

It

is

known

to the

Swedes as Gdilda.

never met with in salt water, though found in the lagoons of Venice it

in

;

however, extends farther south,

in all the rivers of

Siberia, with the exception of the

Sweden

name

in Poland, Szeziipah.

Museum

and the British

provincial

is

all

diminishes in size and

The aspect

of the

number

Pike

is

as it approaches the open sea in

It ;

is

but

Sweden.

very striking, and quite unmistakable.

The

broad, low, compressed, and remarkably long head, with the backward position distinguishes

of the dorsal fin,

it

from every other

one-third of the length of the body, but

times as long as broad. of the body section

is

is

though

its

in old fishes it

The

The head

may

fish.

The head may be

somewhat

less

;

it is

three

times as long as high, and the thickness

height.

four-sided.

The eyes

is

sides are flat,

and the transverse

usually about six times as long

be eight times as long as the eye.

are rarely separated

this distance diminishes

UKnitli

fish is six

usually

The

nearly in the middle of the length of the head, and close to the frontal

profile.

and

exceed half

somewhat

as the eye,

eye

may

The

is

is

with age.

nearly horizontal, the lower

by more than

The nares jaw

their

own

diameter,

are in front of the eye.

The

projects in front of the small pre-

THE FKESll-WATEU FISHES OF

SCrZ

EUKOl'E.

maxillary, but the maxillary bones extend back for nearly

the head.

The teeth on the mandible

They

the larg-er ones.

Many

stron<^.

many rows

of

leng'tli

rows of small, sickle-shaped teeth

cover the pre-maxillary, the hinder teeth being the largest. carry

the

ball'

small teeth occur between

;

are arranged in a sing-lerow, usually five or six on each

and are conspicuously

side,

are recurved

of these sickle-shaped teeth

The middle

longest on the inner side.

;

of the

The

palatine bones

they are curved inwards, and are

band

of vomerine teeth

is

more

than half as wide as the band of palatine teeth. The number of branchiostegal rays fin

is

They

fourteen or fifteen.

commences

are denticulated

at about a head-length

rays arc equal to those of the anal farther back

The

still.

fin,

on the inner

which

is

opposite to

it,

The dorsal

side.

from the base of the caudal

;

its

longest

or })laced a little

ventral fins are as long as the ])ectoral, and arc rather

The terminal rays

behind the middle of the body.

of the forked caudal fin are

half as long as the head.

From

the head to the anal and dorsal fins the ventral and

the back of

dorsal profiles are nearly straight

more commonly forms a curve.

and

though the ventral outline

sub-parallel,

Behind the

fins

the depth of the

tail

decreases

There are no scales on the upper part of the head and snout, but the

rajjidly.

The

cheeks and upper part of the operculum are covered with delicate scales. largest scales are

on the

The

orbital diameter.

sides,

scales

but they are scarcely equal to one-third of the

have concentric

striae

;

they are smallest on the

and have a few large festoons on the free border. Some

breast and belly,

of those

on the back and sides are divided at the base by a deep median longitudinal notch, as

though they possessed mucus-canals,

there

is

room

like the scales of the lateral line

for further study of the scales of the Pike.

the bases of both lobes of the caudal

fin.

back and at one-third of the height from are the ceijhalic canals,

The

but

lateral line runs parallel to the

It

it.

;

Small scales cover

which have large pores.

is

not so distinctly marked as

Twelve of these pores can be

traced on the upper part of the head, and five large pores on the branch to

The

the lower jaw.

The

sub-orbital branch

colour of the back

is

is

often become irregular transverse bands.

The of

belly

the

is

smallest.

black, the sides are grey with yellow spots, which

The head

white, but dotted with black.

and

year,

The

At spawning-time

locality.

becomes a beautiful green, the pale yellow

and the

gills

dorsal, anal,

are

deej) red.

and caudal

The

pectoral

are brownish

is

marbled

like the body.

colour varies with age, season

the grey colour of the sides

flecks

deepen to a golden-yellow,

and ventral

fins are

and flecked with black.

reddish

The

;

the

olive-green

variety has been termed the Grass Pike, and the pure yellow variety with large

blackish bands

is

known

in

(iermany as the Pike King.

scared v -inferior to the Salmon.

In size the Pike

is

ESOX Frank Buekland enjoyed and among- the

finest

303

LUCITTS.

his notice

were several forty-six inches

Though

long and thirty-five to thirty-six pounds in weight. are reputed to

more

lies

swim, Buekland warns us

"

that,

it

pounds.

it

Yarrell

grows in the Atter See tells

^^

am

I

There

eighty

is

weight of forty to

his "

in

Lomond which

Natural History

fishes

In Sweden the reputation of a Pike four feet

pounds in weight reached Mr. Lloyd, but the monster

appeared a long time ago, and though dragged

more than

to a

unable to find personal testimony to larger

than those seen by Buekland.

of the punt,

the world/^

mentions one taken in County Clare which weighed seventy-

eight pounds, but

long and

fish in

us of a Pike from Loch

weighed seventy-nine pounds, and Mr. Thompson Ireland

larger fishes

still

in plain language,

frequently from twenty to thirty j)ounds in weight, and

it is

Heckel and Kner say that forty-eight

of

put

to

have been told about the Pike than about any other

In Austria

specimens,

for seeing large

special opportunities

which came under

times up to the gunwale

five

was never captured. reason to suppose that the large fishes of forty-six inches were not

fifteen years old,

and the legends of

ancient" dates have not that quality of veracity

although the skeleton of the great

fish

fishes

which

said to be

is

with the rings bearing required

by

science

;

for

seventeen feet long, and

reputed to be 'IQl years old, was preserved in the Cathedral of Mannheim,

bones furnished the unexpected gloss on the old story that

it

its

had been manu-

factured out of smaller fishes.

The Pike grows year,

first

rapidly.

and two pounds

Sometimes

it

in the second year,

weighs only half a pound in the but a two-year-old

exceptional feeding weigh six or seven pounds. fishes,

and the boldest robber in the waters.

feeder on fish, but

Much

is

as

rats

;

its

is

fish

may

by no means exclusively a

may

consist of frogs, leeches, weeds. Trout,

jaws,

Mr. Jesse

it will

states that a

swallow anything that comes

Pike of

five

pounds consumes

Gudgeon a week, which is an average of four to five a day. however, eat more, since when five Roach were thrown to this Pike thirty

cession, four of fifth

with

the greediest of predaceous

but young wild-ducks, water-hens, coots, and water-

do not come amiss, and when hungry

within reach of

It

is

omnivorous as a pig.

of the food of a Pike

Carp, or other fishes

It

It can,

in suc-

them, each four inches long, were swallowed at once, while the

disappeared in about a quarter of an hour.

Tales are told of Pike seizing

the limbs of bathers, and attempting to capture the snouts of mules and donkeys

which had gone down

to the

water to drink.

about the story told by Mr. Jesse, of a

But there seems

to be no douljt

man who, endeavouring

to capture a

large Pike,

which had got into a shallow creek, received severe wounds on the

arms

combat.

in the

I'ltESII-WATEK FISIIKS

TIIF.

;i(il.

EriM

»1'K.

down

tlie

(•[•'

Pike aiv often put into hikes and ])unds to keep

number

of Trout;

and, on the authority of ]\Ions. "Woern; Lloyd states that the Pike in a pond

On

are mostly stationary, but the Trout are in constant motion.

Mons. Woern saw

The Trout made desperate but

as large as itself across the body. efforts to get free,

menced gorging

whole days that

it

process of digestion

and

was not

it

till

the

had succeeded in completely swallowing

must have continued much longer,

as the

had a very swollen a{)pearance for a week afterwards, and was hardly able

lisli

to

The

viclini.

prey, beginning with the head,

its

ineffectual

The Pike then com-

and after two hours became exhausted.

exj)iration of three its

one occasion

a Pike of seven to ei^ht pounds^ weight seize a Trout fully

move from the

even when poked with a

spot,

each other, though there attacking

life,

since

when

less

we hear

than an inch long, and

of one Pike of nine pounds

''

tells

how

the lad

who took Pike thus

Near the

coast of

Sweden the

and probably other

sea-eagle, the osprey, kite,

swoop down on Pike which may be basking

the water.

the fish

If

is

a small one the bird

but often bird and

;

united, wondered

a muckle fish wi' twa tails."

birds of prey,

eyrie

readily eat

head and throat firmly embedded in the jaws of another Pike of ten

its

pounds, and Dr. Burton to see

this practice

throughout

it

But Pike

stick.

usually a slight advantage in size on the part of the

They begin

fish.

probably continue

with

is

desperate

bird has struck If the Pike

is

its

which end

ensue,

confiiets

in

at the surface of

away with

matched

are equally

fish

flies

the death

its

booty to the

and then

in strength,

both,

of

for

after the

talons into the flesh of the Pike they cannot be disengaged.

more powerful than the

dents of natural history.

down

bird, the latter is borne

bottom, and drowned, and then succeeds,

if true,

to the

one of the most curious inci-

For, incredible as the story seems, Eckstrom, the

Rev. M. Moller, and other writers, state that the flesh of the Pike heals with the talons of the bird in skeleton, which

is

its

back, while the bird becomes converted into a

carried about

One

by the Pike.

skeleton,

which had long

been exhibited by a Pike in Lake Wetter, had acquired a greenish tinge, and

was regarded by the fishermen tells

as a harbinger of

misfortune.

us of another skeleton carried on the back of a Pike in

which was known sprite,

and they

to the fishermen

lied

from

of an elk, or reindeer,

Lekander put a shot l)r()ving the

The

in fear.

moving

in the

for

some time as the

It is said to

rapidly on the water;

Pike which carried

it,

Sjotroll, or

Water-

have appeared like the horns but at

last Lieut.

J.

and solved the mystery, by

Water-sprite to be the skeleton of a sea-eagle.

tlesii

colour, but

it

Mr. Lloyd

Lake Fryksdal,

is

of the Pike

thought

to

like those of the Eno-lisii

when spitchcocked

is

excellent,

and of

a

bright white

have the choicest flavour when taken from streams, Fen-land, where Smelts alx.uiul.

E.SOX LUCIUS.

365

lu Ireland the Pike spawns as early as February, but

in

In North Germany

England.

later in

it is

a

month

or

two

spawns from February to April, but

it

South Germany spawning' takes place from March to May.

The young

s})awn earlier than the old fishes, and in Scandinavia there are three successive

spawnings, which correspond with the disappearance of frogs, to

and the unfolding of the

on trees

leaf

ice,

the pairing of

and these broods are known

;

the people, according to Mr. Lloyd, as ice Pike, frog Pike, and blossom

The female

Pike.

is

always

The males

by four males.

lai-ger

than the male, and

are said to be

spawning-time the female remains themselves against her body

which the

sometimes attended

is

At

more numerous than the females. and the males are reputed

quiet,

to rub

she deposits the yellow, somewhat large eggs,

till

The number

are three millimetres in diameter.

of eggs varies with

lu a Pike weighing twenty-eight pounds there were 292,000 eggs,

fish.

weighing one pound eggs weighed

five

five

ounces, but in a fish weighing thirty-two pounds the

pounds, and numbered 595,000, so that in the large

fish

they weig'hed nearly four times as much, but were only twice as numerous.

Pike

when they

breed

first

are three years old.

are hatched in about fourteen days, and the

In Sweden the period of incubation

is

According to Beneeke, the eggs

young have

a large umbilical sac.

from twenty-five to thirty days.

when spawning, the Pike lives a solitary life. The same species of Pike is plentiful in Manitoba, and Canadian

lakes,

and

in the

United States.

times from June

The number

till

occurs in the great

Pike are taken with nets of

especially in the winter, but they are captured with

Except

all

kinds,

the rod and line at

all

February.

of thoracic vertebrae varies

from forty-one

to forty-three;

the

number from twenty to twenty-one. The stomach is not well from the intestine. The intestine has two convolutions, and is about

caudal vertebrae defined

one-quarter longer than the body. undivided.

The

air-bladder

is

abdominal cavity throughout with the pharynx. thick mass.

The arms

its

length

The kidneys

The peritoneum

is

The

liver

is

on the

left

side,

and

is

simple, and loosely attached to the walls of the ;

a short pneumatic canal communicates

are at first slender, but unite behind into a

pearly-white.

of the city of Lu(^on are three silver Pike.

••J

THE

GO

FIJESII-WATEI; FISHES

UMBRID^.

Family: Genus: The

o-enns

UmLra

OF EUROPE,

Umbra

(Ivramer).

includes small fresh-water fishes which are allied to Pike

on the one side and to the Garfish tribe on the other.

form the

front^ \vhile the maxillary bones

form the

The pre-maxillary bones of the jaws.

sides

There

The

are villiform teeth in the jaws, on the vomer, and on the palatine bones.

eye

is

The stomach

small.

are no pyloric appendages.

with cycloid is it.

scales,

not conspicuous.

The anal

a simple expansion of the intestine, and there

Both the head and the

oblonjj;'

on which there are no radiating

The

dorsal fin

fin is short,

Only two

is

striae.

body are covered

The

lateral

line

opposite the ventral, or a little behind

is

and the caudal rounded.

species are

known

:

one limited to the South of Europe, the

other to the United States.

Umbra D.

1

:)—!(;,

A. 7-S, Y.

p.

(],

kram.eri

l;3.

Scales

:

(Miller).

lat. line

m~:]^,

^

transverse 7

The

lish

thus named

is

popularly

known

In these countries

Iluno'jiry as the liiljidial (Fig-. 169).

Fig-. 169.

—VMiiUA

KUAMEia

waters and grows to a length of three in

tlie

in Austria as the

(n-

it

f^of/Ji "</',

and

in

frequents stagnant

(iit/.inger).

four inches, and

is

especially found

neighbourhood of the Neusiedler See, INIoosbrunn near Vienna, and

Teufelsbach near Pesth, and

in

streams which

How

also said to occur in the neiiilibourhood of Odessa.

into the Platlensee.

It

is

;

KRAMERI.

U]\ri]RA

The

most

sealed head gives this fish its

hody four and a half to

nearly as long as the hody

is

The head

is

is

deeper than usual

is

The

rather strong than elegant.

deep, and twice the thickness of the body.

longer than high and twice as long as broad, though the thickness

The diameter

increases with ag-e.

The eyes

head.

is

It has the

distinctive eharacter.

times as long- as deep, but

five

l)ehind the dorsal fin, so that its appearance

head

367

by

are separated

of the eye

is

one-quarter the length of the

own diameter and are the same distance The small double nares are nearer to the

their

behind the extremity of the snout.

The maxillary bone extends under

extremity of the snout than to the eye.

the middle of the eye and forms part of the margin of the moderately large

The lower jaw

mouth.

rather the longer and

is

is

pointed in the middle.

There are no teeth on the maxillary bone or on the tongue, but the pre-maxillary,

The

mandible, vomer, and palatine bones have fine-pointed teeth in bands. opercular apparatus

There are

large gill-aperture.

the right and six on the visible fine,

The

and glandular.

first

^^y^'^^^Frr^^^^g.^^

branehiostegal rays on pseudobranchiffi are in-

gill-ray

so slender

is

according to Heckel and Kner, that

hindermost ray

it

and

_*v..

might be

Fig

.

-^

_^

_

ui\])

or

'"^

very wide and

is

_

170.

^ ^

jKorABmT."'''

Both the belly and back are broad and rounded

the ventral profile tail

five

The

left.

easily overlooked; the Hat.

with a rounded margin and

large,

is

is

rather the more convex of the two, and the depth of the

The somewhat long

exceeds the thickness of the body.

behind the middle of the body anal fin has a short base

rounded.

The ventral

and

fins,

branched rays are equal

its

;

which are narrow, are

and

its free

border

similarly rounded.

is

the caudal fin are the longest,

rounded

fin

is

it

;

just

The

The

in length.

below the hinder part of the dorsal

is

lieginning of the dorsal and reach back to the vent. as the ventral,

dorsal fin begins

in front

pectoral fin

is

;

of

it is

the

as long

The middle rays of

making

not quite so long as

the outline of the

the

head.

The

constitute characters as distinctive as anything in the

fins

structure of this

fish.

Except the point of the snout and jaws, the whole head is

^'^^iml"xKAMEiir

covered with scales, so that

^''^^'^^

(Fig.

170).

On

it

passes insensibly into the

the body the scales are large and

nearly circular, but the attached basal margin truncated (Fig. 171).

The

is

not firmly attached, with very fine concentric lines and no radiating

The

lateral

line is

neck down the parallel to the

somewhat

scales cover each other like roofing-slates, are soft,

marked only by a

side of the body,

back and nearer

tc)

paler band, descending

and shows no it

visible pores.

than to the ventral margin.

It

ra3-s.

from is

the

roughly

80S

OV KrROPE.

FUESII-W'A'I'KR FJSIIES

Till-:

The cephalic canaLs

are distinct,

and are traced by their pores

alonj^ the

The bony elements

pre-operculum round the eyes and on the lower jaw.

of

the sub-orbital ring- are strongly developed.

The and

is

large stomach extends back in the abdominal cavity to the ventral fins,

surrounded by the moderately large

The

duct into the pyloric region. curve under the

of the

liver

opens by a wide

and makes a forward

slender,

is

and then curving again, passes into the large

liver,

which runs straight

The

liver.

intestine

The

to the vent.

intestine,

air-bladder extends the entire length

abdominal cavity, and opens by a short pneumatic canal into the lower

and hinder wall of the are small in front

The

form long

ovaries of the female

sacs,

which

and covered with black pigment; the eggs are small.

The

gullet.

kidneys are small in front and expand in the region of the vent to thick

The small long urinary bladder and

glandular masses.

The male has

behind the vent.

The

colour

the oviduct open

in this region a projecting papilla.

reddish-brown, becoming blackish-brown on the back, and

is

The

paler on the belly.

lateral line is indicated

by a pale-yellow or copper-red

The head and body are spotted and dotted irregularly with dark-]>r()wn pigment. The dorsal and caudal fins are brownish, the former has some spots the other fins are pale. The male sometimes has a red line along the middle of line.

;

the belly from the throat to the vent.

Males are rarer than females, and have

more elongated body.

a

They

two inches long, while the females measure

are smaller fishes, often scarcely

three inches, or three inches and a half.

This Iliuidsjisch

and Roach,

muddy bottoms at a time, as

company with the River Bullhead, Crucian Carp,

of deep pools.

it is

shy, active,

When swimming, feet of a

lives in

the marshes adjoining the Hungarian

in

It

is

rare for

and buries

itself in

Syngnathus.

like that

This

fin at

seen in the

condition

is

lakes,

but

prefers

it

five or six to

be taken

the mud.

the pectoral and ventral fins

dog in running, and the dorsal

wave-like motion

more than

move

alternately like the

the same time moves with a

Sea-horse

apparently due

tribe,

Hippocampus and

to the muscles Avhich

attached to the individual rays being ca])able of independent action.

when the

fish is

sometimes

otherwise

still,

HippocamiDus.

oscillate as in

the last three or four rays of the dorsal

The animal

in a vertical position,

are

Even

is

sometimes at

fin

rest in a horizontal,

and may remain for hours together with the

head directed either upward or downward, then with a sudden rapid movement of the tail

it

comes from deep water

to the surface

ejected in large bubbles through the gill-opening's, for

some time.

half,

and

fi'<l

it

Heckel and Kner kept

and swallows

and

it

air,

which

is

then breathes slowly

this fish in captivity for a year

and a

with small pieces of raw meat, which were never touched

till

CYPiaXUUUX CALAlilTANUS. they came to rest at

The

hand.

The

fishes

bottom, though at

tlie

spawn

in confinement

species is reputed poisonous

that

last it learned to

take food from the

the eggs are as large as millet-seed.

;

by the fishermen, who have a superstitious

brought to the Vienna market, and are

among

seen occasionally scattered

still

belief

they were frequently

Formerly

unfortunate to catch Dogfish.

is

it

:5()9

the great masses of Misgurmis fossi li s brought from the Neusiedler See.

C

Family: Genus Cyprinodon

:

Y P R I N O D O N T I D ^.

Cyprinodon

(Lacepede).

the type of a family of fresh-water fishes, whicli are for the

is

most part viviparous, and present marked differences of aspect and ornament

The head

the two sexes. pre-maxillaries

as well as the

The

are notched, of moderate size,

The the

;

and arranged

in a single series.

scales

are

and

in

Persia

and Abys-

other species are found in the United States.

D. 9—10, A.

10— 11,

In Italy this of Venice,

V.

fish is

(),

known

and ascends some

found in the is

sea.

The

Scales

p. Ki, C. 11.

as the Noiio.

of the streams

taken of a larger size at Treviso, in the

It

:

is

(Bonelli). lat. line

20, trans.

common about

9—10.

the lag'oons

which flow into them, but has been

Sile,

than in Venice

itself.

It

is

rarely

largest specimens measure less than three inches.

an interesting species, as having been found by Canon Tristram in the

hot springs of Sidiahkbar in the Sahara, and

The males have nine as wide as a scale.

The female sides,

is

it is

also

found at Susa and Tunis.

or ten very distinct silvery cross-bars; each bar

The caudal

and the front rays of the dorsal

on the

The

Cyprinodon extend along the Mediterranean region, occur in

Sea, the Jordan, the valley of the Tigris,

Cyprinodon calaritanus

It

short, with

is

teeth have an incisor character,

the dorsal and anal fins are larger in the male than in the female.

species of

Dead

sinia

;

The mandible

in

The

covered with scales.

is

form the margin of the upper jaw.

the bones on each side firmly blended.

rather large

body

fin

shows an indistinct band on

its

is

about

hinder half

fin are black.

silvery on the sides

which do not extend

and has a number

of black vertical bars

back or belly

but neither the silver

to the

;

bars of the male nor the black lines of the female are developed in the young.

The colour 2

1.

of the fish

is

yellowish or pale olive-green.

THE

;37(»

The body^ without the caudal the lower jaw

The eye

is

The

twice as wide as the orbital diameter. males, and would

line,

in

reach

and four

snulj snout;

cleft of the

mouth

(juarter of the length of

The

frontal interspace

and anal

dorsal

lin

bhmt

back,

laid

if

is

the

nearly

high

fins are

in

though the dorsal

about the middle of the body at the eleventh scale of the lateral

while in females

it is

The

the same scale. tail is

to the caudal

and the

u])i)er,

more than one

as hig-h,

h^ns;'

broad, with a

equal to the length of the snout.

is

commences

is

more prominent than the

is

nearly vertical.

head, and

three times as

lui, is

The head

times as long- as the head.

is

fisuks uf Europe.

i'i;ksii.\vati:i{

somewhat farther back, though

first

anal ray

compressed, and the caudal

below the

is

still

corresponding to

ray of the dorsal

fifth

;

the

truncated.

fin is

Canestrini says that cats and small dogs which eat these fishes die poisoned.

Dr. Gunther recognises a

known from males is

second Italian species,

(\i/pnii<>ilon f,i><cininx,

only, which has only eight or nine rnys in

recorded from brackish waters at Venice,

and

tlie

anal

Sardinia.

in

fin.

It

But neither

Canestrini nor Giglioli accepts the species, which seems to us to be only a variety of Cijprinodoa calarltaHus.

Cyprinodon ibericus D. In

10— 1-2,

A.

The female

measures

less

Scales

is

transverse 9.

the males, and of different

about one inch and three-quarters long, and the male

than an inch and a

of the body with

lat. line :2.'5— :2J.,

:

the females arc larger than

this species

aspect.

9—10.

(Yal.).

The female

half.

two to four rows

ornamented on the

is

of long-itudinal

sides

round black spots, which

become more marked and may occasionally assume the aspect of bands towards the caudal region. In the anterior ill-defined transverse bands.

to each other, are

ten to twelve

The anal

occasionally reduced to nine.

The males

They

The length ;

three to

of the

head

body

is

is

fin

contains

though they are

from three and a half

about one-fourth the entire

first

short and limited to the middle of the

fin,

but subsequently encircle the body.

from each other by broad Ijrown transverse bands.

slightly rounded, as in the female, and

five

rays,

are adorned with from twelve to sixteen transverse bands of a

are separated is

the

two

which are nearly opposite

fins,

fish.

above the base of the pectoral

caudal fin

there are sometimes one or

tail

and anal

has usually ten

fin

height

bright silver colour, which are at side,

the

\x\vi of

dorsal

sometimes slightly spotted with brown; the dorsal

rays.

to four times the greatest

length of the

The

dark

marked with blnck

brown transverse s])o1s,

baiids.

which are arranged

is

The

ornamented with from

The anal and in longitudinal

dorsal

fins

are

bands, and these

FUNDULUS HISPANICUS. occasionally

become confluent

hinder half of the anal

The diameter

as those of the female.

length of the head.

Generally the spots

in lines.

The proportions

fin.

371 limited to the

ai-e

body are nearly the same

of the

of the eye

is

about one-third of the

In the greatest length there are twenty-three to twenty-

four scales in a row

and jaw there are fourteen to ;

In the lower

in the greatest height nine scales.

and

in the pre-maxillary

bone sixteen to

eighteen teeth, each of which has three yellow-brown points.

The abdominal

wall

is

The

black.

sixteen,

intestine,

which has three marked

folds, is nearly twice as

long as the body. This

species lives chiefly on small

April and during May.

It

mollusca.

It

whom we

lake Albufera in Valencia; and Dr. Steindachner, to

these observations, also found species

is

known

spawns at the end of

most abundant where the Vega canal enters

is

in the canals of the

it

to the fishermen as Fecccillo.

are indebted for

The

plains of Murcia.

It is very nearly allied

to

Ci/prhwdoa calarilanus, of the head of the Adriatic.

Fundulus

Genus: Fnnilalas

is

a

Cyprinodont genus, which

Central America, the

West

(Lacepede). is

represented by

Indies, northern part of

south of the United States.

many

species in

South America, and the

In the Old World a species

is

found on the

The bones of the mandible are firmly united, and the upper jaw is protractile. The teeth are conical, and adapted to the insectivorous habits of the fish. The dorsal fin is opposite east coast of Africa,

and another in Spain.

the anal.

Fundulus hispanicus

(Val.).

In this species the males and females differ in the size and shape of the l)ody.

In both sexes the colour

with golden-brown, while the scales,

the same and the back greenish, dotted

is

belly

is

golden-yellow.

At

the base of

the

on the upper part of the head, there are brown spots, which become

more numerous farther back, and

are arranged into four or five

rows in the upper part of the body. delicate spots,

which are arranged

The caudal region

is

also

longitudinal

marked with

to give the aspect of a net-work.

The cheeks

and operculum are spotted with black. In the female there side

from the

is

a median blue-grey band, which extends along the

orbital border to the caudal fin.

very faintly and partially spotted with In-own,

The

dorsal

and caudal

fins are

In the female the anal

fin

is

THK FUESII-WATEK

372

the larger; anal, dorsal, and caudal are

height of the body

over the ventral

is

The diameter

the head.

of the eye

is

oF KT'KoPK.

I'lSlIKS

all

four-fifteenths of the length of the head.

transverse

The

absent, and the hinder part

is

covered with Ijlaek spots, and

is

about equal to the length of

is

In the males the blue-grey longitudinal band of the body

The greatest

rounded.

sli<^'htly

and

tin,

crossed with nine to twelve

brown bands.

anal

fin

same height

is

longer than in the female, l)ut less deep, and

as the dorsal

become pointed.

Toward

fin.

Both these

fins

and the caudal

fins at their free

body

is

all

edges are margined with black, which

on the extremity of the ventral of the

fin

of the fins

densely covered with

fin are

black spots, which, however, are absent fi-om the outer parts of

The unpaired

is

their posterior extremities both

three is

fins.

also seen

and occasionally on the pectorals. The height

equal to one and two-thirds

breadth

its

and

;

is

about one-fourth

of the length of the fish.

There are twenty teeth in the lower jaw the lower jaw to fourteen

is

margined with black.

large recurved teeth in

fin.

Over the ventral

The

scales are relatively large

The upper

fin

its

the upper edge of

;

line

between the head and caudal

there are eight to nine scales in a transverse row.

side of the head

and the body reaches

both sexes

with a row of very small teeth

front,

There are twenty-nine scales in a

behind.

in

In the ]n-e-maxillary there are twelve

and are marked with many concentric rings.

and forward part of the back are broad and

greatest height over the ventral

fin.

canal forms two simple folds, and has more delicate walls than in

The male measures

ibericus.

length of

The

2y\j inches.

2-^0

among

in Catalonia,

and

I

tlie

It

:

MUR^NID^. AnguiUa

(Cuvif.r).

Eels have an elongated cylindrical body, which in the skin.

they were hence placed,

The

fins of

recorded by Dr. Stein-

in the Albufera lake.

Genus

embedded

is

vegetation in the canals of Valencia, about Seville,

Family:

scales

C/jpriitodon

inches in length, while the female has a

habits are similar to those of Cyprinodon.

daehner from

flat,

The alimentary

in

There are no ventral an older

is

spotted with rudimentary

fins in

classification, in a

the Eels are essentially those of immature

Agassiz has shown

in

the

young condition

of

many

any

of these fishes;

and

group named Apodes. fishes.

For Alexander

fishes the existence of a fin

ANGUILLA VULGARIS.

373

And

extending- from the dorsal surface round the tail to the ventral surface.

through

this condition persists

separate from the caudal.

fins are

that neither the dorsal nor anal

life in Eels, so

The upper jaw

is

formed by the pre-maxil-

The jaws

lary bones in front and the maxillary bones at the sides. in

The

length, and carry small teeth in l^iuds.

the base of the pectoral

The

species of the

open

gills

Ijy

are equal

narrow

slits at

fins.

genus were formerly made on the form of the snout, size which are now

of the eyes, width of the bands of teeth, and other characters

known

and Dr. Giinther

to be very variable,

finds

classification in the position of the dorsal fin, in

more valuable characters

advance

two

in the teeth of the mandible being in one or in

of, or

for

behind, the vent,

series, in their relative size,

in the relative length of the tail to the body, the nature of the lips, the cleft

of the

mouth, &c.

The

larger

number

of species of the

Asia, the south-east of Africa, the

West

Indies,

genus are found

in the south-east of

Malay Archipelago, and

Australia, the

Probably only one species occurs in

and the United States.

Europe. Eels differ from other migratory fishes in habit, for while they for the most part

come

into rivers to spawn,

and descend to the sea to grow. Eels grow

in

the rivers and spawn in the sea.

Anguilla vulgaris The Eel Ai'Jior in

(tig. 172)

is

a very variable fish,

Bohemia, and Wegorz in Poland

in France,

and Anguilla in Italy;

in Portugal.

The Eels

reported to remark,

my

idol

g-luttonous

famous

by the sons Greeks.

"You Egyptians

A

too; I adore him in a dish. '^

on Eels,

if

and Elmore on the Severn for its great

;

abundance of

to

of

locality,

and

and are

in the earliest ages,

Ham

could not preserve

them

gentleman of ancient Greece

The

tastes of the luxurious

modern

Italy,

Christmas

is

idol is

Romans

who, in Naples at

fare.

have given names to Ellesmere on the Mersey,

not to mention Ely, which has always been famous eels,

though modern drainage of the fen-land has

greatly limited the areas over which they are

with the

of

possible, as the choicest

In England they are said

it is

worship the Eel as a deity; your

for Eels have descended to the lazzaroni of least, feast

in

Swedes

and Dr. Badham pointedly remarks that the

divine honours paid to the race of

Germany as Aal ; as Al ; it is Anguille Spain, and Engma or Eiroz

known

to the

Aiigailas in

it is

of the Nile were

said to have been worshipped,

from the jaws

;

(Turton).

now

distributed.

in the Eastern counties they are taken

from four to ten pounds' weight.

The

size varies

from time to time

Buckland met with no larger samples.

TIIK FKESII-WATKK FISHES OF EUr.OPE.

374 tliouj^h Yarrell

saw the skins

Cambridge

at

of Eels taken at Wisbech,

which

weig-hed twenty-three and twenty-seven pounds respectively.

The head The vent

is

of the Eel

The breadth

of the head

of the head

is

its

from one-eighth to one-ninth of the length of the

is

fish.

four times the length of the head behind the extremity of the snout.

one-half

from two-fifths

is

length.

its

The

The height

to a third of its length.

greatest height of the body exceeds

thickness by aljout one-third, so that the transverse section of the fish

vertically ovate.

The

cleft of the

of the length of the head,

mouth

is

in the broad-nosed variety its length

and

The

the width of the head in front of the eye.

is

between one-fourth and one-third

eye,

covered with transparent skni, as in the ^LlsginiuiH

which

is

It

fo.sfiilis.

is

equal to

rather small, is

is

placed above

the angle of the mouth, and se])arated from the other eye by a frontal intcrs])ace,

which measures from once to twice the

The distance

orbital diameter.

TfUTON).

of the eye from the snout varies with the bluntness of the nose, but

more than twice the diameter lower

lip

may

The

of the eye.

lips are

never

is

thick and fleshy

On

project slightly in front of the lower jaw.

;

the

the upper

lip,

near the end of the snout, there are two short open pores, projecting almost

The nares are simple, oval, and near to the upper border The premaxillary, maxillary, vomer, and mandible, are covered

like aborted barbels.

of the eye.

with small teeth of uniform a free point.

which

is

The lancet-shaped tongue ends

bands.

which

Four

fin,

is

ovate.

There are ten branchiostegal

connected with the small operculum.

dorsal fin

a-half times the

commences length

oF the total length of the

of

at a distance behind

the

head, and extends

body of the Eel.

snout of two-and-

the

down

The rays

at

nearly two-thirds

first

are very short,

being only about one-quarter of the height of the body, but become higher as they pass backward, and, at as the depth of the tail.

and

in

a half-moon-shaped cleft in front of the base rays,

gill arches are

The

size, in

gill-aperture

and slender, and united to the skin which covers the head.

of the pectoral

are long

The

this similarly

])asses

The into

dorsal

tlie

end of the

i\n

])asses insensil)ly

the anal, which

is

as

tail

much

are twice as

much high

into the caudal,

develo[)ed as the

ANGUILI^V VULGARIS. aud extends forward

dorsal^

to

tlie

375

wbieli

vent,

three-aiid-a-balf

is

The rays

the length of the head from the snout.

thickly covered with skin, that they are counted with difficulty to

times

soft, curved,

are so

;

Benecke, there are 1,100 rays in the combined dorsal, caudal, and anal

There are eighteen or nineteen rays in the pectoral

The

Eel are peculiar.

scales of the

They

and

but, accordingfin.

fin.

are extremely delicate, and are

arranged obliquely in two directions, at right angles to each other, so that they

They

give the skin an irregular, puckered appearance.

and transparent, formed of a single layer of

The

concentric rows.

naked eye canals

canal

sort of

and

so large,

is

not

well developed

less

its

walls so thick, that

it

is

;

There

fins.

The

cephalic

which runs over the eye

the branch

terminates, as already remarked, in a short barbel y.ove behind the upper

There

is

The

visible to the

It opens with simple pores.

in transverse section.

are

They

network, with scaleless interspaces.

head, and encircling the bases of the

are smaller scales on the

mucus

are small, elongated,

which are arranged in

ka'gest scales have a length of about two lines.

nowhere overlap, but form a

lateral

cells,

lip.

a suborbital branch, and there are seven or eight pores on the branch

npon the lower jaw.

The

air-bladder

blunt end

And

to the vent.

sha])ed bodies,

than pear-shaped.

there

one-fifth the length

is

Its

opening

is

close

is

down

colour of the back,

dorsal

and caudal

colour, darker

border. locality

;

its

anterior

The

fins

behind the vent.

to the middle of the side,

darker, but shades into brown. lustre,

and hinder part of the anal

The

than the back. iris is

side

rather large, and more triangular

is

and lower jaw are white, sometimes with a silvery

The

of the fish

a pneumatic canal which rises between two heart-

The urinary bladder

part of the head

upjjcr

and

and becoming narrower anteriorly, opens into the dorsal

of the oesophagus.

The

large,

is

behind the stomach, and the pointed posterior end reaches back

is

pectoral fin

fin

is

dark green.

The

The

belly, throat,

sometimes yellowish.

have a brownish-green

brownish-black with a black

is

of pale gold, almost silvery, but the colours vary with the

The

and season of the year.

pectoral fin

are often pale, with a slightly reddish border.

and anterior part of the anal

The

anal, like the dorsal,

may

have a yellowish-green border.

The Eel

ordinarily lives in deep water;

but prefers clear water.

It

is

it is

a voracious

common on muddy bottoms, and cases are known of

fish,

Eels eating each other, as well as snakes, water-rats, young water-fowl, and river crayfish,

but from the small

size of the

mouth

their usual food

is

the fry

of other fishes, fish-spawn, worms, insect-larvie, and decomposing animal substances.

night

Probably the Eel feeds on fresh-water mollnsca, but takes

when

other fishes are at rest, while by day

it

its

prey at

hides itself in holes, or

I'UESII-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE.

'I'lIK

;57('.

Iniries itself iu

mud.

It

grass and on cultivated

said often to leave the water to seek food on the

is

It certainly

fields.

may sometimes

leave the water,

Yarrell

but we are aware of no evidence concerning the reason for this habit. suggests that Eels hunt frogs, and

it

quite possible that, observing the

is

may

tadpoles leave the water as they become frogs, the Eels as

worms

leave the ground at night, they

may

follow

them;

which

It has also l)een suggested that they quit unsuitable waters to find others

them

please

or,

not improbably hunt worms.

better.

The Eel

is

proverbially tenacious of

It can

life.

remain for a long time out

of water, perhaps because the narrow gill-opening enables the gill-chamber to

some moisture.

retain

It

susceptible to changes of temperature,

is

and

is

absent from the northern part of Scandinavia, apparently owing to the cold of

As

winter.

the cold season comes on. Eels which have not gone

everywhere

sea,

Yarrell quotes

bury themselves, and again become active

Mr. Young

as stating that on

but

them under ground

driven

to enjoy the radiated heat of the earth.

des

domesticated for thirty-seven years. large earthen vessel

pan

was too small

placed in

summer

in a

Plantes, had

an

Eel which

From 1838

till

1853

a large zinc

sliced into

worms and

little fishes,

It took food freely

from

than

coiled.

It

all

The

winter to the smaller vessel.

in

It

worm-like forms, which were seized upon while It refused

and would take neither bread nor vegetable substances.

from April

nourishment.

in a

was subsequently

but were never eaten after they had reached the bottom.

falling,

had been

was kept

tank holding twenty buckets of water,

changed every fortnight; but returned was fed on beef

it

room, the water being changed once a week.

for it to rest otherwise in

in the

swarming with young Eels

seems more probable that the cold weather had

Jardin

the

Desmarest, of

it

it

Mr. Young concluded that the Eels had

at a depth of six to fifteen inches. in the gravel,

to the

the s])ring.

moving a gravel bank

River Shin in Sutherland, in October, he found

spawned

down

in

Octol)er,

till

and during the winter abstained

During the hot season

it

fed only once a week.

It

was perfectly tame, recognised those who fed it, and never bit any one. It swam only in the morning and evening but when the temiicrature grew ;

hotter,

more

its

(piiet

movements were more

active.

In the month of ]May

it

beeame

even than in the winter, and then deposited small white

which were regarded as eggs.

It subsequently

Ixxlies

became greatly agitated, and on

two occasions threw itself out of its tank, and was found on the gravel, where it On another occasion it was frozen remained without movement, nearly dead. iu

winfer, but

an Eel in

llial

by thawing with tepid water was

was frozen and buried

water and slowlv (hawed, when

in the it

lilx'rated.

snow, and then

soon recovered.

larrell speaks of

al'ler

four days placed

ANGUILLA VULGARIS. The

repi'oduction of the Eel

is still

.'377

imperfectly luiderstood, and from the

time of Aristotle has been a mystery which invited the wildest conjectures.

As Eels were

seen at times to

bred in the mud. in

come out

of the

mud, they were supposed

The viviparous Blenny {Zoarces

Germany and Italy as In many parts

of Eels.

popularly

?.-u-/^jf/rw.f),

to be

known

the Eel-mother, has been supposed to be the parent of

England

generated out of hair from a

village people

still

believe that Eels are

The eggs

cut into short lengths.

stallion''s tail,

were discovered nearly simultaneously about 1780 by Mondini of Bologna, and O. F. Miiller

They

are

but

;

it

was not

two yellowish

1838 that Rathke described the ovaries

till

or pale-red band-like organs, as

wide

fully.

which

as a finger,

extend along both sides of the vertebral column for nearly the whole length of

They

the visceral cavity.

They have numerous

which are narrow, but somewhat unequal in There

posteriorly.

lost

membranous

fold,

contain so

much

overlooked

;

size,

transverse folds,

and the folded appearance

make

their

by two apertures, covered by a

exit

between the vent and the urinary opening.

fat, that,

is

no oviduct, and the eggs are discharged into the

is

the body, and

cavity of

middle and become narrower

are bi'oadest in the

behind, where they are closer together.

The

although very conspicuous, their true nature

ovaries

is

easily

and the eggs, being immature^ are commonly only one-tenth of a

millimetre in diameter, and therefore only to be discovered by the microscope.

Each

ogo^

is

surrounded by a net-work of fat

twenty centimetres there

is

much

less fat,

cells

The number of eggs may be estimated at many discovered by Syrski in 1873. fifteen inches long.

male contains,

It

is

It

;

but in a young

millions.

The male Eel was

found only in brackish water, and in the

sides of the

abdominal

immense number of small

of their length have an

of

smaller than the female, being rarely over

is

cflvity,

sea.

The

This consists of

in place of the ovaries, a milt of different shape.

two tubes which run down both

fish

and the eggs are more easily found.

and

in the

vesicular expansions.

middle It

is

as difficult to discover ripe spermatozoa in these organs, as to find eggs in the

The male

ovaries of the female.

lower dorsal

fin,

fish

has a more pointed head, with large eyes,

darker back with stronger metallic lustre, and a white belly.

There are some early statements that Eels of the most minute taken in ponds where those ponds are unconnected with streams to leave the question

open whether there

may

;

size

have been

which seems

not in some localities be land-

locked races of Eels.

The Eel

is

stated to

spawn once

in its life

some observations made by Dr. Jacoby

and then

at Trieste, in

to die.

which

it

Benecke quotes is

affirmed that

the dead bodies of female Eels, with the ovaries empty, are seen in great

numbers an

floating off the

mouths

()l)servation is desirable.

t>f

rivers

;

but confirmation of so interesting

THE FUESIl-WATER FISHES OF EFKOPE.

37*^

The

eg'g's

August

millimetre; •2-"3

diameter

•()!)

is

of

a millimetre;

October 'IG of a millimetre, and

in

September '10

of

a

November from iS

to

in in

Nevertheless, fishes were found later, in December and

of a millimetre.

January, in the rivers and Ilaffs on the Prussian coast, with diameter of only Oo to

(I!)

at

Hence

millimetre.

weregoiui^ to spawn had already

spawn every

In

steadily increase in size during- the hiter part of the year.

their

left for

it

e^f>;s

havim^ a

a])pears that the Eels

deeper water, and that

all

which

Eels do not

year.

The young- come up from the sea in myriads, travellinf^ in North Germany niij^ht in March and April, or in some streams as late as May. Old fishes

have never been observed returninj^ with them, so that the old Eels which run tlown to the sea on stormy nig-hts in the autumn, are lost to the fisherman.

Crespon records

seeing",

near the mouth of the Rhone, a mass of these young-

about two inches

Eels, each

long-,

united into a hug-e globular lump.

constantly rose and descended in the water

;

detached into a kind of rope, and ascended the

and entering every creek and tributary.

The

river,

keeping to the banks,

procession lasted for fifteen days.

Dr. Ehlers saw a similar migration in the Elbe.

The young

four inches long, kept so close to the bank that they followed

unknown

in a

band about a foot wide and

])ass

without intermission for nearly two days.

are not observed every year.

the

more northern

rivers,

of

It

and the young gradually became

Eels, three to

every outline,

its

depth, which was observed to

These great swarms, however,

In Britain the Eel-swarms, in Sutherland and

come up the

rivers in April or

May, and the

similar

Thames is usually at the same period. When the young are observed in May they rarely reach a length of four inches, but when they go down stream in October the length is nine and a half Eel-fare in the

*

to ten inches.

In the

rivers

to Professor

and lagoons on the coast of Italy the fry of the

countless myriads.

and give occasion

Lec/ie,

In some cooked, and in slices,

localities,

made

and

for active fishing.

which are sometimes,

in the west of

England, cut

New

River Water

Before the middle of this century the occasionally distributed Elvers with

no unusual circumstance for a number to be found in a

its

water, so that

cistern,

pipes to be occasionally stopj)ed by Eels, which hail found their

With

this accident

in as

the Elvers, as the Eel fry are termed, are caught, scoured,

into cakes,

fried.

Company in London

though

Eel, according

swarm during December, January, and February, They are vermiform and semi-transparent, are known

Giglioli,

and

way

it

was

for water-

into them,

has since been guarded against by improved filtration.

the slightest assistance they ascend waterfalls, and the Irish pi-oprietors

have for a

lon<i-

time constructed ladders

c»f

straw ]»ands to aid their ascent.

ANGUILLA VULGARIS.

;379

In rivers Eels are commonly taken at weirs with wicker baskets, known as

stream on dark nights, when

the Eels run.

The

hooks are sunk to the bottom.

when they

especially in the winter,

most celebrated

of frost

When captured with

fishes are also largely

mud

;

on the banks indicates their

Venice, from whence they are sent

all

is

dug out The presence.

or occasionally they are

on the Continent are those

fisheries

a line the baited

taken by spearing,

frequently hybernate, and the Eel-spear

put through the shallow water into the

when the disappearance

also used, set across the

Nets are

Eel-bucks, which have a sugar-loaf form.

over Italy.

At

oli

Comacchio, near

Elboeuf, on the Seine,

Eels are taken in great numbers, and the fame of Narbonne, in the south of France,

is

not less for

largely supplied from

Eels than for

its

They

Holland.

its

honey.

The English market is and are

are rarely eaten in Scotland,

not eaten by the Jews.

The

flesh

is

highly prized, firm, and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

Eel pies were formerly in general demand, and Eel-pie Island, in the Thames,

known

is still

for the

commodity from which

it

derives

name.

its

Small Eels have always been an important item of food with the poorer classes when stewed, while there are few limits to the attractions which Eels

may

not offer in the hands of an experienced cook.

Eels have

many

enemies, and are preyed upon by carnivorous fishes, water-

and mammals which frequent streams.

birds,

They

are occasionally liable to

epidemics, and die in vast numbers.

Their distribution in Europe

is

exceptional, being absent

and south-east of Europe, the Black Sea, the Caspian, and into them,

though they

met with

In a species according

might

have

so

to

which flow

in Italy, and, according to Steindachner,

Minho, Douro, Tagus, and near Madrid

in the

and,

are

from the Danube rivers

in Spain.

widely distributed, ranging through the north of Africa, Giinther,

North America, larger variation number of vertebrae than has been

found in

been expected in

the

observed.

In the body the vertebrae number from forty-five to forty-six, and in the tail

from sixty-eight to seventy-one.

Pennant distinguished an Eel under the name

known

as

of Grig,

a distinct species, Anguilla latirostris.

which has been long

Its distribution is world-

wide, being found not only throughout Europe, but recorded in the British

Museum It has

weight the

Catalogue from the Nile, China,

no peculiarities of habit, and ;

is

New

not

Zealand, and the

known

West

to exceed five

Indies.

pounds in

but although the proportions are somewhat different from those of

Common

Eel,

it

may

be doubted whether this broad-nosed form

than an extreme variation of the

common

type.

is

more

TIIK FKESIl-WATKR FISHES

380

The head

flattened, broad,

is

are lleshy and Inroad

and

tlie tail

and rounded behind

the ang-le of the

;

mouth

Angnilla enrystoma There

an

is

the head;

;

the eye

larj^e

J']('l

is

found

in

Dahnatia,

imperfectly known, but

for while in the

Common

over six times as long as the head.

and the

cleft of the

eye

the;

The head

and

is

only twice

is

;

to a len<)'th

g-rowini;is

its

mouth

Eel the body

The head is

twenty-two

of

remarkable for the great leng'th of usually from eig-ht to nine

is

is

is

only a

little

nine and a half times as long

equal to the height or greatest breadth

AXGUILLA EUHYSTOMA (hEC

Fig'. 173.

of the head.

the Hps

(Hkckkl and Ivnku).

times as long as the head, in this Dalmatian variety the body

as high,

;

behind the baek of the eye

is

niueh lon^vr than the body.

is

inehes, whieh

OF EUIlOrE.

is

ten times as long as the diameter of the eye

The snout

diameter from the snout.

is

;

and

rather broad,

nearly one-sixth of the length of the head.

The lower jaw

Common

Eel.

The

teeth are stronger, and the bands on the vomer are longer and broader.

The

gill-opening

is

The

throat.

is

rather more projecting than in the

larger,

and

it

stretches deeper under the pectoral

The

of the length of the fish behind the snout, is

the dorsal.

The

li})s,

canals,

on the

pectoral fins are short, but the longest of the twenty-one rays

scarcely exceeds the length of the mouth.

The vent

fin

dorsal fin

and

is

in advance of the middle of the length.

The

tail is

commences one-third

of nearly

uniform height.

The anal

fin is similar to

strongly compressed, and gradually decreases in height.

dentition, barbel-pores, nares, skin over the eyes, lateral

and colour, are similar to those of Anga'dUi

are similar, only they are larger.

vnlgari-s.

and cephalic

The

scales also

—

'381

CHAPTER

XT.

rUESII-WATER FISHES OF THE ORDEll GANOIDET.

FAMILY ACIPENSEKID.E— Genis stellatus

— A.

scliypa

—A.

Acipensek

guldenstudtii

—A.

:

Acipenser glabor— Sterlet— A. gmelini— A. A. nardoi A. heckelii A. nasus

naccarii

—

—

—

The Sturgeon— A. huso.

ACIPENSERID^.

Family: Genus: The

Sturg-eons are a small group of

The body

the class.

the

Acipenser

is

elong-ated,

They have the

tail.

tail

(ApxTeiji).

forming- a distinct division of

fishes^

and almost cylindrical, tapering- conically to

fashioned on the heterocercal plan, in which the

rays are chiefly developed on the lower lobe of the caudal

column skin

is

The

prolong-ed into the upper lobe.

is

skeleton

fin,

is

and the vertebral

cartilag-inous.

The

bucklers, which, in this genus do not

commonly armoured with bony

unite into a continuous armour, but occur in five long-itudinal rows, leaving- the

them exposed, or defended only with small scattered bony scales. The head has the snout produced far in front of the mouth, which is Between the mouth and the extremity of the snout situate on the under side.

skin between

are four barbels in a transverse series.

The

cartilaginous

shields are g'ation

above.

more

framework

of the head

The

or less quadrate.

of the vomerine element below,

The

nostrils are double,

and

is

covered with armour.

elong-ated snout

is

The

formed by a prolon-

and the nasal and ethmoid elements

in front of the eye.

tractile, toothless, transverse, relatively small,

and

lies in

The mouth

is

pro-

a cartilag-inous pro-

tuberance, formed of three elements. Its anterior edg-e

is

marg-ined by thick

lips,

which are often rudimentary at

the angle of the mouth.

The eyes

are placed laterally, behind the nares,

The

on the two sides of the head.

operculum of bony

fishes,

arranged like those of bony

and partly fishes.

to the sub-orbital arch.

The

gill

membranes

fluent,

and united to the isthmus between them.

rays.

The

there are

and commonly

differ in size

gill-cover appears to correspond partly to the

The

gills are

at the throat are con-

There are no branchiostegal

true gills are four in number, comb-like, with their points free, and

two accessory

small spiracle.

gills.

On

the upper edge of the operculum there

is

a

;

THE FUESII-WATEU

382

The

five

following lateral

rows of

way

wliich defend

shields,

a median

first,

:

row above the middle

nnv

in the

of each side

edge

sharp

running along

or keel

entirely naked, but

its

;

the

in

secondly, a

row on each ventral

thirdly, a

As each

fin.

of these scutes has a

middle, they impart to the fish

Between these rows

aspect.

arranged

the body, are

middle of the back

and

;

angle, which extends back to the ventral

somewhat pentagonal

EUKOrE.

ITSIIES (ÂťF

a

of plates the skin is not

partly covered with smaller shields or bony protuberances

is

of different forms and sizes, and

towards the end of the

tail

is

smooth where these

the bony scutes are

They extend upon the upper

and closely packed.

ai-e

But

not present.

small, quadrate in form,

flat,

lobe of the caudal

fin.

There are two large scutes on the under side of the head, angular posteriorly,

which are placed behind the

All the smaller

gill-aperture.

extremely variable, differing in form and size with the age of the occasionally

some

The

of the larger scutes are lost.

scutes

are

fish

and

;

seven in number,

fins are

and are formed of closely-placed, compressed, and jointed rays, which are usually curved, and finely denticulated on both sides. pectoral fin

and bony

strong-

is

The

first

ray of the

the denticulations on the rays are directed

;

backwards, and are very unequally developed in different species, and are often

mere

The

asperities.

The

posterior part.

dorsal fin

smaller than the pectoral

The caudal

vertebral

fin,

scythe-like

is

fins,

much

it is

to

directed

the anal

;

front

close in

of

are rather powerful

is

opposite to

the vent and

and long.

the extremity of the upper lobe of the

upward with a strong

curve.

The upper

in

the

tails of

The intestine

Sharks.

is

short

The

divided by a pyloric valve from the small intestine.

is

its

much

longer than the lower, and makes some approach to the

form sometimes seen

the fleshy stomach

placed far back

which

column extends

within which

lobe of the fin

is

ventral fins are

large intestine terminates in a spiral valve, like that which characterises the

Sharks and other

intestines of liver

and

large and firm

is it

;

it

fishes of

surrounds the biliary duct.

pyloric appendages, biliary duct.

The pancreas

is

many

accessory lobes,

subdivided into numerous

and opens into the intestine by a wide outlet near

The kidneys

are

narrow

The

Giinther's group, Palaeichthyes.

forms two principal lobes and

in front,

to the

and wider posteriorly, and

extend behind the vent, where the urinary duct opens in a dei)ression, which also includes the apertures of the reproductive organs.

The

ovaries

ventral cavity. freely into

and milt both extend through nearly the whole length of the

The

ovaries are not in connection with an oviduct,

the ventral cavity by a funnel-shaped process.

agglomeration of small rounded bodies lies

behind the stomach,

is

like currants.

The

and open

The milt air-bladder,

is

an

which

a large long or oval sac, and opens by a pneumatic

canal into the d(^rsal wall of the ft^sophagus.

GEXU8 ACIPENSER. The bulbus third row at

arteriosus lias

two rows

The

termination.

its

383

valves at

of

commencement, and a

its

aorta extends in a channel on the

larg-e

under side of the cartilaginous vertebral column. Giinther remarks that the g-eog-raphical distribution of Sturgeons identical with that of

Some

northern regions of the earth.

they mostly

They

Salmon.

and go up

live in the sea,

nearly

confined to fresh water, but

.species are tlie rivers

is

whole of the

scattered over the

are

In some streams

into lakes.

they are found in incredible multitudes, and remain in them for months.

Towards winter they seek deep holes

mouths

and

of rivers

in the

the winter in a hybernating condition. their heads into the

mud,

rivers,

or

more commonly the

where they crowd together and pass

inlets of the sea,

According to Lepechin, they biirrow

so that their tails stick

up straight

Sturgeon are among the largest of freshwater

a fence.

in the

water like

fishes;

and they

They

occasionally reach a length, in the larger species, of eighteen feet.

are

very voracious, and live chiefly on soft-bodied animals, worms, spawn, and

bottom-feeding

fishes

;

many

but

also

take water-birds, which are swallowed

whole.

Sturgeons increase very rapidly, but the numbers

western

Europe

formerly an important source of income to

in

taken of seven or eight hundred pounds^ weight, while occasionally Forty or

captured twice as heavy.

ago

fifty years

it

was

the Vienna market of less than one hundred pounds, and

The diminution

ones are caught.

spawning

fishes,

and partly

rivers

was injured

Salmon

is

is

Several species are

North American, and rivers,

of the great lakes.

its

pletely enveloped in

other British

Sturgeon fishing

;

and by

far the larger

are

met with on the

Pacific coast

on the Atlantic coast, in the Mississippi, and in Certain of the species are

tributaries,

is

which has no

common

to

Europe and

a pecuHar genus limited to the spiracles,

and has the

tail

com-

bony armour. is

carried on in different

ways

autumn, the Sturgeons which hybernate bury

in

summer and

their noses in the

winter.

mud

In

on the

About January the fishermen assemble, and at a given work with poles upward of sixty feet long, each having six to prongs at the end. Holes are made in the ice. This operation disturbs fishes, and this instrument put down through the holes often strikes one

bottom of a

signal, get to

the

capture of

found in the south-east of Bussia.

the North American continent, while there

ten

the

Tweed and

only an occasional visitor

of individuals as well as species

Mississippi and

to

in

small

which has reduced the value of

fishing of the

and in Californian

some

fish

now only very

due partly

is

were

fishes

rare to see a

in former years.

In Britain the Sturgeon

number

in size

to excessive fishing,

the fisheries, just as the

rivers of

the

in

Hungary they were the fishermen, and were commonly Even

have greatly diminished.

river.

THE FliKSlI-WATKK FISHES OF EUROPE.

;5S1.

of them, as

it

many

for

ing

days

lishcrnien have tlie luck to take ten larg"e

but sometimes the

;

may

without a

])ass

pursued on a

is

Mauy

swims away-

Sturg-eon in a day

of

their expenses,

This mode of

being- speared.

by the Cossacks

scale

larg-e

pay

barely

fisheries

fish

fish-

The

the River Ural.

given to the Church, and the others are sent away on sledg-es as

first fish is

Frequently travelling fish-merchants buy up the fishes and

fast as possible.

prepare the roes and flesh for market.

In summer, fishing villages are established near the mouths Russian

Russian

rivers.

Greek

or

and construct the necessary buildings for storing

accommodation for the fishermen, from twelve hut.

Mills are set

many

races are

up

man watches movements of

elevated outlook

the approach of the shoal, and

At Rubinsk, on

river.

Yaroslav, the

thousand people,

homes

The men

in the work.

An

and

salt,

twenty of

fisheries in

who work

is set

is

live

on

fish,

for

sleeping

whom

share a

and people of usually

up on the bank,

often able by

in

with

which a

its characteristic

from an immense distance, as the

to distinguish the species

move up the

to

for grinding the salt, boats are provided,

engaged

mutton on Sundays.

of the great

merchants hire pieces of the banks,

fishes

the Volga, in the Russian government

spring and

summer draw

together a hundred

continuously for the season, and return to their

in winter.

Fifteen thousand fishes have been taken at one fishery in a sing'le day; and

when

the fishing has been intermitted for a day, the fishes have sometimes

completely blocked a river 28 feet deep and 360 feet wide, so that the backs of the uppermost appeared above the water.

Acipenser glaber The Austrians

terra the Acijjcnser glahcv, GluUd'ivk or

reaches Austria only through the Danube,

Sea of Azov, from which is

not a

(Marsilius).

larg"e species,

it

ascends

all

its

home being

(lUill-xtar,

in the ]51ack

but

it

Sea and

the rivers flowing into these waters.

It

and no specimens have been taken in Hungary w^eighing-

more than sixty pounds, and

fishes

of less than thirty pounds are not often

seen (Fig. 171).

In this species the length of the head.

and the

eutii'e

length of the

The snout

profile rises rapidly

from

head, where the body attains

its

it

about

five

and a half times the

to the first dorsal shield at the

greatest height.

which only sheathes the thick cephalic

way with

fish is

short and rounded, broad, and rather thick,

is

back of the

The armour on the

the bones which usually enclose the brain, and consists of

rather small shields, which

skull,

cartilage, corresponds in a remarkable

are furrowc^l

flat,

long,

with radiating grooves placed close

ACIPEXSEK ULABER. together (Fig. 175).

At the back

3S5

of the head, towards the

median

line, are

two

small unequal spike-shaped epiotic shields, which have their broad bases joined to the first dorsal shield.

A

median supra-occipital

Fig. 174.

— .WIPENSEIi GL.VBER

shield,

somewhat Y-shaped,

(mAKSIUVS).

extends forward from the epiotic shields like an inter-parietal element, and divides the

two

largest scutes of the head from each other at their posterior end.

These large plates are the parietal scutes.

They exceed

half the length of the

^^4^^' Fig.

SIKIACE OF HEAD OF ACirENSEK GLABEK, SHOWING DERMAL 17o.

IPl'EK

SCUTES.

head, and are longer than in any other

the similarly long squamosal shields, pair of shields stretches forward

.

— IT>-nEU

SIDE OF HEAD OF ACITENSER GLARER, SHOWING MOUTH AND RAKBELS, AND PORES ON THE tNDEK SIDE OF THE ROSTRUM. 1/(5.

sjiecies.

Flanking them

lateral!}', are

which are widest in front.

from the angle between the

Another

pnrietal

and

TiiK I'liEsii-WATKi;

;38C.

i'isiiks

scjuamosal.

These are the frontal shields.

middle

because a

line,

number

fications^ oÂŁ

F.rijori:.

They

of small plates

backward between the anterior ends

of

are not in contaet in the

come between them, and extend These small

oE the parietal shields.

which there may be about

eig-ht,

External

in birds often occu[)ies a large area anterior to the frontal bones.

to the frontal plate,

the squamosal,

is

and coming above and behind the

At

the long post-frontal shield.

above the nares,

frontal,

eye, so as to abut against

the anterior margin of the

the pre-f rental shield, and there

is

ossi-

represent the ethmoid bone, which

is

a small nasal

scute near the nasal margin.

There are a few other scutes in front, extending to the extremity of the snout, which

would be regarded as pre-maxillary and maxillary

plates,

if

it

were not that the jaws are far removed from the extremity of the rostrum, so that they so

must probably be regarded

named

as distinct in origin

epiotic, there are

which connect the back of the skull with the pectoral arch.

shields

side of the

head

is

naked, but the skin

The continuity

defended with one long shield on each

armour of the head

of the

The under

rough with ridges, though

in places

is

in front of the gill-opening the throat is side.

from the bony element

Behind the

in the skulls of other vertebrates.

is

broken only by numerous

large pores, which open through the soft skin, and run in the usual directions

and

of the cephalic canals,

g'ive

branches to the hinder

off similar

The

the head, and the supra-orbital and infra-orbital areas.

ran to the end of the snout

;

The eyes

lip (Fig. 176).

They

six

The breadth

mouth.

and a half times the

the lower aperture

is

back as the

pi'otected

by a

are nearer to the end of the snout than

of the frontal interspace

between them

The nares

orbital diameter.

larger than

far

and

are small, a little elongated,

strong projecting, scutal margin. to the

of

but numerous pores, irregularl}^ placed, extend

beyond them, and cover the entire under surface of the head, as upper

jxirt

latter branches

the upper one.

The

is

ecjual to

and small, but

are oval,

bar])els,

which are

nearer to the snout than to the mouth, are rather long, and reach back nearly to the

upper

They

lip.

are round at their bases, are rather compressed for half

their length, and thence are distantly fringed.

round the wide mouth

;

The

they are deeply notched

lips

in

form a thick cushion the middle,

but not

divided.

The body the total

is

a

little

higher than wide

rather distant From each other. well

developed;

The

and

its

diameter

is

one-eighth of it,

are

Onl}' the scutes of the median dorsal row are

the rows on the sides are small, and those on the ventral

margins are very small. si.\t<'en.

;

All the shields of the live longitudinal rows u{)on

length.

first

The number

dorsal shield

is

of dorsal shields varies

largest

the dorsal series gradually deereasi' in si/e.

;ind highest, i'Lveept

the

from twelve to

and the remainder of last,

which

is

lozenge-

3b7

ACIPENyEK GLABER. shaped, these scutes

all

have a heart-shaped base, and a blunt keel, which ends

Their radiated ornament

in a slig-ht hook.

shields, aeeording- to Meckel, increase in

The

feebly developed.

thirty-five in the

lateral

youn^ and

are lozenge-shaped, have only a slight ridge,

They

to sixty in the adult.

is

number from

The

decrease in size posteriorly.

between them as a row

lateral line is seen

of

small, round, bony scales, which overlap each other, like the slates on a roof.

The ventral

and the dorsal

part of the belly behind the gill-opeuir.gs, the surface

two large

are

is

On

fin.

the anterior

covered and defended

behind, and beautifully

shields, longitudinally keeled, pointed

The skin between the rows

sculptured with radiating rays.

most There

but are far apart, and are scarcely perceptible behind.

are no shields on the tail, behind the vent

Ijy

They

number.

shields are only twelve to fifteen in

distinct in front,

of scutes

is

thickly covered with small bony scutes, which are denticulated posteriorly, but

become smaller towards the

The

belly,

and

lose their denticulations.

pectoral fin consists of a very strong

which the longest

rays, of

the base of the dorsal

is

exceeds

fin

bony

and thirty jointed

ray,

equal to the thickness of the body. its

height

;

its

The height

of the anal fin exceeds the length of

the ventral

fin.

end its

is

opposite to the anal

and

base,

All these fins are truncated behind.

soft

The length

it is

of

fin.

longer than

In the caudal

fin

the

long upjier lobe has thirty-nine rays, and the lower has sixty-five jointed rays,

and sixteen unjointed of the

There

rays.

is

an unsymmetrical bony shield in front

lower lobe of the caudal, in front of the anal, and in front of the

dorsal fins.

The colour and

of the back

is

reddish-grey, paler towards the sides.

The

lateral shields are dirty white.

The youngwhich

is

its

is

then different, while the barbels are farther from

Moreover, the growth of the

not proportionate to the growth of the body, so that in the young

the shields are nearer together in

overlap each other, and

caudal

belly

yellow.

distinguished by the form of the snout, more pointed, and more curved upward, while under side is more strongly developed. Hence the re-

the extremity of the snout than in the adult. is

is

in this species are

length of the head

shields

The

relatively longer,

the median ridge on lative

The iris

barbels are white.

fin is

then

long as the upper.

less

all

all

have the keels sharper and hooks stronger.

developed, and the lower lobe

The

pectoral

fins,

fish

the rows, while those of the back partly

is

The

scarcely one-third as

on the other hand, are remarkably de-

veloped in the young, and are nearly as long as the head.

Acipenaer glabcr grows to a length of six or seven

feet,

weight of sixty pounds, but specimens of more than three are not often captured.

and may attain a

or four feet length

TlIK FKESII-WATKI; I'lSIIES (iF EUKOPE.

388

Acipenser ruthenns 'Vhv Stcrlol

is

loiind in

though

— The

Sterlet.

Sea of Azov, and Caspian, and

l^lack Sea, tlie

llie

the rivers which flow into them,

all

(Lin.).

it is

absent from the south of the

Caspian, and only stray specimens are occasionally taken in the lliver Kur. It

is

and its

abundant

also

in the rivers of Siberia,

especially affects the Irtish.

way about

White Sea by Archangel, and

so necessary for

it, it

flavour

which makes

it

more prized

Eii;-.

177.

Indeed, in that river

taken.

It ascends the

is

it

Danube

in St.

The

Kl'THE.vrs (LINX.ias).

deteriorates in flavour the farther south

Danube

is

flesh

and roe

of

is

it is

not rare at Linz,

It rarely reaches a length

seldom over two

feet.

demand has been

Fishes weighing in the

so great that

Sterlet only four or five inches long are this species are

a

Petersburg than the Sterlet from the

regularly as far as Vienna,

over seven pounds are scarce, and the

Volga and Dnieper,

Dwina, which

down and become abundant,

often got at Passau and in Bavarian waters.

of three feet, and in the

made

the Sterlet

and an arched back, and has developed

— AC'Il'EXSER

Volga.

and

Grimm,

here, under the cold conditions

has not only settled

ut acquired a short blunt snout

1

the Arctic Ocean,

fall into

forty years ago through canals into the Northern

flows into the

which are

which

According- to Dr.

now

captured.

more esteemed than those of the larger

Sturgeons (Fig. 177).

The

fish

is

little difference

of the body. this

four-and-a-half times as long as

its

head, and there

is

very

between the width of the back of the head and the fore part

The body

measurement

is

is

highest directly under the third dorsal shield, and

half as long as the head.

compressed, and three times as long as the

upper part of the head raised central points

is

The small snout mouth aperture

is is

rather flatly

wide.

The

covered with irregular radiated shields, which have

and corres])ond

in position

and relation to each other with

the bones which in most vertebrates roof-in the head.

The forms vated central

of the shield are altogether characteristic, jxiint

<4'ivcs

and the strongly

the head a curious tuberculated apj'carance.

ele-

The

ACIPENHER RUTHENU supra-occ'i])ital shield

has a long- blunt triangular form

The

are rather longer and quite as wide.

The margins

of the

parietal scutes, external to

the post-frontal

is

;

the epiotic ossiheations

parietal ossifications terminate well

behind the eye, where the notch between them ethmoid.

389

is

occupied by the small divided

squamosal scutes are parallel to those of the

which they are

The

placed.

frontal scutes are small,

notched out above the eye, and there are no distinct pre-f rontal

The small ethmoid shields cover the rostrum to the extremity of the snout, but they are so closely united together as to have the aspect

or nasal ossifications.

—

ACIPEXSEU RUTHENUS, SHOWING THE CRANIAL WCUTES OX THE UPPER SIDE OF THE HEAP.

Fig. 178.

of a single bone (Fig. 178).

The

—

ACIPENfiEK RUTHENUS, SHOWING THE UNDER SIDE OF THE HEAD, MOUTH, BAU-

Fig. 179.

HELS, PORES, ETC.

cephalic miicus-canal subdivides in the usual

way, and opens by numerous pores which cover the under side of the rostrum, except along the median lie

line, in

in front of the barbels.

extremity of the snout

The mouth

;

the lower lip

is

but both halves are in contact. round, and a

barbels are nearer to the

little in

mouth than

to the

their ends are fringed on the inner side (Fig. 179).

not exceptionally large, has the upper

is

slightly notched

;

which there are three tubercles, two of which

The

lip small,

and only

broader and always divided in the middle,

The eyes

are small, of equal size,

advance of the position of the mouth.

nearly

The diameter

of

THK

••V.)(»

the frontal

interspace

opercular shield

The

kisiiks

i'i;ksii-\va'I'i;i;

i:ri;(ti'E.

times the

tliree-and-a-lialf

is

of

orbital

The

diameter.

small.

is

body are similar

shields on the

in character to those

on the other species,

The

thou«-h the scutes of the lateral rows are more closely packed together.

number

of dorsal shields varies

from eleven to fourteen

broad and nearly triang-ular, but the last the

the fourth to sixth

laro'est, l)ut

median

They

which

ridg-e,

decrease in size towards the dorsal

the dorsal

The

there are usually

fin

many

lateral scutes are sixty to

flu,

The

shield

first

is

All have a strong- smooth

and between the

irregular

flat

bony

last scute

and

plates.

seventy in number, and have each a long

oblique lozenge shape.

They

The number

shields varies

of ventral

lozeng-e-shaped. hig-hest.

backward into a rather long pointed hook.

prolong-ed

is

is

rise

they have the base

;

are sharply keeled in the middle

from ten

to

and

striped.

eighteen, they are small,

nearly triangular, and ridged, but are more distant from each other than the

There are no shields between the dorsal and caudal

lateral shields.

three or four

Between the rows

of shields the skin

are uniform in size,

belly they

The

is

fin.

covered with small bony scales, which

strong

points.

the pectorals are longer than the diameter of the body,

;

the bony ray reaches nearly to the extremity of the

longer than

but

and become denticulated at their hinder border, but on the

become merely rough

fins are

fins,

oval small scutes are found between the vent and the anal

flat

fin.

The

dorsal

fin

is

height, and the height of the anal and veutral fins exceeds their

its

The caudal

respective lengths.

fin

is

powerfully developed, and the jointed

rays are remarkably long.

The

colour of the back

The

arc dirty white.

The

iris is

yellow.

is

fins are

greyish-brown or yellowish-brown.

The

shields

grey, though the ventral and anal are rathei- red.

Albino varieties are occasionall}^ found.

The females have a

flatter forehead,

and the snout

is

rather thinner, longer,

and more curved. In young

fishes the

but the pectoral

fin is

snout

is

relatively less elongated than in other species,

more elongated, being more than twice the height of

the body.

This species spawns

about

in

May and

June, and yields the best caviare.

It lives

six or seven years.

According

to Dr.

Grimm>

it sells

at a lower ]n-iee at

Astrakhan than any

other Sturgeon, the wholesale price being from two to two-and-a-half roubles the pood of thirty-six ])ounds, for fishes measuring fourteen inches or more

one to oue-and-a-halt' roubles the pood for

But when

salted the larger Sterlet

tenpenee) the

jx.-.d

additional.

fishes of less

command

a rouble

It is fre(juently i»ickl(>d.

;

and

than fourteen inches. (two shillings and

ACTPEXSEi; raiELTXr.

Acipenser rnthenns. We

Variety gmelini

have alread}^ s})oken of the

rntluni.K-s,

and Dr. Giinther has

liability

so

marked

in

many

change

structural details that

&

(F.

H.).

variation of the Jriprn-^cr

to

classed the Acipenser

ilhistration of the capacity of the species for is

;}i)]

as

gjiiclijii

a

further

of character, but the variety

we have considered

necessary

it

to briefly describe it (Fio-. 180).

It

is

distinguished by

which

Sterlet^

l()zenge-shai)ed

broad triangular rostrum or snout from the

its

resembles in

it

lateral

shields.

length, the height of the body

Fio-. 180.

.\(

Il'lCNSEU

form of body, and in the thick compressed

The head measures is

HUTHENTS, YAH.

The

greatest height of fin.

body

is

measured from the

According

to

first

and

this

is

HECKEI,).

.\X1)

to the

the entire

of

thickness,

IFITZINOEU

from the snout, and the elevation continues

of the pectoral is

(JMEI.INI

one-fifth its

The arched forehead

about one-eighth of the total length. a.brnptly

more than

rather

rises

somewhat

back of the head.

dorsal shield to the base

Heekel and Kner^s figure (Fig. 181), there

considerable difference in the form and

First, the supra-occipital scute is small

proportions of the cephalic scutes.

and entirely separated from the

scute in contact with the long parietal scutes. are not divided in front because no

distinct

epiotie

Secondly, the parietal scutes

ethmoid scutes are developed.

Thirdly, the post-frontal scutes, which are external to the frontal, and notched

out for the orbit, are pointed behind, and extend back as far as the frontal scutes

with their points external to the squamosal those ossifications.

scutes, instead of penetrating into

There are no distinct pre-frontal or nasal

ossifications,

and

the frontal plates in front are not sharply distinguished from the compact ossifications is

finer

than

which extend over the snout. in

A.

All

the sculpturing on the shields

riithfiiK^.

The pores on the under

side of the

head are similar to those in the Sterlet,

as are also the rows of pores in the cephalic canals.

The middle bony ridge on

the under side of the rostrum decreases gradually in width from

towards the mouth, and

is

its

extremity

completely broken four times, making four round

THE FKE8II-WATEU FISHES OF FUKOPE

:^'H

wart-like tubercles, of which the three anterior are in advance of the barbels.

The

Ijarbels are rather

The upper

compressed, and frino^ed at their ends.

small, and slightly notched, and the thickened under lip

is

lip is

quite divided in the

middle {Fig. 1S2).

The eyes

are relatively lary-e, and the breadth of Ihe frontal interspace

>\

\

'

181.

—ACIl'EXSEH

GMELIM, HEAD

Fig. 182.

SEEN FROM AliOVE.

The lower

three times the orbital diameter.

is

7

'/ .!.

ACIPENSEK GMELINI, HEAD SEEN FROM BELOW.

nasal aperture

is

larg-er

than the

u])per.

There are fourteen dorsal lar base, except the

shields, each,

with a wide heart-shaped or triaug'u-

which, though long,

last,

the smallest.

is

Each has a

smooth, sharp medium edge, which ends in a short pointed hook.

row

consists of sixty-two

lozenge

The

shape, and are notched

ventral shields

number

There are two or three

little

with

posteriorly

thirteen to lifteen

star-shaped

;

bony

The

lateral

scales, like those of

comb-like denticulations.

they are very small, but keeled.

flat

and the vent, and the skin between the rows of lated

The

narrow shields, which are feebly keeled, have a long

scutes between the anal

shields

is

fin

covered with denticu-

the Sterlet, only larger.

stronyly-devclopi'd pecioral

fin

is

nearly as lou^' astlu' head.

The anal

ACIPENSEE .STELLATUS. than the dorsal

fin is hig-her

caudal

head

it

;

The lower lobe

the ventrals are shortest.

;

half the leng-th of the upper lobe,

is

393

which

terminates in a rounded point, as in the Sterlet.

The

above, the belly and shields are yellowish-white.

This form

is

characteristic of the Black Sea, but

cends the Danube as far as Pesth,

is

of the

nearly as long- as the

is

The

iris is

colour

brown

is

yellow.

nowhere common.

or, occasionally, to

Vienna.

It as-

spawns

It

in

spring".

Acipenser stellatus This species

and

iSI'Cni/nin.sini,

is

known

in

Austria as the Scherg.

the Sea of Azov and their rivers, and

Ural and Kur. it is

a

much

Though

lighter fish

is

It

is

met with

in

its

Bavaria as the

found in the Black Sea and

in the

Caspian and the Rivers

g-rows to the same leng-th as the

it

and at Astrakhan

;

Sevnign,

Russia as the

in

(Pallas).

common

Sturgeon,

weight, according to Dr.

Grimm,

does not exceed thirty pounds, though exceptional fishes of twice that weight are

When

sometimes taken.

four feet long

weighs about twenty pounds

ACIPENSEK )<TELI,ATUS

183.

Fie,'.

it

examples as small as eight pounds are caught

but

;

(I'.VLLAS).

in

Hungary.

It

is

regarded on

the evidence of chemical analysis as the most valuable food fish of the Sturgeon family, and

is

much

esteemed.

It begins to ascend the rivers early in

March,

and great shoals often ascend the Danube for several weeks, but rarely get

beyond Komorn, though the Isar.

It

spawns

in

descend again to the

caught

all

mud which that

it

lives

the snout its

is

goes up the Theiss to Tokay.

sea,

and June, and,

contains the smaller forms of

from

fifteen to

is

less

is

fishes

and they are

It feeds on worms, spawn, life.

Hungarian fishermen

The head

is

as

than half the length of the head.

sixth of the total length.

head

in the rivers,

and

state

twenty years (Fig. 183).

four-and-a-half times as long as

svu-face of the

It has been seen in

spawning, most of the

has a more slender body than any other Sturgeon, and

more slender and elongated.

diameter

after

though some remain

the year round in the Danube.

Ac/'jjenser stellatus

but

it

May

its

Owing As

The

head, and the snout alone

is

fish is

about

nearly one-

to the elongation of the snout, the up]3er

concave in front, and

over the skull to the back.

wide as the body,

in the

rises in a

moderate convex curve

other species, the back of the head

is

THE

394

FISIIKS

FlIF.STT-WATEl;

oF

EFKolM-:.

of Ihe head

covered by bony shields^ wbieli ave eloiiiratod in iho direction length, liave elevated centres, and are marked dorsal shield

is

triangnlar, and

its

by

radiating"

ril)>.

The

anterior point only touches the small

shaped supi-a-oceipital shield, which

is

lirst

wedge-

contained between the hinder ends of the

parietal shields. Neitlier the supra-occipital, parietal, nor first dorsal scutes touch

the epiotic shield, which

The

is

Tip;. 184.

contact with the hinder margin of the squamosal. all

— ACU'ENSEii

HEAD SEEN

third of the orbit.

tlie

same

STKEI.ATX';

^EEX FROM liHNEATll.

parietal shields are long,

The

terminate in

— ACirENSEK

stei.latus, I'KOM AliOVE.

The

transverse line.

f rental

in

and supra-occipital plates

sfpiaraosal, parietal,

and extend f(n-ward to the anterior

frontal shields arc in tlie usual position, with tlic pos(-

behind the eye, and the pro-frontal in contact with

eve, so as to exclude the frontal scute

it,

iu front of

from the orbital border.

Tliere

the is a

broad and deep furrow or depression on the head between the parietal and frontal plates (Fig. 184).

The nares

consist of

and immediately covered with a

two large contiguous apertures adjacent

The rostrum,

in front of the pre-frontal scute.

number

of elongated plates,

some

of

to

the eye

or snout,

with radiating grooves, between which pores open from the cephalic canal. the under side of the snout there

is

is

which are partly marked

Ou

a long, raised, smooth area^ the liinder

ACIPEXSER STELLATUS. becomes narrower, and extends

termination of which

The inner

;39o

pair of barbels

is

extend nearly so far back as the mouth

The whole under part

beyond the barbels.

They do not

slightly posterior to the outer pair. (Fig-.

185).

median

of the snout, on each side of the

ridge,

is

covered with large pores for as far back as the barbels reach.

The somewhat large mouth It

somewhat

is

transverse,

which

fold of the lips,

oval

;

the right eye

is

is

The row

much

is

situate

below and rather behind the eyes.

margined in front by a small cartilaginous

The eyes

slightly notched laterally.

times

ecpial to five

is

its

The upper

diameter.

and

nasal

shields of the longitudinal rows are well developed, those of the dorsal

which

is

and a strongly-raised

They vary

not the hindermost part of the keei.

twelve to sixteen. The

The two following all

are small

and the breadth

left,

smaller than the lower narine.

are strong, have a heart- or lozenge-shaped base,

point,

—

is

is

about one-seventh larger than the

of the frontal interspace

aperture

and

first is less

number from

in

firmly united to the back of the head than usual.

are the least elevated.

The sixth

The

have the characteristic radial ribbing.

to eighth are highest

lateral shields are lozenge-

shaped, with serrated edges, and are often separated by interspaces equal to the

They vary

length of the base of the shield.

The

in

number from

tliirty to forty.

ventral shields are ten to twelve in numljer, they are lozenge-shaped,

and similar

much

to the dorsal shields, only

similar shields between the anal fin shields behind the dorsal

fin.

The

smaller.

There are one to three

and vent, but there are none of these small

shields at the sides of the head,

which support

the shoulder girdle, are regarded by Professor Parker as supra-temporal. lai'ge

and triangular, coarsely radiated, with a slight

of shields the skin

is

more

They

regular,

On

most dense behind the pectoral

are

between the dorsal and

and notched border.

They

are

Between the rows

thickly covered with small denticulated bony scales, which

are irregularly placed. largest

keel.

lateral shields,

fin,

and are

where they have a star shape,

the belly their shape and arrangement are

and in the middle

line,

from the throat

much

to the vent, there

is

usually a sharply-defined median row, especially in the male.

There

is

frequently a similar row of star-like scales on each side of the All the fins are

ventral shields. fifth

somewhat

the hinder part of the dorsal. scythe-shaped.

The upper

The upper caudal

lobe

is

The

small.

longer than the diameter of the body.

The

pectoral

lobe of the caudal

much

is

anal, as usual, is

only oneis

opposite

slender and

larger than the lower lobe, and

both are pointed.

The colour

of the back

The

sides

The

shields are dirty white.

is

a reddish-brown,

and belly are white, but the under

The

iris is

or,

sometimes, bluish-black.

side of the snout

yellow or silvery.

is

flesh-coloured.

THE FKE.SII-WATER

aOO In

young

the

The operculum

of the fish. lin

is

and

long",

all

lateral shields snudler,

There

some

is

difference of

Jcipenser

external characters

hut there

is

some

is

of the length

the lower lobe of the })eetoral

The females

Hn weaker, and the

the pectoral

in

though the terminal hook

Acipenser schypa distinction from

;

the shields are close together.

the hoU}' ray

shoi'lcr,

as usual, nuicli greater,

is,

more than one-quarter

better developed

is

and

relatively smaller,

have the snout dorsal

the relative leng-tli of the head

specimens a foot and a half

heini;", in

EISIIES (>E EUKoPE.

(Gildknstadt). the claim of this

o])inion as to

ffilldini-sfadfH,

rather longer.

is

(ish to speeilic

and certainly the resendtlance

sufficiently close to justify Dr. Giinther in uniting

difference in the geographical distribution,

and

the shields of the head, which makes

siderable difference in

it

a

possible only in their native

is

we

the characters by which

Dr. O. species,

Grimm

which

is

convenient to

known

Sturgeon occurs.

shall define the species (Fig. ISO).

It

Danube

is

Austria as the Dick,

in

it is also

in the Black

rare

as far as

is

the same as that of Aci-

found in the Sea of Aral, where no other

Komorn.

Sea and Sea of Azov, though

The great

of about sixty poimds.

It

is

is

length.

a short-nosed species, in

The

1)rea(lth

fore-])art of the

of the body,

snout

to forty

body, and this measurement

which

is

pounds

in

which the head

between the opercular plates is

reaches a weight

weight. is

one-sixth of the total

is

equal to that of the

the same as the greatest height

over the base of the pectoral

rises obliquely to the

it

not so large in the Danube, and those taken

Hungary vary from twenty-four It

it

centres of the fishery are in

the Sea of Aral and on the rivers Ural and Kur, where

in

series of

test the value of

states that the distribution of the Sch^p, as he terms this

penser stellatnH, except that

ascends the

home, could

;

not incon-

keep them distinct, though nothing but an examination of a large specimens, such as

in

them

back of the head, where

fin.

it is

The broad rounded

overlapped by the

first

dorsal shield, which, in its position, has quite the aspect of belonging to the

cephalic series (Fig. 187).

This shield

ward

is

nearly circular, has a strongly-elevated keel, terminating back-

a hook, which

in

397

SCHYPA.

A(.!irEX!^EK

is

the hindermost part of the plate.

It

contained

is

between the large epiotic plates, behind which about one-half

laterally

The

projects.

shield

supra-occipital

rather

recalls

the

form of

tlie

the

scute

same

element in Aci/jeuser glaher, but wants the posterior V-shaped notch, and not so compressed parietal shields, is

laterally.

which

it

Its

divides for nearly half their length, and in front of

a small distinct ossification, which

Fig. 187.

— ACIPENSER

SCHYPA,

IIKAI)

still

squamosal

is

ACIPENSER SCHYPA, HEAD SEEN FROM BELOW.

SEEN

broad, wider than the parietal, and about two-thirds of

frontal plates are

median

line.

somewhat

The upper

irregular

nasal aperture

it

The

further separates the parietals.

FROM ABOVE.

The

is

hinder expansion extends back behind the

is

m

in

its

length.

shape, and do not meet in the

contact with the outer margin of

the frontal scute, while the ethmoid ossifications, three in number, are between

the frontals, but do not penetrate far between the parietals. scute

is

Other

orbit.

shields,

some

of large size

nares and the extremity of the snout. there

the

are

iirst

The

post-frontal

external to the frontal, and forms the upper and hinder border to the

and rayed, cover the space between the

The

marked interspaces dividing the

plates are not all in contact, supra-occipital and parietal

dorsal and epiotic, between the frontal

and post-frontal, and,

and

from

to a less

'398

FliE.SII-WATEU FISIIKS OF EL'UOl'K.

'I'lIK

between the parietal and

L'xtentj

On

the snout.

which

lip,

than

the snout

The mouth-aperture

lono'er.

entire,

is

rows between the small shields on

the under side of the snout (Fig. 188) the median ridg-e

and smooth, and reaches back only extremity of

in

between the

Poi-es are developed

scjuaniosal.

squamosal and frontal shields, and oceur

and

is

The

mouth.

the

to is

is

small

the barbels, which are nearer to the

to

outer

barbels

are

wide, bounded anteriorly by a small

the

u])])er

produced only for a short distance beyond the

angles of the mouth, so as to leave the entire centre of the lower jaw free.

The eyes

are of moderate size, equal,

interspace

The breadth of the frontal The lower and larger narines are

and ovate.

times the orbital diameter.

is six

smaller than the diameter of the eye.

The

The number

distant from each other.

shields

on the body are strong, but

of dorsal shields

about ten to eleven,

is

sometimes round, sometimes heart-shaped

their bases are

the keel

;

is

smooth,

strongly elevated, and forms a curved point or hook, which extends back-

The

ward. shield

dorsal

first

the third

;

are broader than

They

shield

shield

long,

is

Those which succeed the third

highest.

and become smaller as they extend down the back.

The

are regularly rayed.

to thirty-three

not firmly attached to the supra-oceipital

is

the

number from

shields vary in

lateral

thirty

they are lozenge-shaped, finely rayed and keeled, but towards

;

the tail the keel

The

prolonged into a hook.

is

ventral shields also each have

a keel ending in a hook; they are more ovate, and seven to nine in number.

One

or

two similar

between the vent and anal

shields lie

often a few smaller bony scales behind the dorsal

body.

The skin

is

fin,

fin

smooth and shining between the rows

there are star-shaped

bony

vary in size and shape.

scales thickly

Some

;

and there are

on both sides of the shields,

of

of the larger are elevated into a spine,

they form an irregular row between the dorsal and are small pores on the under side of the snout.

is

and

There

lateral shields.

The skin

but

They

scattered over the surface.

smooth about the

mouth, eyes, nares, gill-aperture, and the region of the pectoral, ventral, and anal

fins.

All

the fins are pointed.

diameter of the body. dorsal

fin

caudal

fin is

is

One unjointed

The soft

pectoral

fin

is

ray succeeds

its

longer than

bony

The upper

very strongly notched out posteriorly.

ray.

the

The

lobe of the

not conspicuously long.

The colour

is

blackish-grey above, and yellowish-white below

;

the shiekls

are dirty white.

In the young the head the entire length

;

the extremity of the snout. the caudal

fin

is

is

relatively large,

and

is

about one-cjuarter of

and then the barbels are midway between the mouth and

The upper

less developed.

lij)

is

notched.

The length both

hooks on the shields varies with age, as

in all

The lower

lobe of

of the snout and of

other species of the genus.

tlie

ACIPENSEK U U LDEN STADTl I.

Acipenser gtildenstadtii This species (Fig. 189)

and

Hnngary

in

He

geon. that

is

(Brandt and Eatzeburg).

to the Austrians as

Grimm

Dr.

states that its distribution

speaks of

Waxdick, or WaxlAlck, as the Eastern Stur-

it

similar to that of the Sterlet, except

is

keeps nearer to the mouths of rivers, and goes farther into the

it

found

It

is

of

Persia,

over the Caspian, and

all

and

in Siberian

and ascends

all its

it

caught

is

the

in

Kur and

found throughout the yeax in

is

taken only occasionally at Vienna.

It lives on

tiie

Danube,

beyond Pressburg, and

It rarely gets

larger tributaries.

sea.

rivers

farther north than the Sterlet.

It lives

rivers.

Meckel and Kner state that

is

known

is

termed Tok.

;i<ji)

worms and mud

contain-

_,^-^^^f^^~'â‚Ź'^^><.

Fig. 189.

ing organic matter.

— ACIPENSER

spawns

It

this species is

llus.iia

known

to

Danube

in the

by Hungarian fishermen

re])uted

GULDENSTADTII (bKANUT).

to

that

Hungary

rarely taken

it is

valued for food.

The body long as thick head.

The

./. iichtjpa ; is

much

ten to twelve

fishes

;

feet

weighing

than thirty pounds.

It yields excellent caviare

but the

fish is

it

and

pounds.

Its fiesh is

In

much

isinglass.

usually eight-and-a-half times as

is

only five-and-three-quarter times as long as the

outline of the snout and frontal region

is

very like that in the

but in A. (/i'ldeustddtii the distance from the mouth to the snout

less.

The

shields

which cover the head are large, broad, and marked

with strong irregular rays (Fig. 190).

They

are often separated

Thus the

interspace, so as not to be perfectly in contact. is

is

In

Heckel and Kner

long weigh 150 to 160

less

as wide as high, and

is

twenty years.

reach a length of 270 centimeti-es, but the

usual size in Astrakhan does not exceed 180 centimetres. state

and June, and

in jNIav

live for fifteen

to

first

by a narrow

dorsal scute,

which

sub-circular, does not touch either the supra-occipital or the epiotic scutes

;

but between these shields, and extending into the large interspace between the epiotic, parietal, scales.

The

and squamosal

shields,

supra-occipital shield

narrower in front, where

it

is

is

a

number

oblong,

penetrates for half

of small, densely-packed

inclining to lanceolate, being its

length between the parietal

—

THE

400

FKESlI-WATF.i; FISHES OF ETHiOPE.

The squamosal

sliields.

shields

are broad, extend back a little farther than

the parietal, and are shorter than these

but longer than the frontal

sliields,

shields,

which converge anteriorly, but do not meet, being divided by the

ethmoid

plate,

which has small

way between the

round

ossitications

and penetrates a

it,

The

extremities of the parietal scutes.

extends quite as far back as the frontal, and forms border of the orbit.

The extremity bony

star-shaped, irregular plates and

of

snout

the

processes,

the is

little

post-frontal scute

and hinder

upper

covered

with

small,

and shows two rows of black-

r?m7!m

ACII'ENSEll GILDENSTADTII, )

1

The under

coloured pores.

side of the snout

have somewhat the aspect of the meshes of a

There

is

.1.

is

The

l)arbels are

xrhiipa^ and,

large,

when

(Fig. 191).

much

laid back,

lip is

ArirEXSER GULDENSTADTII,

is

covered with large pores, which

n(!t,

except in the median

line.

Its farther course

The eves

is

indicated by a

nearer to the extremity of the snout than in

do not reach near to the mouth.

The mouth

side of the head.

not only deeply notched, but completely divided, though

the two halves are in contact. lip.

.

and occupies nearly the entire width of the under

The small upper of

1

a short median ridge in front, feebly developed, and extending only

as far back as the barbels

fun-dw.

1)

HEAD SEEX FROM HELOW.

SEEN FROM ABOVE.

The

entire middle of the lower

are large, nearly round, the left

jaw

is

destitute

rather smaller than Ihe

;

ACirENSEK (UiLPEN.STADTir. rig'lit,

wliieh

orbits.

is

one-fourth of the width of the frontal interspace between the

The hinder border

of the orbit

The diameter

of the lower

the mouth.

401

vertically over the anterior edge of

is

and larger narine

equal to that of the

is

right eye.

The body

The

dorsal

shaped bases

from each

shields in all the five rows are rather distant

shields

number twelve

other.

have round or heart-

thirteen, they

or

the keel rises gently for half the length of the shield, and then

;

terminates abruptly, usually in a recurved hook, but sometimes in a straight point, which in old individuals

may

be worn

off.

The

shield

first

slightly

is

the largest, and the succeeding shields become smaller and relatively shorter fin.

There are no scutes behind the

coarsely

and irregularly ribbed, with the

as they approach towards the dorsal dorsal

All

fin.

the scutes are

ribbing confused towards the centre.

The number

of shields along the sides

of the body, as in other species,

They have a lozenge

to thirty-six.

Bony

the middle.

shape, with flat keels,

granules occur in the

number, round, and elevated to a central

Between the vent and anal

fin

interspaces

The

indicate the course of the lateral line. in

them, and

ventral shields are nine to ten

point.

there

is

one large shield, and between

is

a small shield on each

between the principal rows of scutes

is

smooth and shining, with bony

fin

and the caudal

different sizes,

more

fin

or less thickly scattered over its surface,

star-shape or a round denticulated form. indefinite single or double

A

row

similar

of

much

region of the pectoral are

A

side.

lateral

fin

broader, and their length

some distance towards the ventral

is

form an

rows of

shields.

fins in

These shields

fin.

this species are relatively

scarcely equal to the height of the body

of the caudal fin are

The white. points.

is

The

more strongly developed than

broader, less pointed, aud

colour of the back

The

is

is

in J. schi/pa

Below the

The barbels

are

lateral

The upper

20

line

it is

white with blackish

iris is silvery.

the diameter of the

under side of

a long

half as long as the upper lobe.

a bluish ash-grey.

shields are dirty white.

;

both species.

In the young, seven or eight inches long, the length of the snout

curved.

raised

scales

unjointed soft ray similarly succeeds the strong bony ray in

Both lobes

scales of

showing a

few larger hooked

row between the dorsal and

The skin

larger scales, about eight in number, runs from the

much larger than the lateral shields. Compared with A. sclii/pa, the pectoral

the lower lobe

left

and are largest in

between

there

the anal

and

different on the right

is

and the number varies from twenty-four

tlie

mouth

;

side has

and the snout long keeled

is

is

twice

then thin, pointed, and

much

shields.

snout ends in a strong hook.

The

The median ridge on the shields

which support the

OF KUKOrP:.

TlfK KKKSlI-WATKi; FISIIKS

402 operculum are

many

The

undivided.

lower lohc

less devi'loped, the

of the later rays of the

whidi

iin,

ihv caudal

ol"

pectoral, dorsal, and caudal

lins

lin

absent, and

is

hccome

al'tci-wards

jointed, are

still

arc black at their bases, and

yellowish-white at their edg-es.

The females have the snout rather blunter and

longer, and the males are

distinguished by their olive-brown colour.

Acipenser naccarii

(Bonaparte).

Small Sturgeons are met with in the Adriatic which belong"

They reach a length

Jcipemer naccarii goes up the

long.

Vo

river

^lay, and though never

in

abundant, supplies the markets of Milan and Pavia. in the lagoons of Venice, special

name

Its colour

At

is

for

it,

and

where

it is

it

the body

being one-ninth of the total length.

is

found

in the

autumn

The

Italians have no

common with

the other species.

is

higher than broad, the height

The length

of the fish

four and three-

is

Seen from above, the outline of the

quarter times the length of the head.

head

is

the shields and under side are dirty white.

;

fin

It

generally small.

is

termed Sforione, in

blackish-brown above

the base of the pectoral

to this species.

but are more frequently about twenty inches

of three feet,

lanceolate (Fig. 19ÂŁ).

All the shields covering the head arc finely rayed, regular, and closely

The temporal

packed together. than the shields

are

occipital,

long, notched

and tapering"

shields arc short and narrow, rather smaller

and much smaller than the

shields,

ej)iotic

The

frontal.

parietal

behind to receive the broad heart-shaped supra-

in front,

where they are notched to receive the small

anterior division of the ethmoid

which

sepaivates the

post-frontal forms the upper border of the orbit.

the pre-frontal, nasal, and other ossifications. only partly covered with small irregular

frontal shields.

The

In front of the frontal are

The

anterior end of the snout

and shows a row

little plates,

is

of large

pores on each side running from in front of the nares forward to the end of the

These pores are connected with the cephalic canals.

snout. shield

is

broad.

The mouth

space between the eyes.

The

It

is

is

large, but its breadth

nares.

The barbels

The number

is less

its

back of the supra-occipital as broad as long,

is

ecpial to their distance

are nearly equally long,

and

first

dorsal

and do not reach back

from eleven

anterior extremity shield.

from the point

than the interspace between the anterior

of dorsal shields varies

slightly the largest,

The

not so great as the inter-

placed in the middle of the length of the head.

distance between the outer barbels

of the snout, but this breadth

is

is

to

fourteen.

fin

mouth.

The

first is

received in the notch at the

The succeeding four

but towards the dorsal

to the

or five shields are

they become relatively longer.

im

ACIPEXSER XACCAEIT. and have

strong-

may

prolonged

each

keels,

Behind the dorsal

fin is a

into a baekwardly

directed

spine.

double row of three or four small shields, or there

be a large long one and two smaller.

The

lateral line is covered

by

forty long lozenge-shaped shields, twice as deep as long, with straight spines.

There are ten shields in the ventral row, which extends as far as the ventral

and behind

fin,

it

there

is

a further series of ten, which

may number

nine or

eleven on one side.

There are two keeled shields between the ventral and anal

Fio-. 19li

PPEK SUKFACE OF HEAD

is

the largest of

shield, without a keel, behind the

skin fin

is

the more

—

UPPER SURFACE OF HEAD ACIPENSER NACCARII. VAR. XARDOI

Fig. 193.

'ENSEK NACCAllII.

anterior of which

fins,

all

the shields.

anal

fin.

There

is

generally a long

Between the rows

of shields the

covered with starlike scales which vary in size; anterior to the pectoral

they hav^e a regular lozenge shape.

The bony ray

of the pectoral fin

strong, and longer than the breadth of the head over the squamosal

is

bones.

There are thirty-two to thirty-five truncate rays on the upper margin of the upper lobe of the caudal

fin.

base of each of the ventral

fins.

There

is

a small rayed shield in front of the

THK FKESll-WATEU FISHES

404

EFKOPE

()F

Acipenser naccarii; variety nardoi A

of

variety of the Adriatic Sturgeon, which does not difPer in size or habit,

known only from the river Po and the hagoons of Venice, is characterised With this are associated certain differences in the shape The relation between the the head and forms of the cephalic shields.

and

by

is

its

yellow colour.

height of the body and is

(Heckel).

its

length

is

greater, being equal to the height

times as long as the head outline of the snout

length of the snout shields on the

is

;

and since the body

follows that the head

it

is

five

its

thickness

and a third

The

relatively shorter.

is

pointed than in the type of the species, and the

less

is

the same as in A. naccarii, but

The

equal to the breadth between the nasal apertures.

upper part of the head have a strong general resemblance to those

already described, but there are some conspicuous differences (Fig. 193).

The

first

dorsal shield

is

broadly pentagonal

and sub-quadrate, instead of oblong in

and

sharp angles,

parietals, so that the

The

epiotic shield

median portion extends farther between the

parietal shields are long,

and

is

broad

out angularly by the

are notched

parietal sides

its

the

;

the supra-occipital terminates laterally

;

parietals.

forward as the anterior

as they reach as far

margins of the eyes they come nearer to the extremity of the snout, because the eyes are placed farther forward, in this form than

The squamosal post-frontal are

shields are broad

and participate

more decidedly triangular

;

m

A. naccarii.

The

in the elongation.

the frontal more decidedly lozenge-

shaped, while the ethmoid ossifications are small, three or four in number, and penetrate far between the parietals, though not reaching quite so far back as do

the frontal shields. ossifications.

which

is

There

In front of these are pre-froutal, nasal, and other small is

a row of pores near to the anterior border of the snout,

The mouth

otherwise covered with an osseous crust.

A. naccarii, and the lower

lij) is

not developed in the middle.

is

placed as in

The outer barbels

reach back to the mouth.

The

dorsal shields are thirteen or fourteen

in

broadest, and the succeeding three or four are

otherwise present no distinctive peculiarities.

developed behind the dorsal as broad as long

and keeled

fin.

is

commonly the

small shield, without a keel,

bony

scales are

Two

Two

way.

The

is

the

broader than long,

l)ut

first

smaller median shields are

lateral shields, forty in

in the usual

which are rounded and keeled. the hinder

The

number.

also

number, are twice

There are ten ventral

simihu- shields,

shields,

rarely three, of which

larger, are developed in front of the anal fin. is

placed behind the anal

developed over the skin, as in

,/.

fin.

iiaccirrii,

A

The star-shaped and the lozenge-

ACIPENSER HECKELII.

405

•

shaped scales on the throat are densely packed in rows, but are embedded in

The strong bony ray

the skin.

o£ the

pectoral fin

Acipenser heckelii

known

in

It

Venice as

Cope.se,

but nothing

Dr. Giinther regards

or life-history.

is

found in the Adriatic

more frequently met with than A.

is

it

is

aaccarii,

and a half

as a variety of A. giiUlemtddti'i, is

is

habits

but

a close

length from eighteen inches to four feet

It varies in

(Fig. 194).

The colour

of the head

is

black, and the upper part of the l)ody

The lower part of the body and

The head measures

— ACII'ENSEK

is

HECKELII

similar to that of

(

FITZIN<!EK)

is

The

fish is

eight and

.

are equal.

The and

semicircular.

All the shields of the head are comparatively

laterally in a broad V-shape,

blackish.

guldemtiidtii, but shorter,

A.

the contour of the snout, seen from above,

closely packed together.

The

length.

The height and breadth

two-thirds times as long as high.

form of the head

is

shields are dirty white.

one-fifth of the entire

Fig. 194.

and

and

definitely ascertained of its

the differences from that type are strongly marked, although there genei-al resemblance.

A.

(Fitzinger).

This short-nosed Sturgeon, with a rounded snout, sea and river Po.

longer than in

is

supra-occipital

and notched behind

is

flat,

finely rayed, granular,

narrow

to receive

in front,

expanded

an anterior process

of the first dorsal shield (Fig. 195).

The

epiotic

shields are longer than wide, but broad

each abuts against the

first dorsal,

and sub-hexagonal

;

the supra-occipital touches the parietal by a

narrow margin, and penetrates into the squamosal with the anterior angle. The parietal shields are long, and entirely separated from each other by a series of

ethmoid

ossifications,

supra-occipital shield

;

the posterior of which divides the extremity of the

the squamosal shields

are broad

centres are well behind the centres of the parietal shields,

the anterior termination of the supra-occipital shield. broad, but do not extend to the orbit, which

the usual

way by

is

and and

The

short. in a

line

Their

with

frontal shields are

margined above and behind

in

the broad post-frontal shield, which extends farther back

THE

40 Âť;

The

than the rnmtiil.

ethmoid

F1;ES1I-\\'ATE1;

fishes of EL'ROl'E.

nasal aud other .shields

lie

the remarkable

iu front of

ossifications.

The eyes

are rather lari^e, round, equal in diameter,

The

view of the skull from above. measures

The nares

times the orbital diameter.

five

and the lower narine

is

and entirely seen

are

larg^e,

in a

them

frontal interspace which separates

rather distant,

nearly ecpial to the diameter of the eye.

There

is

a

small row of pores on the anterior mar<4"in of the snout, over which numerous

small ossifications extend.

The mouth

lies

side of the head,

immediately below

and

its

width

is

llie

The hinder

interspace. is

the longer, and

lip is

when

KELII, SEEN

very imperfectly developed. laid

of

them is

is

a.

slig-ht ridg-e,

The outer

pair of

back reaches nearly to the mouth.

barbels are near to the anterior end of the snout

front,

the middle of the under

Fig. 19G.-

-HEAD or ACI1>ENSER IlECKELII, SEEN FUOM AliDVE.

barbels

orbits in

nearly cf|ual to the width of the frontal

and the under

;

in

The

the median line in front

side of the head, both

behind and in

reticulated with large ])ores (Fig. I'JO).

There are twelve slightly elevated dorsal shields, which have no conspicuous spine, first

and are only slightly keeled.

th.-

sliields arc

broader than

The

first

is

long, but after

broadest and the third

the

flattest.

At

length and

,

ACIPENSEli XASUS.

and then they

bi'oadtli are equal,

There are

bases are serrated.

middle plate

The

the largest.

is

narrower.

Ijeconie

shields

five

407

lateral row,

which

is

margins oÂŁ their

Tlie

behind the dorsal

tin,

which the

of

not placed so high on

the side as in some other forms, consists of from thirty-two to thirty-four lozeng-e-shaped

which are

shields,

small, elongated

The keels.

rises into a spine.

ventral shield.s, eight or nine in number, are round and have similar

There are two shields in front of the anal

are unequal

tin,

and two more behind. These

two most distant from the

the

in size;

Between the rows scales,

and distant

vertically,

from each other; tbey are keeled longitudinally, and the keel

of shields the skin

is

densely

filled

the larger.

are

tin

with small star-shaped

which become lozenge-shaped on the breast, where they are arranged in

lines.

The Vv'idth

pectoral fin

is

short and rounded;

its

of the skull over the squamosil bones.

are obliquely truncate, and the dorsal

The caudal

fin is

is

bonv ray

The

is

no longer than the

and anal

ventral, dorsal,

fins

as high as the anal.

not well developed, but

its

upper lobe

as long as the

is

head.

Acipenser nasus This

is

(Heckel).

another Adriatic Sturgeon, found iu the River Po and the lagoons

and brought, according

of Venice,

to Heckel, to the Venice fish-market, with

other species, in autumn. It appears to be rare, since

inches long, and the species

is

Heckel possessed but one specimen, twenty-six not represented in the collection of the British

Museum. The colour of the body is brown above, with the head paler. The proportions of the body are very similar to those

of A.

the breadth being equal to the height, and this measurement

ninth of the length of the

The snout

fish,

while the head

is

is

heckel'ii

about one-

one-fifth of the total length.

contracts regularly in front of the eyes to a narrower lanceolate form

than in the other species ; and the part of the head which

in front of the

lies

anterior narines would form nearly an equal-sided triangle.

The

from the

side,

is

versely.

The

rises

concavely to the back of the head, which

immense

shields of the head are chieHy remarkable for the

of the ethmoid,

profile, seen

convex transsize

which reaches from the extremity of the snout back between,

the f rontals, and

its

extremity just penetrates the points of the parietals.

condition of this plate would, therefore, justify us in regarding

all

the small

The ossifi-

cations upon the snout in other species as divisions of the ethmoid (Fig. 197).

The first

dorsal shield

is

remarkably broad, being only a

the transverse width of the two parietals.

The

little

narrower than

supra-occipital

is

T-shaped,

'

THE FRESH- WA'J'EU FISHES OF

4US

EFKcjl'E

tapering iu front, and convex behind, receiving a slight tooth from the dorsal shield in the middle of the posterior border.

The

iirst

epiotic shields are

longer than wide; the squamosals do not extend as far backward as the parietals,

and their centres are slightly anterior

to those of the latter, while the centres

The

of the epiotics and supra-occipital are in a transverse line. are large

and extend a

little

pre-frontal shields are strongly developed, orbits.

The

Fig. 197.

The

and form the anterior borders of the

The eyes

nasal shields are anterior to the frontal.

— HEAD

OF ACIPENSEK NAM'S, SEEN FROM ABOVE.

covered by the j)re-frontal

frontal shields

farther back than the post-frontal scutes.

Fig'.

and post-frontal

198.

are partly

— HEAD

OF ACII'ENSEU NASI SEEN FROM RELOW.

])lates.

A

median longitudinal

depression extends along the head between the frontal and parietal shields.

The under head-length

;

side of the it is

head shows the mouth, as usual,

in the-middle of the

nearly as wide as the frontal interspace between the orbits.

The middle portion

of the lower

is

lij)

not developed.

A

strong elevated

median ridge extends from the extremity of the snout backward lip,

widening somewhat behind.

distance, between the

the longer

;

There are

The

mouth and

the end of the snout.

they reach back to the upper tiiirteen

to the

upper

barbels are rather in front of the middle

li[)

The outer

pair

is

(Fig. IDS).

well-di'veloped .shields on

llic

back.

They

arc bi'oadcr

409

AClPENSEli STUKIO. than

but become longer after the seventh, and the keel

long-,

and ends

There are three shields behind the dorsal

which

oval,

is

then sharper,

is

in a point.

is

fin,

two

side

by

and the

side,

There are

lozenge shape, with serrated margins, and are transversely keeled. ten ventral shields

Two

at the ends.

ventral and anal anal

;

posteriorly they

become somewhat

There

and more pointed

larger,

shields, similar to the ventral series, are

fins.

formed between the

one very long and slender shield behind the

is

fin.

The whole

On

in size.

of the skin

covered with rough star-shaped scales, which vary

is

the throat they are quadrate or lozenge-shaped, and closely packed

together, so as to pi-esent the aspect of a tesselated pavement,

Kner compare them to the ganoid The

pectoral fin

anal lins lobe

is

is

is

as long as the

Both

equal.

scales of the

g-reatly elongated,

of

lobe-;

and

The Sturgeon which

body

is

high

[Lepiilosteu.s)

the height of the dorsal and

;

longer than the head.

(Linn.eus).

commonly taken

is

though Heckel and

American Bony Pike

the caudal fin are pointed, but the upper

much

is

Acipenser sturio

— The in

Sturgeon.

British

is

rivei's,

known

many Italy

the popular

is

Star,

is

known

it is

not

to the Russians

common

in the

as the

Western Sturgeon,

Black Sea, from which

According to Canestrini,

and May, and

It is absent

[A. guldenstddtii).

though not recorded by Heckel and Kner

April,

From

as well as the Atlantic coast of Europe.

from the Eastern Sturg"eon is

Scandinavia Storge, or

in

In

Sforji'r.

very widely distributed, and frequents the whole Atlantic coast of

North America,

and

and

Storioue coiiiiimne.

it is

It

name

in

In Ger-

France as I'Estiirgcon,, though often called by fishermen I'Estiiouii.

tion

third,

There are forty-one lateral shields, which have a

behind them.

it

enters

in the

Sturgeons of the Adriatic.

in

ascends some of the rivers,

rivers of

the

Steindachner found

in the Spanish peninsula, in the

it

from the Caspian,

Danube.

most of the

more common

is

it

this distribu-

to distinguish

it

river

Italy in

March,

Po than the other

during the spring months,

Douro and Tagus.

It

is

common

great rivers of France, the Rhone, Garonne, Loire, and Seine.

Rhine, and has been taken at Speyer, and, more rarely, at Basel.

in all the

It ascends the It

is

found

North Germany, and goes up the Elbe into Bohemia, and the Vistula into Galicia. In the Baltic it usually lives in deep water, from in all the rivers of

which rivers.

it rises

in

the spring to enter the German, Russian, and Scandinavian

In Britain

it

is

only an irregular visitor, but

markets, especially in London during the

summer

is

season.

not rare in our

fish-

FRE.S1I- WATER

THE

410

As

FI.SllES

miglit be expected from the wide

habitat of this species,

it is

ti<^ures of

to regard

them

as

distribution

i^-eoo^rapliical

extremely variable, and Indeed, any one

account, difficult to disentangle.

pare the

OF EUROPE.

its

and diverse

synonymy

who should

on this

is,

critically

com-

the species g-iven by modern naturalists mig-ht well hesitate

same kind

representations of the

of lish

;

but, like other

Sturgeons, this type varies with age, and the long pointed snout of the young,

becomes replaced by a broader, shorter snout,

wliich, as usual, curves ui)ward,

which the curvature

in

with age.

Certain differences

pentagonal in section, but

first,

filled

may

dried head figured

by

John Richardson

Probably

out and

be observed in the shields of the l)ody and the head,

be seen by comparing the figure of a fresh head (Fig. :^00)

Fig.

Sir

at

The lower lobe of the caudal fin, whi^di is at first absent, develops The unjointed rays of the pectoral fin subsequently become jointed.

rounded.

may

is,

rows of scutes afterwards become

the surfaces between the

as

The body

is lost.

n(j

199.— ACIPENSEK STUKIO

(lINN.EIS).

Yarrell, differences sufficiently obvious to

to describe

with the

have indueeil

the British Sturgeon as a distinct species.

work would throw more

light ui)on the nature of species than a

thorough investigation of the variability of Acipenser

stiirio.

In form of body (Fig. 199), and length and shape of snout, this species

most resembles A.

(jmdliil.

The height

of the

body over the pectoral

exceeds the thickness by one-third, so that the section

is

vertically ovate,

The head

is

as wide as the

the aspect of the fish slightly compressed. is

high, and this measurement

is

two-ninths of the length of the length.

The extremity

profile rises

one-eighth of the total length.

fish,

but

in

of the snout seen

the

young

body

The head

is

one-quarter of the

it is

from above

fins

and

is

triangular.

The

with a gentle convexity to the back of the heaJ.

IMie shields wliich cover the heatl are rather roughly granular than radiated,

and

in close

contact (Fig. 200).

than the supra-occipital.

The

tions and anterior stem broad.

The

latter is

An

dorsal scute penetrates a little into

are parallel and long.

'I'hey

first

dorsal shield

only slightly wider })or-

from the keel of the

first

anterior denticle

the snpra-oecipital.

reach a

is

T-shaped, with both the transverse

little

The

farther forward

epiotic shields

than the supra-

ACIPENSER STUmO.

Their centres are nearly in a line with that of the supra-occipital.

occipital.

The squamosal

shields are small, smaller than the epiotic,

in a transverse line

The

411

with those of the

parietal shields are

ossification

more

in

and

their centres are

long- parietals.

contact than usual, the narrow ethmoid

between them^ while

in front only penetrating slightly

assists

it

(with small anterior ethmoid ossifications) in dividing from each other the long

and large frontal scutes which are only a

The

post-frontal scute

100.

is

little

shorter than the parietal scutes.

narrow^ and extends Ixdiind and over the orbit for the

— HEAD or ACIPENSER STUIUO,

Fig.

It unites

eye.

a

number

with the pre-frontal scute

of closely

packed elongated

naked margin, which shows

The e^es

The operculum

somewhat

in

is

month

is

The

lip

is

less

a

little

covered with

large, flat,

and granular.

and the breadth of

than four times the diameter of the eye.

On

its

breadth

expanded into two large

i)ads

is

longer,

The and

the under side of the head the

nearer to the gill-aperture than to the snout;

between the eyes, but is

is

which, however, leave a

advance of the eye, and the lower narine

not so large as the upper rounder one.

as usual,

The snout

ossifications,

are rather large, ovate, equal, and look laterally,

the frontal interspace nares are

pores.

in front.

—

HEAD OF ACIPENSER STURIO, SEEN FROM BELOAV.

'201.

SEEN FROM ABOVE.

is

less

it

is

placed,

than the frontal interspace.

on the lower jaw, but they

are

THE

412

FKESll- WATER FISHES

separated by a median depression. in a transverse

row

OF EFKOPE.

Thei'e are the usual four barbel^j, placed

advance of the middle of the space between the mouth and

in

They

extremity of the snout.

They

are rather short.

are divided

which does not extend far behind them, but widens

ridge,

covered

roug-h

l)y

When

shields.

the snout

by a median where

in front,

it is

becomes broad and thick, the

midway between the eye and the snout. The bony armour on the body is well developed.

barbels are

dorsal shields in the median line of the thirteen.

Each

developed

m

dorsal shield has a

more or

is

less

The

number

usually eleven, but distinct keel,

which

of

may be more

is

the hinder part of the body than in front, but the form and

size of the shields varies

with

a<^e,

though

granular and radiate, and ornament

is

all

have their upper surfaces roughly

seen only at the margin.

The

lateral

have the vertically elongated lozenge-shaped form, and usually number

shields

from

back

twenty-nine to thirty-one, though Dr. Giinther finds in some young

specimens twenty-six or twenty-seven, and mentions an example from the

Black Sea with thirty-four l)rocess

which

of

The

it.

The

is

embedded

The

shields.

in the skin,

keels on the scutes

and

anterior part of each is

scale

has a

overlapped by the scale in front

become sharper and higher towards the

tail.

ventral shields are nine to ten in number, and similar in shape to the

dorsal shields, the

first

two are smaller than the

behind the ventral

shields

fin,

There are three

others.

the two smaller ones form a pair in front of the

single large shield.

There are three or four longer shields behind the anal

There are three to

five

pairs of shields behind the dorsal fin, followed

single larger one, which extends on to the upper lobe of the caudal

The skin

is

of shagreen.

fin.

by

a

fin.

covered with small bony scales which have almost the character

They become

larger

towards the head, and

sometimes

are

arranged in obhque rows (Figs. 199, 201).

The

pectoral fin

bony ray

The

is

dorsal

is

inserted low

down

The strong

at the back of the head.

only three-quarters of the length of the succeeding jointed rays. fin,

rather in front of the anal

fin, is

angularly notched, so as to be

nearly divided into a large anterior part and a small posterior

upper lobe of the caudal lobe

is

fin

of the back

is

or yellowish-grey; the belly iris is

The it

may

The

lol^e. ;

the lower

moderately developed.

The colour The

does not exceed the length of the head

usually a dull reddish-brown, but varies to a blue is

white, inclining to silvery; the shields are grey.

yellow.

usual size of the

fish

in Austria

and Italy

is

from

five to six ft^et,

reach a length of eighteen feet, and a weight of two hundred to

hundred pounds

;

the size

nant speaks of one taken

is

not larger in France or North Germany.

in the

but five

Pen-

North Sea which weiolu'd four hundred and

ACIPENSEU and a

sixty pounds,

weighed

eleven feet

fish

STLTRK).

41:3

cast

four inches long,

for Buckland,

hundred and forty-one pounds.

five

The food

of this species consists of

many

kinds of invertebrata, especially

worms, small Crustacea, small mollusca, and

mud

containing oi'ganic matter.

Sometimes the intestine

filled

with sand which has been

found completely

is

swallowed with food.

The Inxt in

species

spawns

in the south of

Europe

the north of Europe the spawning

May,

in April or

commonly

is

May

in

rarely in

March

or June.

;

Fishes

have been taken in British rivers with eg-gs developed in January and May, and with some of them as large as small peas at the end of June, while others

were then as small as small -shot.

Benecke describes the eggs as two

metres in diameter, and numbering

many

Mr. B.

millions.

milli-

Parfitt states that

the ovaries weighed eighteen to twenty pounds in a fish seven feet long, cap-

The young are hatched

tured at Exmouth. is

carried on

When

by

Sturgeon-breeding

in five days.

impregnation of the eggs in Schleswig-Holstein.

artificial

hatched, the 3'oung only require to be watched in the river for from

ten to fourteen days, and soon go

Pennant

remai'ks,

countries, that the Sturgeon

or hooked, but

is

down

to the sea.

and the statement

makes no

drawn out

by writers in many

repeated

is

when caught

resistance either

of the water like a lifeless

lump.

out of water for some time, and a specimen

is

referred to

having lived out of water thirty-six hours before

it

was

lives

In England the Sturgeon of the reign of l)y

Edward

is

II., to

a royal

by Thompson

last

has been granted

it

It

Sturgeon

was customary

for the

to the sovereign.

different countries.

faint pink tinge.

it

When

it

came

was claimed by the Lord

The

The regard

flesh is

is

as beef, mutton,

have been captured

in

which

it is

in

held as food varies in

commonly white with yellow

Towards the end

of the tail

it

The middle

becomes

A

pork, or poultry.

from the fore part of the body.

said to

Lord Mayor in former times to present the

varies in flavour in different parts of the body. to serve

it

Sturgeon which appears to have possessed the endurance

necessary to undergo this perilous adventure

1833.

as

belonging, by Act of Parliament,

fish,

the sovereign, except where

Thames and passed above London Bridge

Mayor, but the

in a net

however,

killed.

charter to certain corporations, as at Boston in Lincolnshire.

into the

It,

good cook

The

fat,

It

red.

last

is

and often a is

firm,

and

said to be able

two

are obtained

of the tail yields a flesh

which

has the character of veal, and sometimes adds to this the flavour of lobster.

The smaller part fish it

never

retail at

which

of the tail closely resembles mutton.

commands

a high price in the

from fourpenee

it is sold.

jto

Although an excellent

London market, usually

selling

eightpence a pound, according to the locality in

THE FHESH-WATEK FISHES OF ET'ROPE

414

In earlier clays the Sturgeon appears to have been

American

rivers than

much more common

in

now, and formerly as many as three hundred a day have

been hooked out of some of the rivers of Virginia in May, June, and July. Acipenser latirostris, of Parnell, distinguished by

is

a variety of the

Common

Sturgeon,

The

the thickness as well as the breadth of the snout.

specimens originally described were nearly eight feet long, and weighed eight

The back and

stone.

in

having the

barbels

grey inclining to

sides are light

Dr. Pai-nell remarks that

dirty white.

much

snout

tip of the

much

it

olive,

and the belly

Common

from the

differs

broader than the mouth, in having the

nearer to the end of the snout than the mouth, and in the slight

According

elevation of the keel of the dorsal plates.

Yarrell, there are

to

thirteen dorsal shields, and four between the dorsal and caudal

are thirty-two lateral shields and

four behind the ventral

fifteen in each

the largest of

is

There

iins.

row, with three or

ventral

fins.

Acipenser huso This

is

Sturgeon

all

(Linn.eus).

the Sturgeons.

It

found in the Black Sea, the

is

Sea of Azov, and the Caspian Sea, and enters the rivers which drain into those waters.

It

is

much

rarer in the Mediterranean, but

Fig. 202.

rivers of Italy.

Danube

Now

its

it is

In Russia

popular

name

it is

is

— ACIPEXSEK

known

Jlaiiscn,

is

sometimes taken

in the

HUSO.

as the Beluga, ami in

though the Hungarians

llu'

valle\- of

also

c^all

it

the

ri:<i.

rarely seen above Pressburg.

was formerly much more abundant, and attained a far larger size in the Danube than it ever grows to at the present day but its great size tempted It

;

capture. in

Pishes twenty-four feet long were

Hungary

in thousands.

common, and

At the present day

it

varies

it

was slaughtered

from one hundrcnl

to

nine hundred ])oun(ls in weight, and occasionally reaches twelve to fifteen hundred ])oun(ls. tells J,(;n()

In Russia very heavy fishes are sometimes caught.

us of a Sturgeon pounils.

One was

taken

in

the

river

Ural in

enu^'ht at Saratov in

isni),

Grimm

1847,

which weighed

wliicli

weiglied

1^7()l)

—

ACirENSER HUSO. pounds, while

415

1813 a Belug-a taken at Sarepta weighed 3,200 pounds.

in

Fishermen report having- sometimes caught Belugas unable to drag them from the river

;

so large that they

but large specimens

Acipenser huso often reaches a weight of 800 to 1,200

gether exceptional.

pounds, but the average size in the Astrakhan market pounds, though smaller ones,

Owing pounds

in

Grimm

a

down

— and

to its large size

weight of the roe

for Dr.

were

these are alto-

like

the females are hirger than the males

—-the

that the

Pallas states

2,800 pounds, but this

fish of

400

to

seen.

immense.

is

from 360

is

weight of 120 pcjunds, are often

to a

mentions that in Acipenser

is

roe

weighed 800

an unusually large

stellatiis

the roe

propoi'tion,

commonly

is

one-

tenth of the weight, one-quarter of the weight in A. schjpa, and one-fifth

m

A. guldenstdfUii.

weight of which

which

common

in

It

is

captured not only for

its

10,800,000 pounds'

flesh,

annually exported from Astrakhan, but also for the roe,

is

with that of other species

the isinglass which

made from the

is

The Beluga migrates

made

is

like the other Sturgeons,

mence with the beginning

into caviare

;

and for

air-bladder.

of spring.

It

and the wanderings com-

crowds into the mouths of the

and

in large herds before the ice lias disap])eared,

it is

rivers

no rare circumstance for

the fishes to be injured, or even to have their snouts broken oif by the drifting

Observers differ as to whether

ice. it

it

regularly descends to the sea, and just as

wovild appear to remain in the sea for

weight of twenty pounds so there

is

some time,

or, at least, until it attains

—for smaller individuals never occur

evidence to show that, in the Volga, at any rate,

winter in a hybernating condition in the rivers.

tlie

from other

fish, fleeing

Yet, owing to

When

boat. less.

its

though

it

blow from

head projecting

in the water,

it

are eaten

it,

noise,

and

it

The proportions

of the

It

is

inactive, as

to

its

at the bottom, with its

very voracious, and feeds on a variety

Small

fishes, especially of

body are not very

being- equal

Sterlet.

soon becomes power-

and often remains

and water-birds have occasionally been found

species, the thickness

sometimes passes

sometimes swims on the surface, with

and vegetable substances.

by

it

a sluggish and timid

would easily capsize a small

and sometimes remains

snout buried in the sand or mud. of animal

tail

places in the river,

During the day

asleep.

its

makes a grunting

muddy

is

a

Danube

and especially from the pursuit of the

fishes,

large size, a

captured

It seeks soft

It

in the

different

the Carp tribe,

in its stomach.

from those of other

the height, and about one-eighth of the

total length (Fig. 202).

The head cone.

is

rather narrower than the body, and tapers interiorly in a l)lunt

The length

extremity,

is

cartilage, of

of the snout scarcely exceeds tlie width of the

curved slightly upward, and

which

it

is

free

consists, is semi-transparent.

from

mouth

shields, so

;

its

that the

THE FRESH- WATER FISHES

416

The

shields

EUROrE,

(iF

upon the head are more feebly developed than any other species, number, and have serrated marg-ins. The first dorsal shield is

are only nine in

entirely separated from,

and behind the head.

The

supra-occipital shield

half-moon-shaped, with the convexity directed forward.

The

is

epiotic shields

are long- and narrow, and diverge backward from the sides of the supra-occii)ital.

The

parietal shields are small,

longed backward shields extend

Fig. 203.

much

much

farther,

— HEAD

OF ACIl'ENSEU HISO, SEEN FROM A]!OVE.

not meet in the median is

as far forward.

The

frontal

between the outer border of the squamosal shields and the

nares, passing- just above the eyes,

of the skull

smaller than the squamosal, which are pro-

and extend quite

line,

204.

— HEAD

OF ACIPENSER SEEN FROM BELOW.

and converging- a

little

or touch the jtarietal shields;

forward.

HI";

They do

and the middle

line

occupied by a furrow (Fig. 203).

The eyes are small, round, of equal size, and placed They look outward and upwiu-d, are far from the

mouth.

vertically over the

outline of the head

when seen from above, and are separated by eig-ht times the orbital diameter. The narines are snuill and nearly equal in size. The outer sides of the snout are covered with pores,

and similar pores are seen on

a short broad median ridge. length

ul"

The mouth

is

far in

its

under side divided by

advance of the middle of the

the under side of the head, jind occupies nearly

its

entire breadth.

ACIPENSER HUSO. The

cartilaginous jaws are surrounded

The upper

middle of the lower jaw.

body has

five

a pentangular aspect than in most of the other

They

and rough.

are coarsely i-ayed

front of the dorsal

they are nearly

elevated

The

radiation.

The ten

lateral line

but

is

rows.

shields are

They form

The

On

fins.

pectoral fin

weak and

is

is

of

median

size,

thicker than the

Their bases are starkeel,

bony granules, which form

the

throat, as

which

flat shields.

well

as

The

parallel

behind the

side of the

rather shorter than the height of the body.

is

The

dorsal

fin is

twice as long as high, and

lobe of the caudal fin

rounded, and

is

colour of the snout

The under

the keel

the anterior part of the sides, towards the

short.

The upper

truncate behind. the lower lobe

tail

and occasionally show obscure

they become star-shaped.

The rounded The bony ray

and towards the

they are radiated, and have a

;

irregular groups on

and ventral

lateral shields,

lateral shields are forty to forty-

There are one to three round and rather

thickly covered with small spinous

pectoral

and

can be traced between them.

and round behind

in front

The

in front,

flat

bases,

shape, are very small, but largest in

developed than in other species.

less

extends backward. skin

pairs.

their surfaces are pitted,

;

to twelve ventral

lateral shields,

shaped

arranged in

fin,

They have a lozenge

number. ;

the sixth to eighth

;

There are two or four small shields in

their spines are directed backward.

little

Their surfaces

shields.

are smallest in front

and highest, while the hindmost have the longest

are the largest

the middle

its

rows of shields, but they are not strongly developed,

less of

There are generally twelve or thirteen dorsal

species.

back reach beyond

laid

at the extremities.

There are the usual

but

when

absent from the

is

middle (Fig. 204).

they are compressed at the base, expanded in the middle, and

;

smooth and pointed

so that the

which

fleshy lip^

lip is thickest in the

barbels are very near the mouth, and

The

middle portion

five in

by a

117

is

is

is

shorter than the head

;

relatively well developed.

The back

yellowish-white.

body and the

shields are dirty white.

is

dark ash-grey.

The

iris is

silvery,

with a yellow tinge.

The

differences

As the

species.

in other species

which appear with age are more remarkable than

fishes

and they gradually allow intervals of naked skin

;

between them, and become thinner. the snout becomes flattened.

and

The median

The bony granules

close

contact.

backward.

27

The

to appear

ridge on the under side of

in the skin decrease in size,

in old individuals are only half as large as in

young specimen about in

in other

get older the shields do not increase in size so rapidly as

young

individuals.

In a

a foot and a half long, all the shields of the head are

Their central points are strongly elevated, and directed

dorsal shields are in contact,

and have high, sharp

keels

and

THK

-lis

hdoks;

I-l;i:sll-\VA TKl;

n!'

I'ISIIKS

Kl'lM M'K.

y(mn<^

jind the oilier shii'kls aiv similarly stroiii;- in the

youn^'er the Hsh

more marked are these

tlie

caudal

species, the lower lobe of the

As

characters.

rudimentary, and

tin is

lish

and the

;

in

several otlier

all

the soft rays

of the fins are undivided in youn<y specimens.

not rare,

Pallas states that hermaphrodites are

which the ovary

in

is

developed on one side and the milt on the other.

Hungarian fishermen

state that the fishes

come up the Danuhe

from March to May,

to

spawn, and that there

autumn, from August

to

December.

young

fishes are

If,

in

spring-,

a second migration in the

is

however, they spawn in the Danube,

never seen there.

In rivers in which the species

is

common,

still

by peculiar movement of the water; and they are

down considerable obstacles to their progress. The fishery in the Danube is carried on

presence

its

is

indicated

sulliciently large to break

in a variety of

Lines are

ways.

stretched over the river, to which bright glistening hooks, without barbs, but

and sunk to

baited, are suspended,

well

different depths, so as to intercept

As the Sturgeon come up they

'the fishes like a curtain.

hooks with their noses, and turn about

strike the festoons of

they get entangled, when the

till

may

fisherman seeing the strain on the line, knows where a fish

be found.

In the more rapid parts of the Danube, piles are driven into the river so as to leave channels, through which the fishes

must

When swimming

pass.

on

the top of the water they are harpooned; and they are also shot with ball.

When

wounded, a rope

drawn

o])posite

is

They

land.

to

ends of which are

also

taken with

secured

driven into shallow water,

the Volga this species

is

when

it

is

boats.

often throws itself on to the bank.

its size,

but

It is

a

In

more useful than the

its flesh, isinglass,

and roe are

The wholesale

Beluga at Astrakhan varied, in 1S82, from three roubles,

eig-hty coi)e('ks, to four roubles, thirty-five copecks a

equivalent to about fourpence a pound.

frozen or salted.

the

When

fishermen until

valued as those of some of the smaller species.

price of the fresh

])ouiids,

two

pursued by the

stretched over the river, as in the Danube.

much

in

frequently taken with baited hooks suspended to

other Sturgeons, on account of

not so

fish is

long wide-meshed nets,

by fishermen

the net he turns back, and

huiio strikes

lines

passed through the gill-aperture, and the

ai'e

It

is

also dried in the sun

pood of thirty-six English It

is

sold either alive or

(then termed /joUk), and often

smoked.

The method for all si)eeies. all

beaten

of pre])aral ion of caviare

The

with rods

ovaries to

from the

tVom which the caviare

loosen

r(H> is is

to

essentially the b(>

the eggs from the tissue in

made

arc

same

lirst

of

which they are

contained; and are t^eparated from this niembraui' by being passed through a

;

ACrPEXSEU HUSO. They

sieve.

are

The commonest kind

and

this only the larg-er it

suited iieeorcliug- to the taste of the markets, packed in

tlieii

and exported.

barrels,

4]t)

is

the pressed caviare.

From

of connective tissne are removed

strong-er portions

superior quality

prepared by salting- the roes in long troughs, then partially

is

drying them on nets or

The best

kegs.

The

through which they are afterwards pressed into

prepared by granulating the roe in linen sacks.

is

eggs in them are then

to dry,

air-bladder

inside out,

sieves,

caviare

Tlie sacks with the

up for some time

when the

laid

caviare

in brine,

The next step

The bladder

It

is tirst

hung

again moistened,

is

washed, then turned

remove the internal

to

is

and afterwards hung

pressed into small barrels.

is

converted into isinglass.

is

and dried.

easily detached.

layer,

which

in the shade,

subsequently cut into strips which are stretched on the bark of a tree to

The

;

A

then dried in the snn, and trodden with the foot into small kegs.

is

isinglass yielded

by the Sterlet

is

and

dr}'.

considered to be finer than that

is

yielded by A. hu^o.

The

total

annual export of caviare from Astrakhan amounts to 3,i^40,000

pounds^ weight.

The annual produce

of isinglass

and the spinal cartilage, which when dried

same weight. is

stated

The

ainiual value of the

by M. Danilosky

various forms

is

Sturgeon fishery in European liussia of

which the

and the vyaziga at 100,000 roubles.

over-fishing, just as

it

some

but, though just as

is

flesh

in its

There can be no

greatly decreasing in Russia from

has declined in other countries.

Von Baer

estimated

nearly one million poods more than

the produce thirty years ago at in

124,000 pounds' weig-ht, as " vyaziga,'' is of the

valued at 5,000,000, the caviare at 2,250,000, the isinglass

at 600,000 roubles,

Yet

is

known

at 8,000,000 roubles,

doubt but that the Sturgeon fishery

now.

is

it

is

localities, like

the River Kur, the yield

many

taken, they are of smaller size, and with

fish are

is

well sustained

the smaller size of the fish the quantity of useful products diminishes, so that

the yield of caviare and of isinglass

Thus, according to Sokoloif,

Sturgeon (probably meaning A. total

roe

weight of the

had diminished

fish, in

steadily declining.

middle of this century the roe of the

rnf/icDii.-i)

was about one-nineteenth of the

the third quarter of the century the percentage of

to one twenty-seventh,

forty-fourth, so that the River at all.

is

in the

Kur

and

in

1881

it

was as low as one-

will probably soon cease to yield caviare

.

AdO

CHAPTER

XII.

FRESII-WATER FISHES OK THE SUB-CEASS CYCLOSTO.M ATA

Gems

Petkomyzov

Genus The

:

Lanipr(>y

—

Tiampcrn

— Mud

Petromyzon

:

Lamprey, or Pride.

(Artedi).

fishes included in this g-enus beloni^ to a distinct Division of the

and

Fishes;

named

placed in an Order

ai'e

Marsijjofjranchii.

Class

The body

is

Eel-like or worm-like in form, and under<yoes a remarkable metamorphosis.

The skin has

neither scales, nor scutes, nor lateral line, though there are a few

scattered pores

is

colour,

tilled

but one nasal aperture, in the middle

The mouth

upper part of the head.

in

is

uuctorial

;

and when open

line is

of the circular

with a large number of horny denticles, yellowish-brown

and arranged

When

in rows.

The animal adheres by suction

furrow.

are feebly devek)ped in the larval

though they subsequently acquire a more perfect and

There

larger condition.

and seen to be

The eyes

upon the head.

of existence,

stage

mouth

closed the

is

to various substances

a longitudinal

and

to fishes,

and thus has a semi-parasitic character.

There are consequently no true jaws;

and the modifications of the head due to

its suctorial

W. K. it as

The

Parker to compare

more nearly skeleton

is

it

habit,

have led Professor

with the tadpole of the frog, and even to regard

related to such a type than to fishes or other vertebrata.

cartilaginous and remains in an embryonic condition.

The

notochord not being divided, the vertebrae are not separated from each other,

though

arches

their

but the brain

is

are

formed

the

by a complicated

lateral arches are

openings

;

cartilag-inous

also

is

cartilaginous;

gills,

and the

gill sacs

framework, in which the branched

line,

is

is

in

a

defined as extra-pericardial.

straight

and simple, and terminates

heart contained in a pericardium has

and resembles the heart

gill-

forming"

termed the extra-branchial basket, which terminates behind

alimentary canal

The

skull

connected below in the median

transverse convex cartilage which

valves,

The

usual in fishes, and gives off the usual

connected tog-ether at the sides, so as to surround the

and they are

a structure

'V\\Q

way

There are seven branchial openings for the

nerves.

are supported

valve.

developed.

distinctly in

its

in a spiral

several parts divided

of a fish of the ordinary type.

by

The reproductive

organs are single, there being but one ovary or one milt in each individual.

PETEOMYZON MAEINUS. though Yarrell describes two pores There

is

which the spawn

throug-li

The kidneys

no air-bladder.

421

are well developed,

discharged.

is

and their ducts open

into the abdominal pore.

The

has no limbs

fish

developed.

Petromyzon

to the sea.

The eggs

j

but there are two dorsal

lives in I'ivers,

where

fins in

which rays are

down

spawns, and then goes

are small.

Dr. Giinther enumerates four genera of

Petromyzon

it

true

Lampreys, distinguishing

having the maxillary tooth bicuspid^ Ichthyomyzon as having the

as

maxillary tooth tricuspid, Mordacia as having tricuspid maxillary teeth, and

Petromyzon

Geotria as having four lobes on the maxillary plate.

genus found in Europe, but

and one species

is

it

recorded from Buenos Ayres.

Petromyzon marinus The Sea Lamprey

known

is

the popular

Thus widely in

and

is

is

is

Lamprey. South Germany as

in France as Lamprole, in

termed Pricke, in Italy Lanqyreda, in North

name

is

Meerneunauge, and in Sweden Hafs-nejnoga.

distributed along the coasts and rivers of Europe (excepting

Black Sea),

it

ranges southward to the west coast of

found in North America, from Nova Scotia southward.

It is usually

ment, and

— The

is

the region of the

Africa,

(Linnaeus).

it

Seelamprete, in Austria

Germany

the only

is

North America and West Africa,

also extends to

met with on the bottom, but swims with

often taken at sea, and has been

and many other

fishes

known

of fish in

and

is

said to be attracted

Pennant speaks of one that attached

boats.

itself to a

which It has

the flesh had healed after holes had been thus rasped in the body. occasionally fastened on to bathers,

It

fishes.

to attack Gurnards, Mackerel, Cod,

and Couch mentions many examples

;

move-

a snake-like

sometimes transported adhering to the bodies of other

by the

tar of

stone weighing twelve

and the popular name, it was separated with difficulty Lamprey, has been regarded as signifying stone-sucker, but we rather agree pounds, from which

;

with Badh'am, in deriving

names

Day

states

February and

that

the

lasts till

June; but Jardine

tells

from lang, long,

fishery

in

the

Severn

it

us that till

it

Thames

begins

May

in

in

and

ascends the Scottish rivers about the end of

Germany and

enters rivers varies with the stream.

soft

ov pride, local

Worcester the

the beginning of August.

attack other fishes, and sometimes eat flesh from

upon any kind of

at

The Lamprey is taken in

ascends the rivers in spring, both in North

period at which

and^;?-^;?/, pricJc,

Lamprey.

May.

June, and remains in them it

it

for the smaller River

animal food.

It

is

On

the Continent

in Italy

but the

;

Although

their bodies, it

it

may

will feed

usually from twenty to thirty

THE FRESH-WATER FISHES OF EUROPE

122

inches long, but larger specimens are sometimes found; and in the Elbe and

Havel

it is

known

The body

is

The

of the genus. gill-arch

is

to reach a weight of five or six

about one-ninth of the total length

is

is

only twice

its

more than half

is

The

measurement.

first gill-a})erture.

The simple

long round opening, placed between the eyes

and

any other

species first

and the greatest height of the

;

this

diameter from the

separated by five times the orbital diameter.

spots,

pounds (Fig. 205).

tlian that of

distance from the extremity of the sucking lip to the

forepart of the body

small eye

and more elongated

cylindrical,

nasal aperture

are is

a

surrounded with white

it is

;

relatively

The eyes

the extremity of a blind tube, which does not penetrate the palate,

as in its marine ally, the

Hag

Fig. 205.

{Myxine glutinosa).

— PETKOMYZOX

The mouth

is

built

upon

MAUIXVS (LIXX.tUS).

a great circular cartilage, which closely resembles the incomplete but similar cartilage in the Tadpole,

and shows no sign of division into two parts

external margin of the

branched

slender,

short,

Within

this

in rows.

mouth

cirrhi,

band are the

is

two

other lateral

innermost

teeth,

disc,

teeth

On

this, in

External to these are eight rows of

rows are nearly little laterally.

anterior to these are larger,

six

parallel

to

The rows of iu number on

anterior rows on each side do not reach the central

the tongue, which works backward and forward, there are

three strong denticulated horny teeth. fall off

Opposite

each side, and curved outward and backward, but the

two circle of teeth.

behind the entrance

extending backward from the great

mandibular tooth, which

—

tentacles.

sometimes stronger than the three

each other, but diverge a HEAP OF PETROMYZOX MAKIXrs, SEEN FROM BEI.OW.

little

teeth on each side, which complete the

circle.

small denticles

Fig 206.

or

a curved plate, with seven to eight

strong sharp denticles (Fig. 200). front, are

the

teeth, -which are arranged

In the middle of the

to the throat,

;

consists of a girdle of

All the teeth are hollow, and easily

from the epithelium to which they are attached, but they are renewed.

PETUOMYZOX and the now

teetli are

already formed

.\lAKIXrs.

when

l.o;3

the old ones are

The moulh

lost.

shuts laterally instead of verticall}'.

The seven

fold,

and defended posteriorly by

which meet

like folding

which

canal,

is

from each other by the

are scarcely separated

g-ill-apertures

width of an orbital diameter, and each

margined

is

papillae

These

;

doors.

below the oesophagus;

and there are two valves behind, sacs

gill it

by a membranous

in front

open

into

a

longitudinal

terminates posteriorly

above the

An

pericardium, and oj^ens in front into the gullet by a valve like a glottis.

artery runs between each pair of gill sacs, so that each sac receives branches

from two

may is

by the mouth,

or

is

enveloped in

the mouth.

It

is

The excretory duct opens

dorsal fin begins behind the middle of the body;

first

The second

interspace.

It

then as high as the

is

declines towards

fin

is

the

caudal

fin,

tail

form

fin

to the vent.

there

with which

small, rounded at its extremity,

is

tail,

base exceeds

increases in

it it

is

it

is

deep

;

the

conHuent.

and extends symmetrically In the position of

sometimes a membranous ridge jirolonging the caudal

The vent

tremity of the

;

beneath

on both sides of the termination of the vertebral column. the anal

its

divided from the second dorsal by a distinct

is

dorsal has a long triangular

height to a point, and

then

into

regarded by some observers as the salivary gland.

the length of the head.

The caudal

and contains a

a strong muscle,

yellow, or yellowish-brown, thick, acid fluid.

height

for respiration

by the gill-apertures when the animal

Dumeril describes a gland between the buccal disc and the

attached.

respiratory cage, which

The

The water

like the gills of osseous fishes.

arteries,

either be taken

iin

one-quarter of the length of the fish from the ex-

is

and has a short longitudinal opening, which shows the

urogenital papilla.

The

cephalic mucus-canals are well-developed.

There

is

a row of pores

above and behind each eye, and another row below the eye, which to the

lip,

The body

sides; there are also rows on the throat.

and

irregular on the back is

}u-olonged

is

and there are other rows of pores over the gill-apertures, becoming

always very slimy.

The but

is

colour

of

the

back

and

sides

varies

with

locality

and season,

usually grey or some tint of yellow, spotted or clouded with br(nvn or

black.

At spawning-time salamander, fin, fin.

bed,

is

and on the under

The

in the spring, a crest,

comparable to that of the water

developed on the back, between the neck and the side of

ovaries are very large.

by removing

stones,

which are

and the male and female

first

dorsal

the body, between the vent and the caudal

The

fishes

lifted

by

excavate furrows on the river suctorial action of the

are said bv .Tanline to

moor themselves

mouth

;

to stones

.

THK FHESH-WATKH FISHES OF EUROPE.

424 while spawning.

membranous

a It

deposited

is

spawning the flavoured

spawn escapes

Ac-cording to Yarrell^ the

sheath, which

is

grooves

exhausted, and goes

and covered with sand.

down

to the sea.

but some peoples have a prejudice against

;

monly eaten by the inhabitants considered

by

May, when the

After

Its flesh is well-

It

it.

is

not com-

Pennant

of Scotland, Ireland, or Cornwall.

best in March, Ajjril, and

it

in both sexes

prolonged beyond the apertures of the body.

the excavated

in

fish

is

than at

flesh is firmer

other times.

Petromyzon

fluviatilis (Linn.eus).

The River Lamprey,

many

as

Lampern

or

In Austria

Fli(-ssneu)iaii(j('.

of English it is

— The writers,

Lampern. known

is

J\ mar'nius, being popularly known either as Pricki- or Neioiuiu/c.

term

it

Liiii/predone,

it is

A

Alaska.

and the Swedes Nejnoga.

also distributed in Russia; and, in

variety of the species

In English

is

found

in

Italians

North America, ranges up

'207.

— I'ETKOMVZON

was formerly a not unimportant

to

Japan.

rivers, especially the Severn, Trent,

Fig.

in his

The

Its distribution is very similar

Sea Lamprey, but, besides ranging over the other parts of

to that of the

Europe,

Ger-

in

not always distinguished from the

and Thames, the Lampern

FLVVIATILIS (lINN .I';!' s)

article of local

commerce.

time vast quantities Avere taken about Mortlake

;

Pennant

states that

and that the Dutch

purchased them for bait for the Cod fishery, taking 450,000 in a season, at forty shillings a thousand

Harwich

sent to

diminished, for

Cod

;

and he

;

Buckland agrees

in

states that about 100,000 a year

The number

to be used as bait.

catching them as bait for the deep-sea

When

night.

till

Thames

is

were

now much

regarding Lamperns as the best possible bait

and states that a considerable trade

from the end of August

in the

March

;

fisheries.

is

carried on in the Trent, in

The Lampern

3,000 have been taken at

fishery goes

Newark

in

on

one

captured they are sent in wicker baskets to the fishing ports

on the east coast, but must be kept moving while in tr msit to avoid sufPocation. life.

Their value for bait

is

partly

The Dutch fishermen manage

thcni in the

The

Turbot

Lani]i('rn

owing

to the fish being very tenacious of

to keep

them

alive for weeks,

and use

fishery.

fetMl.x

on worms, insects, and their

l;irv;e,

small fishes, and

rETROMYZON

In England

animal substances.

eliance

twelve or

fifteeii

much

It has

countries.

and

species,

inches;

is

The head

The mouth

is

fall

a

row

tail (Fig.

different

207).

two-thirds of

is

from that

is

;

the greatest thick-

The length

height.

tlie

of

fully one-fifth of the length of the

surrounded by a short fringe of tentacles, within

It is

of very small teeth,

The arrangement

off.

length of

a

terminal and nearly circular, so placed as to look obliquely

downward and forward. is

reaches

smaller than the anterior part of the body

is

the head to the last branchial aperture,

which there

commonly

the same aspect and Eel-like shape as the preceding

compressed at the

ness between the gill-openings

Ush.

it

sometimes a few inches longer in Continental

is

it

4-25

FLT^VIATILIS.

which are scarcely

of teeth in the oral disc

is

is

easily

"1'

Sea Lamprey, and the form of the

in the

opening of the gullet, which contains the tongue,

and

visible,

very

quadrate

rather than circular (Fig. 208).

At

the back of the gullet there

is

horny

similarly contains about eight

a large plate similar to

much

that in the Sea Lamprey, only

less

curved, and

denticles.

The

it

corre-

sponding plate on the opposite side or front of the mouth ' .

contains

together, as in

1-1

.

.

similarly

two

the Sea Lamprey, they are

the anterior corners of the mouth.

wide apart, at

fuom"below.

There are no teeth at

behind the posterior or mandibular tooth-plate

all

208.— PETROmyzon fluviati-

^ '"•

but instead of being close

teeth,

and in front of the

;

little

teeth

scarcely larger than those of the outer circle to which they are parallel.

But

maxillary

tooth-plate

there

is

only a crescent of about

there are three tooth-plates arranged in a longitudinal

five

row on each

side of the

mouth. The middle plate on each side has three denticles arranged transversely. The upper plates have two denticles, each transversely prolonging the line of the maxillary teeth, and the lower plates have also two denticles prolonging the transverse line of the mandibular bar.

mouth has two

many

denticles. lateral position as in the

Sea Lnmprey, but varies

from one-ninth to one-twelfth of the length

of the head, reckoning to

The eye has the same in size

the its

last

branchial aperture.

diameter, and in the

young

It fish

is

the head

is

separated from the other eye by twice

the distance

diameter from the last gill-aperture.

The

The tongue within the

teeth which are transverse, parallel to each other, and carry

is less.

It

is

seven times

Between the eyes on the upper

its

side of

the single nasal aperture which extends forward as a short tube.

gill-apertures are arranged in a longitudinal series, as in the Sea

with a valve in front and a serrated margin behind. diameter of the eve from each other.

They

Lamprey,

are about the

-J'lIK

\•Z^

The beo-ins Ioiil;-

FKKSII-WATKI; I'lSHKs OF EUROPE.

low triangle,

leng-th,

and

it

sli^^-htly

rounded.

base

Its

it.

The

tin

first

dorsal

and forms a

short,

is

it

;

one-seventh of the tntire

is

rapidly to a ])oint and

rises

merges

but, before disappearing,

;

fish

not so high as the second dorsal which begins at some

is

distance behind posteriorly

The

Hns are similar to those of the Sea Lamprey.

dorsal

about the middle of the leng-th of the

similarly

little

declines

which extends

in the caudal tin,

round the extremity of the vertebral column.

The

anal finis usually but slightly developed

caudal; and, as a ridge, extends forward aspect of adipose in

fins,

The

inseparable from the

is

The

dorsal lins have the

The vent

but contain branched cartilaginous rays.

the last fourth of the length

through

it

;

Ihc vent.

t<Âť

;

the i)ertorated

urogenital

]);ip':lla

lies

projects

it.

The

lateral line is not visible.

of pores behind

The colour localities;

the back

of

is

by a row

cejihalic cnnals are indicated

and over the eye, and extend forward

but

usually steel-blue,

the sides are yellowish and the belly

to the u])per

li]).

olive-green

in

some

The Hns

silvery-whife.

is

The iris is golden-yellow with a few dark specks. The males rarely differ in aspect from the females, but are of rather smaller size. The milt of the male lies in the median line of the body, and is are violet.

transversely divided into a

the anterior lobe of the

number liver.

of little lamina3

The ovary

;

it

ends in a

))oint

beneath

of the female stretches the entire

length of the ventral cavity, terminating opposite the last gill-opening. intestine

The

is

straight, and, as in the Sea

liver consists of

Lamprey, has no

long pointed lobes which

lie

trace of a

on the right

The

stomach.

side.

The

kidneys in the female are only half as long as the ovaries, but in the male they are as long as the milt.

The Laraporn

is

limited to low-lying country, and

is

found

in lakes, rivers,

and brooks, and marshes, but spawns only where the water runs rapidly over stony bottoms.

The spawning takes

place in

skin acquires a bright metallic lustre.

March and

The eggs

diameter, opaque, and of a greyish-yellow colour.

pern usually dies.

The development

and Benecke, who has studied

this

of the fish

some years only very small broods appear. discovered ters,

by August Midler

in 1854, and

April,

and then the

are small, one millimetre in

After spawning the

in

North Germany,

The young

of this s])ecies

shaped hood.

farther forward.

The

Lampern, and the

artificial

fecundation of

The young have no dorsal fin The upper lip is expanded into a

liver possesses a gall-bladder

otolites of the auditory

were

found to possess distinctive charac-

and they have since been bred at Cambridge by

much

;

states that in

the eggs by Balfour and Salvin.

extends

Lam-

spawn depends upon the weather

which disap})ears

caps\iles are

;

the caudal horse-shoe-

in the adult

similarly lost in the

PETROMYZON BEANCHIALIS. adult

may

The

fish.

met with, but Beneeke

fishes are not usually

be dug out of the

mud

when an arm oÂŁ

every year

Germany with

River Lampreys are captured in to Easter

and

;

digestion,

when

and

fresh

is

The Lampern

no

is

nets

it

stewed or made into

ascends

regarded as

it is

This Lamprey

is

rarely

(Linnaeus).

from

the Caspian,

— The

Pride.

is

as

throughout the British Islands, and in the

locally

known

under stones. Couch named this

From

as the Pride.

observed by Pennant, of frequenting the

itself

and

more than eight or ten inches long, and about

It extends

southern part of England

is

;

pies, as in this country.

Petromyzon branchialis

first

difficult of

which flow into that water.

all rivers

thick as a swan''s quill.

from

baskets

or

esteemed as food, and Buckland

is

In Germany

finer fish.

Kessler has described the Petromi/zo)i wagtierl from

which

;

takes place in the sea.

usually pickled with spices, potted, smoked, or salted

is

they

in the rivers fiowing into the Baltic are taken botli

autumn.

in the spring- and

considered that there

states that

the River Alle dries up

Lam perns

and he believes that their metamorijliosis into

December

427

little

mud

Sweden

and Russia, and ranges into the Black and Caspian It

habit,

Lamprey.

It

to Spain, Italy

The same

Seas.

is

its

than concealing

Mud

the

fish

distributed throughout the rivers of Europe, from

found in the western part of North America.

i-ather

species is

valued as bait on account

of the toughness of its flesh.

In aspect and character, the Pride, or Sandpiper, closely resembles the pern (Fig. 209). disc

is

The head

is

a little smaller.

better developed, but the outer circle of teeth

mandibular plate

is

semicircular as in the Sea

teeth which are equal in size.

At

(Fig. 210).

anterior to this,

As

in

P.

the

is

Jluriaf'ili.s,

same plan as in

two teeth distant from each other are

it carries

;

is

a smaller plate with two teeth

P

.

jiuviatUls

;

it,

at the anterior corners of the

not always uniformly developed.

little

so that the lateral

and there are similarly

The eyes

nearer to the mouth.

The gill-apertures

mouth.

of the

orbit,

are separated

The

first

is less

dorsal fin

may

and

from the

eye and from each other by distances equal to the diameter of the eye. single nasal opening

The

are smaller than in

Lampern, separated from each other by the diameter

they are a

The

twelve blunt

a j^late with three teeth in a transverse

there

and a plate with one tooth posterior to

teeth are formed on the

teeth

not developed.

is

Lamprey

Lam-

to the oral

the anterior corners of this plate, in the

middle of the sides of the mouth, there

row

The external fringe

The

conspicuous and round. or

may

not be connected with the second dorsal,

4:2

THE FRKSII-WATEU FISHES OF ErROPE.

S

but there

them

usually an interspace between

is

second dorsal

more developed

in the

which prolongs the

The colour does not more frequently

The vent

line of the caudal.

oE tlie

nearer to the head than in

is

whole body shows annular transverse markings.

from that of the Lampern, except that the back

differ

This species spawns in March or April.

209.

IMtiller

The eggs

— TETROMYZOX

URAXCHIALIS

but the

At

aperture

first

themselves in the

They

(LIX.N.i'vm).

— I'KTKO-

MYZOX BUAXCIIIALIS, HEAD .SEEN PKOM UELOW.

in

of the body,

first

and

In Austria the

gill-aperture

forward in front of the lower

is

The lip

lip.

no more than the height

There

is

covered with papillae, behind which there

marked with transverse

The caudal

fin is

The

is

triangular,

The inner

lip is

lie

rings.

circle,

and has an and reaches

is

a fringe of more or less

There are no

teeth.

The

in a longitudinal furrow.

The

abdomen

dorsal fins are low

is

lip

surface of the upper

transparent.

gill-

The

and have

prolonged to the vent as a membranous ridge. skin of the

a

hidden in the

no trace of the fringe to the

mature animal.

apertures are small, half-moon-shaped, and

is

and the eyes are separated

forms two-thirds of a

branched barbels at the entrance to the throat.

fine rays.

as Uhlen,

remarkably small, and the

nasal aperture

is

is

known

is

extremely small, and

which

so characteristic of the

fish is

is

thick skin of the head so as to be scarcely visible,

The upper

as the

places, are g-enerally

one-fifteenth of the total length, or

is

The eye

orbital diameter.

some

as Qiierder.

In the larval state the head length to the

in

slits,

The young bury

soon obliterated.

mud; and grow slowly. known in the north of Germany

bait.

Germany

little less.

elevated margin.

which had

fish

there are eight branchial

though they are eaten

used only as

and

is

first

are as well

Pride, but

whole body

die.

traced the development of the young, which are hatched in

been named Ammocmfe.^ hranclnal'n.

by twice the

is

are yellowish-brown,

After spawning, the old fishes probably

eighteen days, and found that they were identical with the

Fig. 210.

fin is

olive-green.

one millimetre in diameter.

August

and the

The anal

it.

female than in the male, being in the latter a mere ridge

The skin

the L;iin[)ern.

their height varies,

;

sometimes higher than the body beneath

is

The

The

largest

rETR(ÂŤIYZOX BRANCHIALiy. specimens measure seven inches. those of the earth-worm.

The

And

fish

remains

in

this

tentacles

its

very hardy, and

is

its

habits are like

Its ovaries are well developed.

then the metamorphosis

the oral disc with

It

429

state for is

from three

to

four years (Fig. 211).

completed in about ten days, during- which

and teeth

are formed, the barbel-like processes

Mouih.

Fig. 211.

in the

the

— LARVAL

mouth

intestine

opaque.

FORM OF PETROMYZOX URANCHIALIS, FORMERLY KNOWN AS AMMOCOETES.

disappear, the eyes develop,

the respiratory tube

is

completed,

and whole body shorten, and the reproductive organs become

The bright

yellowish- white.

silver colour is

With

and now having become adult and no longer limits

its

put on, and the

these modifications it

seeks clear

the

fins

habits of

water, uses

diet to microscopic forms of food.

grow and become the fish change, its

suctorial disc,

—

—

;

;

GENEEAL INDEX. [For Index

to

Specks, sec p. 440; and for Index

—

characteristics of Abramidina, 210 244; distribution of, ib. family, 210 characters of genus, 210 Aliramis, 210 231 211 distribution of, ih. ballerus, description of, 218, 219; fin formiila, 218 illustration of (Fig. 121), 218 colour of, 219 size of, /h. habits of, ib. disvertebra} of, ib. tribution of, ib. fin formula, (blicca) bjorkna, 223—226 223 distribution of, 223, 225, 226 descripillustration of (Fig. 124), tion of, 223—226 223 size of, 224 spawning of, ib. colour of, pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 125), 225 225 bastard form of, 226. bipunctatus, characters of, 226 228; ;

—

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

—

illustration

(Fig.

of

on variations in colour

of, ib.

;

habits

of, 227,

distribution of, 228 diseases of, ib. 228 southern representative of, 236. brania, 211 215; fin formula, 211; description of, 211, 212; illustration of (Fig. 116), 210; pharjTigeal teeth of (Fig. 117), size of, 212; habitat of, ib.; food of, 211 ib. habits of, 212, 213 as a food fish, 213 ;

—

Blanchard

227:

127),

;

—

;

—

;

;

;

;

spawning of, ib. mode of capture of, ib. ; distribution of, ib.; var. vctula (Fig. 118), 214 var. geldni, 215. elongatus, description of, 217, 218 illustration of' (Fig. 120), 217; distribution of, 218. fasciatus, description of, 228, 229 fin formula, 228 distribution of, 228 colour of, 229. laskyr (Fig. 126), 225, 226 distribution of, 226. Icuckartii, hybrid between Leuciscus rutilus and A. brama, characters of, 221, 222 illustration of (Fig. 123), 222 distribution Siebold on, ih. of, ib. persa, 218. sapa, description of, 219, 220 fin fonnula, 219; illustration of (Fig. 122), 220; colour of, ib. size of, 222 distribution of, ib. ;

;

;

;

;

;

:

;

;

;

;

;

;

spawning-time

of, ib.

vimba, description of, 215, 216 fin formula, 215; illustration of (Fig. 119), ib.; colour of, 216: size of, ib.; habits of, ih.; ;

spawniiiL;- lu'vicid, ih.; distribution of,

//;.

-ubiiformes of Dr. Gilntlicr, 57.

Acantlmiitriy-ii. 11), 23—49. Acerina, 33 38 characters of genus, 33 distribution of genus, 33. cernua, 33—36 fin formula, 33 size, 33 description of, 33— 35 illustration of (Fig.

—

12) 34

;

Conunon Names,

see p. 443).

external characters, 33

characters, 35

colour,

;

ib.

;

;

;

;

;

;

— 35

;

size, ib.

;

internal distri-

;

habits of, ib. food of, 36 spawning of, ih. capture of, ib. Buckland ib. on, Acerina rossica, 38 fin formula, 38. description of, 36 38 schrsetzer, 36

bution

ib.

of,

;

;

;

;

;

;

—

;

38; illustration of (Fig. 13), 37; weight 38 habits of, 38 distribution of, 38.

of,

;

;

Acipenseridse, 22, 381. Acipenser, distinctive characters of genus, 381, habits of, ib. distribution of, 383 382 fishing for, ib., 384. glaber, desci'iption of, 384 387 illustration of (Fig. 174), 385; head of (Figs. 175, 176), ib.; colour of, 387; distinctive pecusize of, ih. liarities of young of, ih. 402 local names of, guldenstadtii, 399 399 distribution of, ih. illustration of (Fig. size of, ib.; description of, 399 189), ii. 401 head of (Figs. 190, 191), 400 colour of, ib distinctive characters of young, 401, 402 distinctive external sexual characters, 402. size of, ih. heckelii, distribution of, 400 description of, 405 coloiu" of, ih. 407 illustration of (Fig. 194), 405 head of (Figs. 195, 196), 406. local huso, 414 419 home of, 414 names of, ib.; illustration of (Fig. 202), ib. ; ;

;

;

—

—

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

—

;

;

;

—

415

;

and weight

size ;

;

—

of,

of, 415 417 head of (Figs. hermaphrodite forms of, 418

description

203, 205), 416

migrations

of, i7>.,415;

;

;

;

spawning of, ih. method of capture of, in Danube, ib. preparation of caviare from roe of, 418, 419 preparation of isinglass from ;

;

;

air-bladder

419

of,

;

commercial value

latirostris of Parnell, 414.

402

naccarii, description of,

— 404;

of, ib.

distri-

head of (Fig. 192), 403. head of characters of, 404 (Fig. 192), 403. 409 home nasus, description of, 407 of, 407 head of (Figs. 197, colour of, ib. 198), 408. ruthenus, 388—390 distribution of, 388 size of, ib.; description of, 388—390; illuscranial scutes on tration of (Fig. 177), 388 upper side of head (Fig. 178), 389 ; under side of head, mouth, barbels, pores, &c. (Fig. exceptional largeness of mouth, ib. 179), ib. colour of, 390: distinctive characters of young of, ib. spawning of, ih. market value bution

of,

402

;

nardoi,

;

—

;

tenellus, 218.

Acantliiijitii Auii

to

:

;

;

;

;

:

;

:

;

of, ib.

ruthenus,

variety

giiwUnl,

distinctive

;

;

(iENEKAL IXDKX.

432 characters ill.

;

391

of,

illustration of (Fif?. 180J,

;

;

Aspro, 44

Aciponser schypa, 396—398; distribution of, 396 description of, 397, 398 illustration of (?'ig. 186), 396 head of (Figs. 187, 188), 397 coloui- of, 398 distinctive characters of 293 young, ib. ;

;

;

;

;

;

393—396

stellatus, description of,

distri-

;

;

;

;

;

;

—

;

;

;

colour

412; size of, 413; a royal

of,

of,

food

ib-,

fish,

ib.

of, ib.

;

flesh

;

sturio, var. latirostrin of Parnell, 414. 419. Acipenseridije, 381 Agonostoma, 69. Albnrnns, 232 239 characters of genus, 232 distribution of, ib. alburnellus, description of, 236 fin formula, ih.\ illustration of (Fig. 133), ih.; distribution of, ib. Var. fracchia (Fig. 134),

—

;

;

;

236, 237. breviceps, 235. fin forchalcoides, description of, 239 mula, ib. distribution of, ib. use of, for food, ih. fabrffii (Blanchard), 235. fracchia, 236. lacustris, 235. lucidus, 232—235 fin formula, 232 distribution of, ih. description of, 232, 233 illustration of (Fig. 131), 233 colour of, ih. habits of, ih. spawning of, ib. et seq. parasites of, 234 imitation pearls prepared from ;

;

;

;

—

;

;

;

;

;

mocho,

of, ib.

—

;

;

;

;

spawning

;

;

;

;

wide distribution of, ib. variability of type, 410 illustration of (Fig. 199), ib. descriphead of (Figs. 200, 201), tion of, 410—412 ;

;

—

;

bution of, 393 illustration of (Fig. 183), ib. value as a food fish, ib. head of (Figs. 184, colour of, 395 young of, 396. 185), 394 414 bturio, 409 local names of, 409;

411

deposition of ppawn upon .stones, //;. mode of capture, ih. distribution of. ih. 49; generic characters, 44. streber, 48,49 distribution of, 48 spawning period, 48 size of, 49 ; habits of, 49. vulgaris, 46—48 characters of, 46—48 distribution of, 47, 48; illustration of (Fig. 17), 47; characters of spine, ib.\ eggs of, 48; habitat of, 48 superstitions concerning, 48. zingel, 44—46; description of, 44 46; illustration of (Fig. 16), 45; colour of, 46 spines and scales as protecting organs, ib. size of, ib. flesh of, ib. distribution of, ib. period of spawning, ib. Atherina boyeri, 66. hepsetus, 66. lacustris, 67, 68 fin formula, 67 description of, 67, 68 distribution of, 68. ;

head of (Figs. 181, 182), 392 distribution

of, 393.

66.

presbyter, 66. Atherinida^, 19, 06

— 68;

characters of family,

Q,<3.

—

Aulopj'ge, 125 128; description of, 125; limited distribution of, ih. hiigelii, description of, 125 128; illustration of female (Fig. 51), 126 of male (Fig. under side of head of female (P'ig. 54), 127 lateral line and skin, showing pig52), 126 ment spots (Fig. 53), //;. remarkable condition of anal aperture in female, ih. variamodifications of tions in size of sexes, 127 internal anatomy, 127, 128; pharyngeal teeth

— ;

;

;

;

;

;

of (Fig. 55), 128.

•

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

scales of, ib.

var. lacustris, 235

;

;

var. brevi-

— 239

237

description (Fig. 135),

of,

fin

;

ct seq.

ib.

238;

formida,

illustiation of

;

and colour

size

237

of,

ib.;

Meckel and Kner on mode of deposition of

spawn by, 239

;

2, 19,

82-

89.

of fish, see Fish Structure. Anguilla, distinctive characters of genus, 372, 373 distribution of, 373. eurystoma, 380 home of, //;. description

formula, 123;

latirostris, 379.

;

;

;

376 voracity of, ih. tenacity of life in, 376 domestication of, ih. eggs of 378; migration reproduction in, /7y. method of capture, 379 fiesh of young, ih. enemies of, ih. distribution of, ih. of, ih. Aspius, 229 231, characters of genus, 229 of, ih.,

;

;

,

;

;

;

;

—

distribution of,

;

;

;

:

home

—

of, ih.

vulgaris, 114 117; fin formula, 114; description of, 115,116; illustration of (Fig. 46), 115; pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 45), 114

;

size of,

food of, ib.; 116; habits of, ib. of, 116, 117; reputed poisonous cha\

spawning

ih.

illuhtrarapax, dcscrijition of, 230, 231 tion of (Fig. 128), 230; jjliaryngcal teeth of habitat of, ///. foid of, ib. (Fig. 129), 231 :

;

;

;

—

380 local names of, 373 373, 374; illustration of (Fig. 172), 374; peculiar scales of, 375 intei'nal anatomy

;

—

;

size of,

habits

;

;

;

;

;

distri-

;

;

;

ih.

;

bastard form of. 125. of, 123 caninus, 119, 120; fin formula, 119; dc.scription of, 119, 120; illustration of (Fig. 49), 119; distribution of, 120. chalybeatus, description of, 124, 125

crosses of, 122, 125. eques (Fig. 48), 118. 121 fin formula, 120 depetenyi, 120 illustration of (Fig. scription of, 120, 121 distribution of, 121. 50), 120 displebejus, 118— 119 ; fin formula, 118 tribution of, 118; description of, 118,119; illustration of (Fig. 47), 118; variety eques (Fig. 48), 118. fin sclateri, description of, 123, 121

of, ih.\ illustration of (Fig. 173), ib.

of,

bocagei, description of, 122, 123

;

Anatomy

vulgaris, 373

;

sections, 114.

Steindachner on hybrids of, 125. comiza, 121, 122; fin formula. 121; deSteindachner on scription of, 121, 122

as a food fish, ih. mirandella (Blanchard), 235.

Anacanthini,

;

bution

ceps (Fig. 132), 235.

mento,

—

Barbus, 113 125 diversity of distribution of genus, 113, 114; characters of, 113, 114; Gunther on limitation of species of, 113, 114; division of into three diagnosis of genus, 1 14

;

;

ra(;ter of loe,

Thames and tribution of,

117 flesh of, ib. prejudice of disother anglers against, ib. ;

;

;

ib.

;

;

(JENERAL INDEX 64—66

Blennidfc, 19,

;

characters of family, G3.

Blennius alpestris (of Professor Blanchard), var. of B. viilguris, 65, 66. 66 fin formula, 64 devulgaris, 64

—

•

;

scription of, 64, 65 illustiation of (Fig. 27), 65 external sexual characters in, ih. distribution, ib. Bliccopsis ahramorutilus, bastard of Abramis blicca and Lenciscus rutilu.s, 226 description of, ih. distribution of, ih. ;

;

;

of, 200 ; description of, 200, 201 illustration of (Fig. Ill), 201 colour of, ib. size of, ih. habits of, 202 capture of, ih.

tribution

Chondrostoma willkommii, tion of, 205, 206 tion of, ih.

Clupea, 256

— 264

122, 125; descripformula, 205 distribu-

fin

;

;

characters of genus, 256

;

257—261

alosa,

;

fin formula,

257

;

distri-

of, ih. local names of, ib. illustrastories concerning, by Badham, Buckland, and others, 258 description of, 258—261 food of, 260, 261 habits of, 261 size and colour of, ih.

bution

;

;

;

;

—

Carassius, 104 113; charactei'S of genus, 104. finformula, 110; home auratus, 110 —112 ib. domestication of, ib. description of, of, 110, 111; Dr. Glinther on variations of race of, HI; Badham on, 111, 112; Buckland on. 111, 112; treatment of, in captivity, 112 as a food fish, ib. bucephalus, 112, 113; fin formula, 112; home of, ib. description of, 112, 113. gibelio, 107. humilis, 110. oblongus, 109. vulgaris, 104 110; finformula, 104; characters of, 104—106 illustration of (Fig. 40), habits, ib. colour and weight, 106 105 ;

;

;

;

;

—

•

;

;

;

;

capture of, distribution of, 107; varieties of, 107 ib. 110; var. yibcUo (Fig. 42), 107—109; pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 43), 108 var. obhiiijii.s of,

ib.

flesh of,

;

ib.

;

—

;

;

(Fig. 44), 109, 110.

;

— —

;

;

auratus, 196.

;

;

264. finta, description of, 261, 262 fin formula of, 261 habits of, 262 local and general distribution of, 262. harengus, 262, 263 Pennant on, 262 whitebait discovered to be the young of helling by Giinther, 263 chaiacters of, ib. how captured, ib. food of, ib. pontica, 263, 264 fin formula, 263 distribution of, ib. use as food, 263 description of, 263, 264. cas^jia,

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

Clupeidm, 21, 256—264. Cobitis, 252 255 ; characters of genus, distribution of, ib.

—

252

;

elongata, 254. larvata, 255.

—

252 255 illustration of (Fig. formula, ib. description of, 253, 254; respiratory function of intestine, 254; var. elongata (Fig. 143), 254 var. larvata, 255. Cobitidina, 245 255 characters of, 245 distienia,

142), 252

Carpio kollaiii, a hybrid between C. cai'pio and C. carassius, 102 104; illustration of (Fig. 38), 103; pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 39), ib. Chondrostoma, 193 206 characters of genus, 193 its distribution, ih.

;

;

fin

;

;

— Coregonus, 336 — 354 tribution

;

;

of, ib.

;

characters of genus, 336

;

distribution of, ih., 337 Russian species of, 352. albula, fin formula, 348; description of, 348, 349; distribution of, 348; var. a, albnht, 349; var. /3, uoncet/ica, 349; var. -y, niartciiula, ;

caerulescenS; 196. dremsei, 197. genei, distribution of, 199 description of, 199, 200 fin formula, 199 iUustration of (Fig. 109), ih. head of (Fig. 110), ih. colour of, 200. knerii, description of, 202, 203 fin formula, of, 202 home of, ih. illustration of (Fig. 112), ih.; head of (Fig. 113), 203 colour of. ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

349

var. 5,Ji//i/ica.

;

of,

clupcoides, fin fonnula, 344 desciiption distribution of, 344 habits of, 344, 345

ib.

;

;

;

;

flesh of, ib.

gracilis, fin s, 193—197; finformula, 193; distribution of, 193, 194, 196, 197 description of, 195 illustration of (Fig. 104), 194 194, head of (Fig. 105), ih. Dr. Giinther on a vjiriety of, 195; use of as food, ih.; spawning of, 195, 196; parasites of, 196; var. ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

of,

ib.

spawning

ib.,

description of

;

;

local

;

fin

formula

of,

200

;

dis-

of,

,

ib.

of,

345;

illustration of (Fig. 166), 346

;

fin

formula,

317;

;

description

of, ib.

lapponicus, fin formula, 340

descrijjtion

;

341. distribulavaretus, fin formula, 338 description tion of, 339 local names of, ib. of, 339, 340 illustration of (Fig. 164), 339 food of, spawning of, 340; habits of, ib. of, ib.,

;

;

;

;

;

;

ib.

;

flesh of, ib.

lloydii, fin formula, ib.

;

distribution

338

;

description of,

of, ib.

marasnula, 349. maxillaris,

fin

formula, 347

;

description

of, ib.

megalops, fin formula, 347

200—202

names

346; habits

of, ib.

humilis,

;

of, 204.

formula, 341

descrii)tion of,

food

;

;

of, ib.

hiemalis, fin formula, 345 ib.;

,

anratus, ib. ;var. cccriilcscens, ib. pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 106), 197 var. drenuei, ib. meigii, 125, 203. phoxinus, description of, 197, 198; fin formula, 197 illustration of (Fig. 107), 198; head of (Fig. 108), ih. distribution of, ih. polylepis, 122; description of, 204, 205; fin forrnula, 204 distribution of, ib. hybrid of (with Leuciscus arcasii), 206. rhodanensis (Blanchard), 197. rysela, description of, 203, 204 fin formula, 203 variability of, ih. distribution

weight

;

finnica, 349.

;

soetta,

;

distribution of, ih.

tion of (Fig. 144), ib.

spawning

;

;

;

;

;

;

4.83

of, ib.

;

description of, 348.

;

distiibutidu

:;

434

FISHES oF ET'HOl'F.

FRESTI-WA'I'Kl;

Corogonus tion of,

nilssoni, fin tonmil;i, 318 ih.

distribution

;

of,

;

;

dcsiriit-

il>.

oxyihj-nc-hus, fin fonnida, 337 distribution of, ib. length of snout, ib. dcscrii)tion of, ib. size of, 338 nugiation and ;

;

;

;

spawning

sj)e(imens of, ib. proi'css of " felting," diseases of, ih. varieties of, 99—102! ;

;

Cyprinus hungaricus, 101, 102; illustration of (Fig. 35), 101 pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 36), ;

ib.

Icuciscus {Linn.), 164. nordmanni, 102. regina (Fig. 37), 102.

;

of, ib.

l^oUan, fin fonnula,

ib.

;

norwegica, 349.

350

home

;

of,

ib.

;

description of, 351 size of, ib. vandesius, fin formula, 351 distribution of, ib. Sir Jardine on the constitution of, ib. habits of, ib. spawning of, ib. description of, 352 colour of, ib. vimba, fin formula, 350 description of, ib. habits of, ib. usefulness as a food fish in Lapland, ib. wai-tmanni, fin formula, 341 description ;

;

Wm.

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

341—343;

of,

colour

343

of,

;

illustration of (Fig. 165), 342 ; abundance of in certain lakes,

spawning

of, ib. food of, ih. 345; local names of, 345. widegreni, fin formula of, 341

ib.

;

;

;

capture

of, 343,

tion of,

distinctive characters

;

;

lucius, 360—365 illustration of (Fig.

local names of, 361 168), ib.\ distribution 361, 362 cok)ur of, 362 ; weight of, 363 rapidity of growth of, ib. ; food of, ih. ; tales coneeraing, ih. voracity of, 364 ; attacked by biids of prey, ib. ;

of,

ib.:

;

description of,

;

:

;

spawning

365

of,

capture

;

of, ih.

descrip-

:

ib.

49—57.

Cottidte, 19,

Fish-Gkowth,

Cottus, 49— 57 ; characters of genus, 49. gobio, 50—55; fin formula, 50; distribution of, ib.\ illustration of (Fig. 18), ib.; illustration of head of (Fig. 19), 50 absence of scales upon, 51 colour, ib. internal characters of, ib. distribution of, 52 habits of, ib. time of spawning of, 52; nest and eggs of, ib., 53 mode of capture, 53 flesh of, ib. habits of fry, ib. origin of common name (Miller's Thumb), ib., 54. Varieties i., fetTiiffinciis, 54 illustration of (Fig. 22) illustration of head of (Fig. 23), 55 ii., microstomus, 53, 54 illustration of (Fig. 53; illustration of head of (Fig. 21), 54. 20) poecilopus, 55, 56 fin fornuda, 55 illustration of (Fig. 24), ib. description of, ib., 56 distribution of, 56. scorpius, 56, 57 fin fonnula, 56 description of, ih., ol spawning of, 57 habitat of, ih. distribution of, ib. C'yclostomala, 22, 420. C'yprinina, 94 ; characters of family, ih. subdivisions of, //;. distribution of, ih. Cyprinodon calaritanus, fin formula, 369 distributi(m of, ih. occurrence in hot springs, ib. sexual characters of, //;. description of, ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

:

—

—

;

:

—

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

370

360—365;

Esocidai, 22,

of family of, 360 distribution of, ih. Esox, 360—365 characters and distribution of genus, 360.

;

poisonous property of, characteis of genus, 3G9

ih.

;

distribution

;

of,

12, 13; metamorphosis in life history of lampreys, ih. size depending greatly upon nature of food, ib. stimulation of gTOwth by insectivorous food, 13 growth of perch, 27. Fish-Strvctvre, air-bladder in (Fig. 7), 11; absence of in lamprey, ih. position of in other fishes, ih. connection of with intestine in early stages of fish lift;, ib. in the C'yprinina, 94. digestive organs, 1 1 dissection showing internal anatomy of carp (Fig. 8), ib. liver and pancreas, ib. pyloric appendages, ib. liver, 12; gall-bladder, ih. spleen, ili. fins, description of, 4, 5 explanation of fin foi-mula?, 5 points to be noted in describing, ib. use of, ib. gill-arches (and operculum), 7 constitution of gill cover, 8 connections of, ib. ; pseudobranchisQ, function of, ib. gill-rakers, ih. sjjiracles, ih. respiratory sacs in lamprey, ib. inter-operculum (Fig. 4), ib. mouth in fishes, position of, 7 jaws of, ib. mode of opening, //;. suctorial in lamprey, ib. lips, ib. ; teeth (Fig. 3), ///. dental fonnula, ib. remarkable development of teeth in certain cases, ib. variability in fonn and furangement of teeth in different ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

.

;

;

:

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

families, ih.

reproductive organs,

ib.

fasciatus, 370. iberiius, distinctive sexual characters of, ih. ; food of, 371 Sjxiwning of, ///. distribu;

tion of, ih. Cyprinidfe, 20, 94. Cyprinodontida?, 22,

;

99, 101

;

illustration of

(Fig.

33), 100. — — carpio, 95 — 102;

oviparous nature

;

;

;

;

;

'

formula, 95; illustration of (Fig. 95; description 32), of, 95—98 rapidity of growth of, 97 variations in size of, //;. habits and food of, ih. hybernation of, 98 spawning of, ih. eggs of, ;//. longevilv of, ih.; tenacity of lif.^, ih. llrsli ih.. W) .,f, Tliamcs water fin

;

;

;

:

;

2

;

;

;

369—372.

Cyprinus acuminatus,

;

1

of all European fresh-water fishes, ib. ovaries, ih. milt, ih. oviducts, ih. discharge of eggs, ib. development of brilliant colours and tubercles in breeding season, ib. dissection of carp to show position of (Fig. 9), ih. scales, description of two types, cycloid and ctenoid (Figs. 1 and 2), 5, 6; simplicity of in eel, 6 overlapinng of, ib. variation in size of, in different parts of the body, ih. absence of, from fins, ib. latenil line of scale-s, ib. perforations in, as an outlet for mucus, ib. presence of scutes instead of, in

:

;

;

;

;

;

sturgeons,

and how

ib.

;

arrangem(>nt

of, ih.

;

number,

to exjjress in t'lirm of a formula, pcricidieal slicdding of, in some tishcs, ///.

ih.

;

;; ;

.

;

GENERAL INDEX.

—

Gobio, 128 132; characters and distribution of genus, 128.

Fish-Structuke, sensory organs in fishes, eye, )iostrils, pecu6 eyelids in some fishes, 7 ;

;

liarity of in lampreys, ib.

position of,

;

sensitive tentacles, ib. skeleton (Fig. 4), 8 distinctive characters of

lb.

435

;

of, 61 ; 128—131 illustration of (Fig. 56), 129 of head of (Fig. pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 58), 130 57), ib.

;

variety of,

fluviatilis, description

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

characters of orders, 3 genera, 19, ib. species, ib. difficulties in distinguishing between species and varieties, 3 influence of environ;

;

;

;

ments upon form and establishment

of local

;

;

ib.

spawning of,

;

tribution

;

ib.

;

habits

and habitat

mode

of capture of,

of, ib.

of, ib.

uranoscopus, description (Fig. 59), 131

ib.

dis-

;

—

of, 131 132 head of (Fig. distribution of, 132. Gobius, 57 63 characters of genus, 58. Gobius avernensis, 60. burmeisteri, 61. constructor, 61. eckstrbmii of Dr. Giinther, 63.

illu.stration of

60), ib.

;

;

;

—

;

fluviatilis, 61.

•

gymnotrachelus, 61. kessleri, 01.

races, 3, 4.

geographical distribution, genera, 14 18.

]

—

Fundulus, 371, 372

3

tabic of

;

distinctive generic cha-

;

racters and distribution, 371. external hispanicus, characters of, 371 distinctive sexual characters of, 371, 372 distribution of, size of, 372 habits of, ib. ;

;

;

lacteus, 61. lugens, 61.

—

81. Gasterosteidtt», 19, 73 characters of genus, 73. Cia-sterosteus, 73 81 Gasterosteus aculeatus, 73 80 fin formula, 73 characters of, 73—76; illustration of (Fig. 28), voracity of, ib used as manure, size, 76 74 distiibution of, ib. parasite of, 76 76, 77 puguacity of male, 77 formation of nest by male, ib. deposition of eggs, 77, 78 fertilisahatching, 78 watchfulness tion of eggs, ib. and attention of male over young, lb. description of eggs of, ib. Continental names of, 79

—

;

—

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

colour in, 59, 60 flesh

of,

ib.

of

;

;

:

panizzcB, ib.;

Gadida3, 19, 82. Ganoidei, 22, 381.

— —

defin formula, 58 martensii, 58 61 60 illustration of (Fig. 25), scription of, ib. peculiarities of 59 scales of (Fig. 26), ib.

Varieties

;

;

;

skull (Fig. 5), 9 skull of fish, ib. con-espondence in branchial apparatus, ib. position of scutes in stui-geon's head with hones in skull of bony fishes, 10 description and relative position of bones forming skull vertebra; vertebral column, ib. of fish, ib. fin bones, 10, 11. (Fig. 6), ib. distinctive chaof, 19 Fishes, classification 2, essential diagnosing racters of groups, 2, 19 ;

i.

iii.

reproductive organs distribution of, G. avernensis, 60

G.

in,

60

;

61.

ib., ;

ii.

G.

pio/etatis/<inu(s, 01.

macropus, 61. marmoratus, 61. melanostomus, 61. minutus, 62, 63. panizzaj, 60.

punctatissimus, 60. semilunaris, 61 63; fin fcumula, 61; distribution of, 62. description of, ib., 62

—

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

Hybrids of carp, 102 and chondrostoma, and leuciscus, 206

;

;

of barbus of barbus, 122 124, 125 ; of chondrostoma of albunius and leuciscus, ;

;

;

:

V.

G. noveboraceiisls,

argyropomus,

ih.

of, 29 fin formula, inordinate greediib. distribution of, ib. ness of, ib. as a food fish, ib., 30 size of, colour of, ib. 30 weight of, ib. Latrunculus pellucidus, life period limited to

Labrax lupus, description ;

;

;

;

;

;

one year, 58.

76.

—

242 characters of genus, 246 distribution of, ib. fin formula, 240 delineatus, 240—242 illustrations of (Figs. characters of, ib., 241 136, 137), ib.; colour of, ib. et seq.; Von Siebold on the pharyngeal teeth of, 242 size distribution of, ib. of, ib. Leuciscus, 133—185; Dr. Giinther on, 133; critical remaiks upon characters of genus, ib. fin formula, 144 145 adspersus, 144 home oi,ib.; description of, 144, 145; illustration of (Fig. 72), 145. fin 181 albiu-noides, description of, 180 formula, 180 distribution of, 181. ;

;

;

Imvis, 81. lotharingus, 81.

;

;

noveboracensis, 70.

;

occidentalis, 81.

;

—

81 fin formula, 80 depungitius, 80 scrijition of, 80 fishing season colour of, 81 of, in Sweden, 81 mode of capture of, 81 eggs of, 81. Varieties, i. G. breviceps, 81 ii. G. burginidiamis, iii. G. Icevis, ib. ib. iv. G. lotharingns, ib. ;

:

;

;

;

;

;

semiarmatus, 76. semiloricatus, 76. spinulosus, 80.

trachurus, 76. Gobiida;, 19, 57 63; characters of familv, 57,

—

of salmo, 283, 308.

Leucaspius, 240

breviceps, 81.

burgundianus, 8 1

58.

;

;

79.

brachycentrus, 79.

gymnurus,

237, 239

;

illustration of var. brachi/centrHs (Fig. 29), i. Gasterosteus Varieties 76, 79, 80. 79. (jymnrtrHs, 76; ii. O. semiarinudis, ib.; iii. G. semi-loricatns, ib.: iv. G. trae/uinis, ib.;

—

;

;

—

;

;

albus, 160. fin 178 179 arcasii, description of, formula, 179; distribution of, ib.; local chondrostomu (with //'. hybrid of names of, polylepis), 206.

—

;

;

:;

THE FKESll-WATEK FISHES UE EUKUPE.

4:3 ()

—

Leudscus

aula, 142 144; fin fonnula, 142; duillustiHtion of {Fip:. 70), scriplion of, ib. 143 142 phaiyngeal bones of (Fig. 71), 143 size of, Giinthcr, of, ib. distribution 143 Heckel, and others on varieties of, 143, 144 var. rubrlla, 143; illustration of, Frontis. illustration of, Frontis. var. bnaak, 144 fin an-igonis. Description of, 181, 182 spawning period of, 182 ; eggs fonnula, 181 of, ib. distribution of, ih. basak, 144. beamensi.s, 1G3. borysthenicus, 141. cavedanus, lo8. cephalus, 155—160; fin formula, 155; distribution of, 155; description of, ib., 157 Dr. Uunther on, 1 5G illustration of (Fig. pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 81), ib. 82), 157 Buckland on, habitat of, ib. food of, ib. 158 mode of catching its prey, ib. baits for capture of, ib. Heckel on diseases of, ib. spawn of, ib. variability of species, ib. var. cavedanus (Fig. 83), 158, 159; var. albas (Fig. 84), 160. chalybfeus, 163; illustration of, Frontis. dergle, 136. ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

95), 172; pharj-ngeal teeth of (Fig. 96), ib.; of, 173; spawning of, 174 ; flesh of, ib.

food

var. savignyi, 174, 175. Lc'uciscus pausLngeri, illustration of (Fig. 74), 149.

—

phoxinus, 175 178; description 177; fin fonnula, 175; local names size of,

—

erythrophthalmus, 134 138; fin formula, 134 distribution of, 134, 138 characters of, (Fig. illustration of 134, 135 61), 134; pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 62), 135 variation in colour with locality, 135 size of, 136 habits and habitat of, ib. food of, ib. spawning of, ib.; var. derffh (Fig. 63), 136, 137; var. scardafa (Figs. 65, 66), 137, 138 xm- plotizza (Fig. 6-i),ib. var. macrophthahtnis (Fig. 67), //'. 155 distrifriesii, description of, 153 bution of, 153; illustration of (Fig. 79), 154 head of (Fig. 80), ib.; colour of, ib.; development of tubercles at spawning season, 155 ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

pharyngeal teeth

of, ib.

ib.

183

;

fin

foimula,

distribution of, ib. colour of, ib. hispanicus, description of, 1 79 fin fordistribution of, ib. ib. habitat of, ib.

;

;

—

;

;

;

;

;

;

78), 151.

153.

-rosens,

description

pictus,

formula, 165

166;

165,

of,

Giinthor on,

;

fin

ib.

plotizza, 138. fin formula, period of spawning,

polylepis, description of, 185 ib.

distribution of,

;

ib.

;

;

ib.

pyrcnaicus, description distribution of,

mula, ih. 184, 185

of, ih.

;

;

spawning

184 fin forGiinther on, ;

;

of, 184.

rodens, 163. rostratus, 164. rubella, 143. rutilus, 145

—

149; fin formula, 145; description of, 145 illustration of 147; (Fig. 73) 146 size of, 147 Buckland on, ih. wide distribution of, ih. Yarrell on, ih. Grimm on, ib. commercial value of, 148 spawn of, ib. origin of common name of, ib. Lund on, ih. eggs of, ib. hybernation of, ib. distribution of, ib. Heckel and Kner on

—

:

;

;

;

;

;

;

heckelii, description of, ;

;

mula,

ib.;

;

.

—

175,

176;

;

;

;

;

of,

98)_,

;

;

;

(Fig.

illustration of

ib.;

of,

pharvTigeal teeth of (Fig. 99), ib. variations in ccjoiu- of, ib. external sexual differences, 177; hatching of, natural and artificial, ib.-. habits of, ib. parasites of, 178 as articles of food, ib. distiibution of, 178. pigus, 150^ 153; fin fonnxda, 150; illuspharyngeal bones of tration of (Fig. 75), ih. (Fig. 76), ib. ;'description of, 150, 153 head of development of spots upon (Fig. 77), 151 males at spawning-time, 152 seasonal colours of, 152, 153; vertebrc-e of, 153; capture of, 153 grossness of food of, ib. var. virr/o (Fig.

;

;

•

;; ;;

;

;

size of, ib.

deidus, 139^142: local names of, 139 scription of, /i., 140 illustration of (Fig. 68), 139; pharj-ngeal teeth of (Fig. 69), ib. colour of, 140, 141 size of, 140: habits of, ib.; distribution of, 140, 141; \:\v. iiiiniatKS. 141 var. iappoi/icias, ib. illyricus, description of, 164. 165; fin formula, 164 illustration of (Fig. 88), ib. colour of, 165; size of, ih.; large scale of (Fig. 89), ib. lancastriensis, 162. lapponicus, 141. ;

;

;

;

;

;

:

lemmingii, 182, 183; fin formula, 182; colour of, 183 distribution of, ib. macrolepidotus, description of, 181 fin formida, //'. ;

;

macrophthalmus, 138.

;

;

varieties of, 149

;

distribution of, ib. miniatus, 141. muticellus, 172- 175; fin fovmiila, 172; description of, ib., 17-1 illu.^tratiuii uf (Fig.

:

var. jjau-titif/rri, ib.

savignyi, 174. scardafa, 137. svallizc, description of, 166, 167; fin formula, 166; distribution of, 166, 167. tenellus, description of, 171 fin formula, ih. illustration of (Fig. 94), ib. colour of, ib. turskyi, description of, 168, 169; fin formula, 168 Cancstrini on limits of species, ib. illustration of (Fig. 92), 169. ukliva, description of, 167, 168; fin formula, 167 distribution of, ih. size of, ib. illustration of (Fig. 91), ib. colour of, 168 hybrid of, 237. virgo, 151. vulgaris, 160 164; fin formula of, 160; local names of, ib. description of, 160, 161 colour of, ib. illustration of (Fig. 85), 161 food of, ib. iitility as a food habitat of, 162 fish, ib. spawning period of, ib. capture of, ib.; var. lanra.'^tricnsi.t, 162; head of (Fig. 86), 163; var. bcarnrn.'fi^, ib.; var. rlnilybrfUK, 163; var. ro(len.<t, ib.; var. i-Knf rat nx IcuriscHs var. Ci/jjrini/fi (Fig. 87), ih.; ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;_

—

;

;

;

;

;

microlepis, description of, 169, 170 fin formula, 169; illustration of (Fig. 93), 170;

:

;

;

;

(liinnivus), 164.

Lota,

82—84

;

characters of genus, 82.

;;;

.

; ;;;;

GENEKAL INDEX. Lota vulgaris, 82—85; characters

82

of,

— 84;

437

captm-e

disillustration of (Fig. 30), 83; size of, 84 spawning tribution and habitat of, 84, 85 of, 85 monstrous form of, ih. distribution ;

336

of,

Huxlev on

natui-alisation

;

ovaries

of,

ib.

of, ib.

;

;

;

Paraphoxinus, 186

of, ih.

Lucioperca, 38—44 characters of genus, 38. description Sandra, 39 tin formula, ib. of, 39, 41 variation in size of scales of, 40 colour of, illustration of (Fig. 14), ib. 41 distribution of, ib. weight of, ib. local names of, ib. habitat and habits of, ib. time and mode of spawning, 42 use of roe mode of capture of, ib. value as food, ib. as a food-fisb, 42 artificial culture of, ib. voracity of, ib. diseases of, ib. volgensis, 43, 44 description of, 43 ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

illustration distribution of, ib. size of, ib. of (Fig. 15), ib. Luciotrutta, 332 characters of genus, ib. leucichthys, fin formula of, 332 distribution of, ib. description of, ib. ;

;

;

;

;

—

;

—

;

;

;

;

;

Badham on 248; food

habits

of,

of,

ct scq.

ib.

eggs

ib.;

;

of, ib.\

flesh

;

of,

distribution

of, ib.

characters of genus,

;

alepidotus, description of, 186, 187 illustration of (Fig. 100), 186 pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 101), 187; absence of scales upon, colour of, ib. distribution of, ib. ib. croaticus, description of, 187, 188; fin formula, 187 distribution of, 188 local ;

;

;

;

;

names

;

of, ib.

242—244;

Pelecus,

bution

characters

of, ib.

;

;

;

;

;

distribution of, ib. fiavescens, 25. scription of,

24

23—28

23— 25

colour of, 26 habits

;

of,

ib.

modes

;

growth

defin formula, 23 illustration of (Fig. 10), size varieties of, 25, 26 ;

;

;

of,

;

of, ih.

;

;

ib.

ib. food slowness of

habitat of,

;

of capturing, 27

;

characters of genus, 68, 69; L)r. Giinther on mode of feeding of, 68 distribution of, 69. auratus, 7 1 distribucapito, 69, 70 fin formula, 69 tion, 69, 70 description of, ib. food of, 70 spawning of, ib. capture of, ib. cephalus, 70, 71; fin formula, 70; distribution of, ib. description of, 7 1 weight :

;

;

;

ib.

;

;

;

of, ih.

name,

;

;

chelo,

tion of,

71,

ib.

;

72 fin formula, 71 description of, 71, 72. ;

;

distribu-

septentrionalis, 72, 73 fin formula, description and distribution, 72, 73. Mugilidie, 19, 68—73. Murtenidte, 22, 372—380. ;

72

description

;

;

;

;

formula, 31; illustration of (Fig. colour of, 32 distribution of, ih.

—

;

;

;

;

;

habits size of, 335;

affects, 334,

of, ib.

;

i^rejudices against,

description

of,

ib.,

fin ih.;

;

;

—

;

of,

429

food of, ih. 424 427 local names ;

—

;

336;

of,

424

;

illustration of (Fig. 207), distribution of, ih. food of, ib., 425 value for bait, ib. ib. description of, 425, 426 head of (Fig. 208), 425 colour of, 426 habitat of, ib. spawning of, ih; distinctive characters of young, 426, 427 method of capture in Germany, 427. ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

marinus, 421

;

— 424;

local

names

of,

421

habits and habitat of, distribution of, ib. food of, 421, origin of popular name of, ih. 422 description of, 422, 423 illustration of Fig. 205), 422 head of (Fig. 206), ib. colour spawning of, ih., 424. of, 423 ;

;

;

;

;

;

;

11),

Percidte, 19, 23—32. Petromj zon, 420, 429 distinctive characters of Giinther on genera of, 421. genus, 420, 421 429; disbranchialis, description of, 427 illustrations of, adult tribution of, 427 (Figs. 209, 210), 428; larval form of (Fig.

;

Osmerus, 332 336 characters of genus, 332, 333 distribution of, 333. eperlanus, 333 336 fin formula, 333 origin of popular name, ib. locdl names of, ib. distribution of, ib. YaiTell on spawning of, ib., 334 rivers, etc., it abundantly ;

dis-

;

;

—

;

32;

31,

of,

211), 429; spawning of, 428, local names of, distinctive characters of larvse, 428, 429 ih.

—

;

ib.

ib.

;

248 251; characters of, 248; distribution of, ib. barbatulus, 249—251 fin formula, 249 origin of common name, ib. locul names of, ib. illustration of (Fig. 141), ib.; characters of, ib. ct seq. colour of, ib. habitat of, ib. habits of, ib. food of, ib. suiailness of air-bladder of, 251; spawning of, ib.; distribution of, ib. ;

common

origin of

characters of genus,

;

demidottii,

fluviatilis,

;

;

vulgaris, 26.

PerCHrina, 30 tribution of,

colour

;

iJ).

ib.

;

saliens, 71.

Nemachilus,

;

distribution of,

;

italica, 26.

;

of, ib.

;

weight of, 27 flesh of, ib. manufacture of isinglass as a food-fish, ib. diseases from skin, ih. defoi-mities in, 28 in,

;

68—73;

Mugil,

ib.\

242; distri-

of,

cultratus, description of, 243, 244; fin fonnula, 243 illustration of (Fig. 138), ib. pharyngeal teeth of (Fig. 139), 244 size of, ib. colour of, ib. distribution of, ib. Perca, distinctive characters of genus, 23

fluviatilis,

—

Misgurnus, 245 248 characters of, 245. fin formula, 245 fossilis, 245 248 illustration of description of, 245 247 size of, ib. (Fig. 140), 240 colour of, 247

— 188

186.

;

wagneri, 427. Petromyzontidte, 22, 420.

Physostomi,

2,

90—380.

fin formula, 85 Pleiu-onectes fiesus, 85-87 adapdistribution of, 85, 80 habits of, 86 spawning tation of colour and locality, ib. description of, 87. of, ib.: eggs of, ib. ;

;

;

;

:

;

;

iKsii-WATEi; iisiiKs OF

TH]

J;}s

Plcuronectes italicus, 87 distiibiition of, ib., 88

— 89

formula, 294

description of, ib., 295 parr of, 295. genivittatus, special cliaracters of, 278 fin foi-mula, 315 home of, ib. illustration of (Fig. 160), ih. description of, ib., 316 colour

87

fin foriimla,

;

description of,

;

i:ri;(»rK

;

marks

ih.

PleuronectidcV, 19, 85.

;

;

Ehodeus, 207

— 210

;

character.s

and distiibution

grayi, fin formula, description of, ib., 329.

amaius, 207—210; fin foi-mula, 207; deillustration of (Fig. sciiiJtion of, 207, 209 114), 208; pharjTigeal teeth of (Fig. 115), ib.\ sexual and seasonal variations in colour, contents of stomach of, ih. ih. size of, 209 habitat of, 210; bitterness of flesh of, ib.

home

;

;

of,

ih.

;

distribu-

;

hucho, fin foi-mula, 329 ; home of, ih. illustration of (Fig. 163), ih. description of, 329,330; colour of 330 size of, 331; spawn;

;

;

,

;

distribution of,

328

hardinii, chiiracters of, 278, 281 tion of, 281 colour of, //•.

;

;

;

of, ib.

of genus, 207.

;

;

;

ing

ib.

;

habitat of, ib. diseases of, ib. fin foi-mula, 325; description excessive development of fins of, ih. labrax, specific characters of, 278; home of, ih.

;

;

killinensis,

of, ih.

Salmo, 265—332 chai-actcrs of, 265, 267 Giinthcr on, 266 influence of water and food upon colour, ih. Giinther on diagnosing specific ;

;

of,

;

of,

srq.

ct

ib.

distribution

;

argenteus, specific characters of, 278 colour of, 284.

scription of, 283, 284 ausonii, 276.

ib.

de-

;

de-

;

fin characters of, 278 description of, ih. hoaie of, ib.

;

;

voracit}' of, 305 ; sterile forms of, ih. lacustris; var. licJiiJt'cniiiil/t'ri, 30b; illus;

vomer of (Fig. 159), tration of (Fig. 158), ih. ih. description of, ib., 306 colour of, 306 spawning of, weight of, ih. habits of, ib. time of unknown, 307. lemanus, specific characters of, 278 ; fin formula, 295 home of, ib. description of, ib., 296. fin Icvenensis, specific characters of, 278 description of, formula, 307: home of, ih. ih. hybrids of, ih., 308; parr of ih.; distribution of, losses, fin fonnula, 331 description of, 331, 332. ib. marsiglii, specific characters of, 278, 301 distiibution of, ih. descripfin formula, 301 tion of, 302, 303; illustration of (Fig. 154), 302 vomer of (Fig. 155), ih. colour of, 303, ;

;

;

;

—

;

;

;

of, ih.

,

cambricus, specific characters of, 278 fin fonnula, 282 distribution f, /i. description of, ih., 283 food of, 283 hybrids of, ih. carbonarius, home of, 328 description of,

;

;

<

;

;

;

;

;

ih.

carpio, specific characters of, 278 fin for296; illustration of (Fig. 151), //.'.; ;

mula,

descrii^tion of,

names

297

ih.,

;

spawning

297

of,

;

home

of,

ih.

;

;

;

distribution of,

ib.

fario, specific characters of,

fin for-

;

;

critical

;

distribution of,

;

28 w food of, habits of, ih., 290 290 flavour of flesh influenced by the nature var. of the stream, ih. longevity of, ih. niLsonii, characters of, 276 distribution of, 291 illustration of descriiJtion of, 290, 292 sexual variation in dentition, (Fig. 150), 291 ih. variationof colour with food, 292 habitat of, ih. size of, 293 habits of, ib. food of, ih.; spawning of, ib. eggs of, and their incubation, ib., 294 artificial breeding of, 294 ;

;

;

;

;

:

;

;

;

;

food

;

of, ib.

spawning

;

mode

of, ib.

;

of hunt-

habits

of,

characters of, 278; fin description of, ih.

formula, 288 mistops, specific chai-acters of, 278; fiu formula, 285 description of, ib. nigripinnis; sjjccific characters of, 278; defin formida, 285 distribution of, ih. scription of, ib., 286 occurrence of sterile specimens of, 286. distribution of, nivalis, fin formula, 324 ;

;

;

;

;

ib.

;

;

;

;

;

;

diseases of, ih. internal anatomy of, ih. ferox, specific characters of, 278 fin formula of, 313; distribution of, ib.; description of, ib. colour of, ib. Mr. C. St. John on catching-, //;., 314. ;

;

;

size of, ih.

;

;

278

remarks resj^ecting varieih., 289 descrip-

nmla, 288 ties of, ih. of,

;

;

ih.

;

;

;

;

;

fiesh of, ib.

;

—— microlepis, specific

de-

;

fin forof, 278 powerful juavs of, ih. descripillustiation of (Fig. tion of, ih., 299; 152), 298 colour of, 299 non-migration of, 30U

298

;

;

;

ib.

dentex, specific characters of,

•

;

formula, 326

scription of,

;

ing the prey, ib. 304 flesh of, ib.

;

of, ib.

colli, fin

tion

;

of (Fig. 157),

—

;

brachypoma, specific characters of, 278 formula of, 309 home of, ib. description ;

278; fiu 305 illus-

ib.,

vomer

;

278

of,

bailloni, specific

foi-mula, 314

;

;

scription of, 295.

mula

of, ih.

description of,

;

;

;

autumnalis, specific characters

local

account

tration of (Fig. 156), 304

alpinus, fin formula of, 323 of, ih.; description of, ib., 324.

fin

;

formula, 304

distribution of,

;

316

lacustris, specific characters of,

;

characters 267.

;

;

.Sahiio galli\(iisi.<, s[)ecific characters of,

278

:

fin

;

de-scription of, ih. obtusirostris, sp(;cific characters of, 278

formula

286 287

;

distribution of, ih. illustration of (Fig. 147), 286; vomer of (Fig. 148), 287; vomca-, palatines, and maxillary arch of (Fig. 149), ih.; colour of, ih., 288; non-migration of, 288. orcadensis, specific characters of, 278 fin descrijjtion of, formula, 308 races of, ib. 309. distribution of, perisii. fin formula, 3'2o description of, /'/;. 326. ib. polyosteus, specific characters of, 278; home of, ib. d ascription fin formula, 309

fin

of,

description of,

;

;

ih.,

;

;

;

;

:

,

;

;

;

of, ih.

lapiiii,

specific

characters

of.

278

;

fin

; ;

;

CJENEKAL INDEX. formula

297; habitat

of,

description

of, ih.\

298.

of, ib.,

327

of,

colour

;

of,

ih.

;

specific characters of, ih.

;

;

;

;

;

;

ib.

270

;

;

Buckland on age season,

close

;

ib.

of, ib.

;

length

;

weight of,

ib.

;

salmon attracdistribution of, ib. ct neq. habits of, ib. spawning opera271 tions of, ib. et seq. Pennant's account of spawning of, in Tweed, 273 other accounts of process, ib. number of eggs of, ib. et scq. hatching of eggs of, 27 1 habits of young, ib. instinct of in finding native river, ib. leaping powers of, 275 value of salmon fisheries, ib. et seq. extermination of, in certain rivers, 276 artificial breeding of, ib. hybrids of, 277 disease of, ib. ct seq. salvelinus, fin formula, 318 home of, ib. illustration of (Fig. l&\),ib.; description of, ;

tors,

90—93

19,

characters

;

—

family.

of

Silurus gianis, 91 93 fin formula, 91 characters, 91, 92 illustration of (Fig. 31), 91 size and weight of, 92 habitat of, 92, 93 utility of barbels of, lb. natui-e of food, ib. superstitions relating to, ib. spawning of, ;

;

;

salar, 267, 278; fin formula, 267; description of, 267—269 illustration of (Fig. head of (Fig. 146), 268 colour 145), 267 of, 269 Parr, Smolt, and Grilse, stages of, food of, ib. cannibal propensities of, ib. ib. of,

Silurida3,

90.

home

Saliiio rutilus,

size of,

48!)

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

ib.

longevity

;

of, ib.

of captui-e of, lb. varieties of, lb. Solea vulgaris, 88, 89 of,

lb.

;

food

of, ib.

89 ; distribution Squalius, 240.

flesh of,

;

lb.

;

difficulty

distribution

;

of,

formula, 88

;

fin

;

description of

ib.

;

habits

;

body

of,

of, lb.

;

;

;

;

;

;

352

microlepis, fin formula, 358

;

vulgaris, 353 local names of, ib.

319; colour of, 319, 320; size of, 320; sexual variations, ib. food of, ib. flesh of, 321 spawning of, ib. how captiu'ed, ib. ;

;

;

schiffeiTQulleri, 305.

spectabilis, specific characters of, 278 fin formula, 300; illustration of (Fig. 153), /7/. descrij)tion of, 301 colour of, ib. size of, ib. stomachicus, charactei's of, 278 fin formula, 28 distribution of, ih. origin of specific name, ib. colour of, ib. habitat of, 281; Day on, ib. trutta, specific characters of, 278 fin formida, 310; distribution of, ib., 312; habits of, ib. abundance of in Tweed, ib. food of, lb. size of, 311 description of, ib., 312 various fish identified with, ib. umbla, fin formulu, 321 distribution of, ib. description of, 321, 322 illustration of, (Fig. 162), 322; colour of, /*., 323 weight of, 3i3; flesh of, ib. venernensis, specific characters of, 278 fin formula of, 284 distribution of, ib. Lloyd on, ib. colour of, lb. willughbii, fin formida, 326 disti-ibution of, ib., 327 description of, 327. Salmonidte, 21, 265— 359 characters of family, 205 genera of, lb. fSalvelini, 317-332; characters of sub-genus, 317 distribution of, ib. critical remarks :

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

concerning species

of,

lli.,

318.

of, ib.

of, ib.

ib.,

;

colour

;

;

;

;

ajliani, 357.

;

;

352—359; distribution of genus, distinctive characters of, ib.

Thjnnallus,

;

of,

;

ib.

;

habits

ib.

167),

spawning

of,

;

of,

food

;

home

;

— 359

description

name

illustration of

(Fig.

ib.

;

354

habitat

;

flesh of,

;

;

359.

formula, origin of generic

of,

ib.

of,

353

fin

;

ib.

of,

ih.

method

;

;

;

of

capture of, ib., 355 absence of from Ireland, 355 distribution of, ib. description of, 355 colour of, 357 varieties of, 352, 357 ;

—

;

;

;

;

353.

188—193 characters of gpnus, 188. 189—193; description of, 189—

Tinea,

;

vulgaris,

formula, 189; iUustration of (Fig. smallness of scales of, 190; pharyn102), ;i. geal teeth of (Fig. 103), lb. slippery skin of, cause of, ib. influence of habitat upon colour, 191 size of, lb. tenacity of life in, ib. Canestiini on males of, ib. spawning of, 191, 192; peculiar habits of, 192; hybernation of, ih. food of, ib. flesh of, lb. methods of serving for table, Badham on, lb. on its medicinal uses, 193 distribution 191

;

fiu

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

of, lb.

Umbra, characters of genus, 366. krameri, 366-369; fin formula, 366; illustration of (Fig. 169), 360 head of (Fig. 170), 367; scale of (Fig. 171), ib.; distribution of, 366, 369 ; description of, 367, 368 ;

internal anatomj- of, 368 habits of fin when swimming, ib. stition concerning, 369. ;

movements

Umbridie, 22, 366—369.

of, ;

ib.

;

super-

INDEX TO SPECIFIC NAMES. aliriunorutilus (IJliceopsis), 22(3.

carpio (Cyprinus), 95

aculeatu.s (Gasterosteus), 73. acuiiiiiiatus (Carpio), 99.

huiiffar/riiK,

adspursus (Leuciscus), 144. teliaiii

(Tliymallus),

100;

;

var. acKininatiis, 99 var.

rcr/ina,

100;

;

var.

var.

koUarii, 101. carjiio (Salmo), 296.

cavedanus (Leuei.seus), 158.

'.io'.

agas^iizii (Leuciscus), 173.

cephalus ''Leuciscus), 155; var. cavedanus, 158;

albula (Coregonus), 348 var. iioruey'ua, 349 \Âťv. 111(1 rtfimhi, 349; \a.T. Jitunca, 349. albuiiioidcs (Leuciscus), 180. altniniflliis (Alhurnus), 236; \nr. fracchia, 236.

cephalus (Mugil), 70. eernua (Acerina), 33.

var. albun, 159,

;

all. us

L

ali|>iili>t al,.s;,

u.'i.rus),

US

I

|('l,,i,..r,

alpi -Iris

1.-)'.).

i'.iiaphoxinus), 186.

111.

2.)7.

nuius),

6-5.

I

alpiims Sa'iiiu ;J23. ainaius ^lihudrus), 207. arca.sii (Leuciscus), 179, 181. ai-f^enteus (Salmo), 283. arjjyi-opomus (Gasterosteus), 79. ,

(Leuciscus), 181. wnv. rnbdln, basak, 144. aurantius (Carassius), 110. auratus (Chondrostoraa), 196. aiisonii (Salmo), 290.

chalcoides (Alburnus), 239. chalybeatus (Barbus), 124. chalybanis (Leuciscus), 163. cbelo (Mvigil), 71. clupeoides (Coregonus), 344. colii (Salmo), 326. comiza (Barbus), 121. constructor (Gobius), 61. croaticus (Paraphoxinus), 187. cultratus (Pclecus), 243.

aiiiL;i)iiis

aula (Leuciscus), 142;

autumnalis (Salmo),

144;

var delincatus (Lcucaspius), 240. demidoffii (Percai-ina), 31. dentex (Salmo), 298. dergle (Leuciscus), 136. dremaai (Chondrostoma), 197.

29.').

avei-riensis (Gobius), 60.

eckstromii (Gobius), 63. elongata (Cobitis), 254. elongatus (Abramis), 217. eperlanus (Osmcrus), 333. eques (Barbus), 118.

baill.mi (Salmo), 314. ballcrus (Abraiuis), 218.

barbatulus (Xemachilus), 249.

basak (Leuciscus), 144. Ix'anicnsis (Leuciscus), 163. bipunctatus (Abramis), 226. l)joi-kna (Abramis), 223 var. La.ski/r, 225. bocag-ei (Earbus), 122. borysthenicus (Leuciscus), 141. boyeri (Atherina), 66. brachycentrus (Gasterosteus), 79. brachypoma (Salmo), 309. brama (Abramis), ;^11; var. rdidn, 215; vai;frhi,li, 215. biaticliialis (Petromyzoii), 427. breviccps (Alburni.s), 235. (Gasterosteus), 81. buecphalus (Carassius), 112. burgundianus (Cia.sterosteus), 81. buriueisteri (Gobius), 61. ;

erythrophthalmus (Leuciscus), 134; var. drrfilc, 136; var. scardafa, 137; var. plutizza, 137; var. macrophthnhnua, 138.

eurystoma (Anguilla), 380. fabrad fAllMirnus), 235. farid iSiilniM

faseialus

S

;

var. ansonii

A l.ivnms;, 22S.

ferox (Salmo), 313. ferruginous (Cottus), 54. finnica (Coregonus), 349. finta (Clupea), 261. flesus (Pleuronectcs), 85. fluviatilis (Gobio), 128. (Gobius), 60. (J'erca), 23.

caa-ulescens (Chondi'o.stoma), 193. var. calaritanus (Cyiprmodon), 369 370. cambricus (Salmo), 282. ;

cauiuus (liarbus), 119. capilo (Mui-il), 69. carbonarius (Salmo), 328.

laticiatiis

(Petromyzon), 424. (Misgurnus), 245.

fossilis

f'racchia (Alburnus), 236. friesii

(Leuciscus), 153.

gallivcnsis (Salmo), 294. gehini (.\ brands), 215.

,

290.

INDEX TO SPECIFIC NAMES. genei (Chondrostoma), 199 genivittatus (Salnio), 315. gibelio (Carassius), 107. glaber (Acipenser), 384. glanis (Silurus), 91. gmelini (Acipenser), 391. microstomus, 50 gobio (Cottiis), 50 ;

441

lucius (Esox), 360.

lugens (Gobius), 61. lupus (Labrax), 29. maerolepidotus (Leuciscus), 181.

macrophthalmus (Leuciscus), 138. ;

var.

ferruffineus, 54. gracilis (Coregonus), 341.

mareenula (Coregonus), 349. marinus (Petromyzon), 421. marsiglii (Salmo), 301. martensii, (Gobius), 58; var. nvcrncns/s, 60; var. pnnizza, 60 var. pioictat/ssimus, 60. maxillaris (Coregonus), 347; var. huniiUs, 347; var. megalops, 347. 'megalops (Coregonus), 347. meigii (Chondi'ostoma), 203. nicnto (Alburnus), 237. microlepis (Leuciscus), 168, 169. (Salmo), 288. (Thpnallus), 358.

grayi (Salmo), 328. guiraonis (Barbus), 120. giildenstadtii f Acipenser), 399. gj'mnostrachelus (Gobius), 61. g-jTnnurus (Gasterosteus), 76.

;

hardinii (Salmo), 281. harengus (Clupea), 262. heckelii (Acipenser), 405. (Leuciscus), 183. hepsetus (Atherina), 66. hiemalis (Coregonus). 345. hispanicus (Fundulus), 371. (Leuciscus), 179. hucho (Salmo), 329. hugelii (Aulopyge), 125. humilis (Carassius), 107. (Coregonus), 347. hungaricus (Carpio), 100. huso (Acipenser), 414.

microstomus (Cottus),

53, 54.

miniatus (Leuciscus), 141.

minutus (Gobius),

63.

mirandella (Alburnus), 236. mistops (Salmo), 285.

mocho

(Atherina), 66.

moles (Carassius), 107. muticellus (Leuciscus), 170, 172. naccarii (Acipenser), 402 var. iiardoi, 404. nardoi (Acipenser), 404. nasus (Acipenser), 407. (Chondrostoma), 193; \-,\v.C(cri(Icsccns, 190 var. auratus, 196; var. dreimei, 197; var. ;

ibericus (Cyprinodon) 370. idus (Leuciscus), 139; var. orfus, 20; var. lappo>iicus, 141. mhuatiin, 141 ilhnicus (Leuciscus), 164. italicus (Pleuronectes), 87. ,

var.

;

kessleri (Gobius), 61. killinensis (Salmo), 325. kneiii (Chondrostoma), 202 kollarii (Carpio), 101. krameri (Umbra), 366.

;

var. mcii/ii, 203.

;

rhodanensis, 197. nigripinnis (Salmo), 285. nilssoni (Coregonus), 348. nivalis (Salmo), 324. norwegica (Coregonus), 349. noveboracensis (Gasterosteus), 76.

oblongus (Carassius), 109. labrax (Salmo), 310. lacteus (Gobius), 61. lacustris (Alburnus), 235. (Atherina), 67. (Salmo), 304. hevis (Gasterosteus), 81. lapponicus (Leuciscus), 141. larvata (Cobitis), 255. latirostris (Acipenser), 214. (Anguilla), 379. lavaretus (Coregonus), 338. lemanus (Sahno), 295. lemmingii (Leuciscus), 182. lancastriensis (Leuciscus), 162. lapponicus (Coregonus), 340. laskyr (Abramis), 225. leucichthys (Luciotrutta), 332. leuciscus (Carassius), 164. leuckartii (Abramis), 220. levenensis (Salmo), 307. Uoydii (Coregonus), 338. lossos (Salmo), 331. lotharingus (Gasterosteus), 81. lucidus (Alburnus), 232; var. lamstris, 235; var. brcviceps, 235 var. fabreei, 235; var. iiiirandeUa, 236. ;

obtusirostris (Salmo), 286. occidentalis (Gasterosteus), 81. orcadensis (Salmo), 308. oxyrhynchus (Coregonus), 337.

panizzie (Gobius^, 60. pausingeri (Leuciscus), 149. perisii (Salmo), 325. petenyi (Barbus), 120.

phoxinus (Chondrostoma), 197. (Leuciscus), 175. pictus (Leuciscus), 164. var. pigus (Leuciscus), 150 roseiis, 155. platessa (Plem-onectes), 88. plebejus (Barbus), 118. plotizza (Leuciscus), 137. ;

pcecilopiis (Cottus), 55. l^ollan (Coregonus), 349. polylepis (Chondrostoma), 206. (Leuciscus), 185. polyosteus (Salmo), 309. pontica (Clupea), 263. punctatissimus (Gobius), 60. pungitius (Gasterosteus), 80. pyrenaicus (Leuciscus). 184.

viyo,

151

;

var.

THE

li-Z

FlvE.Sll-WATEi;

rap;ix (Aspius), "i-'JO. rappii (Salmo), 297.

tencllus (Leuciscus), 168, 171. tena-a (Cobitis), 252 var. dwigata, 254. ;

trachurus (Gasterosteu.s), 76. tnitta (Salmo), 310. turskyi (Leuciscus), 168.

(raii)io), 100.

rcfiriiiii

rhodancnsis (Chondrostoma), 197. rodcns (liL'uciscus), 1G3. rossica (Acorina). 88. rostratus (Lcuciscus), 164 var.

163

rodi'fis,

;

var. chnliihuus, 1G3 var. rostratns, 16i. ;

rulKiUa (Leuciscus), 144. nithcnus (Acipcnscr), 388 rutilius (Leuciscu.s),

145

;

ukliva (Leuciscus), 167.

umbla (Salmo),

321.

uranoscopus (Gobio), 131. ;

var.

f/iita/ini,

391.

var. pausinyeri, 149.

(Salmo), 327. r3-.scla

EISHES oF EUROPE.

(Chondrostoma), 203.

(Leuciscus), 173.

vaiidesius (Corcgonus), 351. venernensis (Salmo), 284. vetula 'Abramis 215. viniba '.Mnaiiiis 215. volgcnsis (LuciiipiTca), 43. vulgaris (Anguilla), 373 var. latirostvis. 379. (Aspro), 46. (Barbus), 114. (Blennius), 64; var. alpcstris, 65. (Carassius), 104; var. moles, 107; var, f/ibclio, 107; var. hnmilis, 107; var. oblongtis, ,

,

salar (Salmo), 267. salvclinus (Salmo), 318. Sandra (Lucioperca), 39. sa^ja (Abramis), 219. scmiarmatus (Gasterosteus), 76. semiloricatus (Gastcrostous), 76. L'milunatus 01. septciitriiiiialis

scardafa

Ani

schrri'1/rr schv]>;i

sclatrri

scorpiiis

Ml

(\.i-nr[

Aripi

11

l;;,,l,u>

.a),

30.

396. 123.

r),

;

109. (Leuciscus), 160; var. lattcnstriensis, 162: var. hurdigalmsis, 163. var. hearnennis, 163 (Lota), 82. (Solea), 88. (Thvmallus), 353 var. (cliani, 357. (Tinea), 189. ;

;

('nttii'

soetta iCh.iiiJn

.')0.

oma\ 200

i), 300. Sail spinulosLis (Gasterosteus), 80. stcllatus (Acipenser), 393.

spectaliilis

wartmanni (Corcgonus),

341. widegi'eni (Corcgonus), 341.

stomachicus (Salmo), 280.

willkommii (Chondrostoma), 205.

streber (Aspro), 48. sturio (Acipenser), 409. svallizc (Leuciscus), 166.

willuglibii (Salmo), 326.

zingel (Asj)ro), 44.

INDEX TO COMMON NAMES. Aal-rutte [Lota cuh/ar/M), 14, 82Ablette {Alburjiiis lucidus), 232.

Garden (Lcuriscus

Aborren {Pcrea fluviatilis),

Gillaroo {Salino stownrhi<-ns), 17, 280. Gobies, 57—63. Goby, spotted [(johius tninufus), 62. Gold-fish {Ciivasxius i/i/rafi<.s'), 110—112.

" Adventurer," 294.

^sche {Tliymallus

vulgaris), 18,

Alpine Trout, 292. Apron, The {A.yjj-n

rtilgari-^).

Arundel Mullet,

3.')3.

Gold Nose, 196. Golden Carp, 141. Golden Ide {Lcucisrus id us), 141. Golden Mackerel, 196. Golden Tench, 141. Gosen {Luciopfmi .fii/idra), 14, 39. Goujon {Gohio fiiri(ifili.s), 15.

73,

Bachforelle {Eiver-trovt), 16, 289. Baggit, 271.

Barbeau {Barhus

rulgaris), 14, 114.

Barbel {Barhus vulgarin), 114. Barsch {Perca fluviatilis), 23.

The [Lahrax

Bass,

rutilus), 15, 145. 33.

Gersen [Acerina cfrnun),

23.

Graining, The, 162. Grass Pike, 362. Grayling {Tliymnllus vulqaris), 353. Great Dalmatian Trout (Salwo dnitrx), 298. Gremille [Acrrina eernua), 33. Grey Mullet, 69.

lupus), 29.

Beluga, 415. Bitterling [llhodniM nmnrvx). 210. BliR'k Sea Herring, 263. Blaek-tail, 311. Black Trout, 292.

'.

Grey Trout [Salnio

Bleak, The (Alhurnvx hiridys), 232-235. Blei {Ahi-amis hmmti), 16, 211. Blennies, 63—66. Bordeliere {Abr/imi.^ hjorlnui), 16, 226. Bottom Trout of Lake Constance, 297.

hror7njj)omii),309.

Grilse, 269, 283. Grundling {rrobio f/i/rinfilis), 15, 128. Gudgeon "(6^(*/>/() /ii viutilix) 128—1 30. ,

Breamflat, 223. Bullhead, The River {Coftus gohio), 50—55.

llasling [Lruriseits vulgaris), 15, 160. Hassaborren [Lahra.r lupus), 29. Hecht {Eso.r lucius), 18, 360. Hireling, 311.

The Sea {C'uttus seurjJtus), 56, 57. Bull Trout, 312. Biu-bot {Ldfa nilgari.s), 82—85.

Ide [Lcucisrus id us), 139—142. golden [Lcuriscus idus), 141.

Candle-fish, 333.

Jack, 360.

Bream, The {Ahramis hrama), 211,

21").

,

Carp,

common

,

cinyia),

95- h

Crucian, 104—110.

Karpfen {('gprinu.t /urpio). 14, 95. Kaulbarsch {Arrri/ni fcnnui), 35. Kaulkopf [(\>tfus qohio), 14, 50.

of Salonica, 104.

Kelts, 269

hybrid ,

{('i/jn-inus

,

of, 102, 104.

The

Bitter, 207.

—

Dace, The [Lnicisriis vulgaris), 160—164. Devil's-fish, 135.

Dobel (Leu/'ixous

rrjjJialiis), 15,

Dogfish {Umhra

Itravirri), 366.

155.

Carp, 99. Kippers, 269.

Lachs [Salwo salar), 16, 267. Lake Trout [Salmo larustris), 304.

Lampern (Prtronn/zon ffuriafilis), 424. Lamprey [Pcfrounjzon mnrinus), 421 429.

—

Leather Carp, 99. Loach, The [Xcmachilus harhafulus),

372—380.

The Spinous

[Cohifis

—

(Pm-a furiatiJix),

23.

Loch Leven Trout Loche d'Etang

Griingling, 141.

252,

[Sahiio Irrrftoisis), 307. [Mi-u/urni/.s-

294.

fo.s.sili.s-),

16,

245.

Loche de Riviere [Cidiitis frrnia), 10, 252. Loche Franch(' [Xrmnrhi'ilus harhafulus), 249.

Galway Sea Trout,

tffnia)

255.

Eperlan {Osmrnis rj/rrhiniis), 17, 333. Epinoche [GastfroMnis ,i<nilr,itus), 14, 73. Father Lasher {('ottiis smrpiitx), 56, 57. Floimder {I'ln/ro/iccfr.i t/r.s-i/s), 85 87. Flussbarsch

249—

251.

Loach, Eels,

— 278.

King

Prussian, 107.

Chabot de Riviere {Cott us gohio), 14, 50. Charr, 317—332. Chevaine {Lfuciscus crphalvx) 15, 155. Chub, The {LfHciarus rcpluihis), 155 160.

Luce, 360. Lupo [Lahra.r lupus), 29.

16,

THE FRESH-WATFJ; FISHES OF EFROFE.

444

Salmon Trout {Sahim

Maifisch [rjupni alow),

K!, 2o7. MiMTfoicllc; {S,i/,)in tnitta), 17, 310. Miller's Tluniil) {('ottux (johio), 50— .55. ^liiinow, Tho {Lntrixem 2)hii.ri iiux), 175

— 178.

i

I

15, 193.

icius), 15, 139.

I

'iseaiia.uge{PetromyzonJ{>n-/ati//!<), 18, 206. rossira), 38.

:

Parr, 269, 283, 285, 288, 293, 295, 308. Perch, The {Pcrea fluciatiliK), 23—28.

Percho {Perca fluviatilis), 23. Pei-lfisch, 155. Persico {Pcrca fluviatilin), 23. Pfrille [Lrucistcus plioxinii-s), 15, 175.

Pike {Esox lur/iis), 360—365. King, 362. Perch [Lufiojjcrrd .mnd I'a), Pink, 271.

Shed.ler, 271.

,

,

ging a Pope," 36 Pride,

Sea Bullliead [Cottux scorphi.i), 56, 57. Hv^vvtc (Luciopcrca mndra), 14,39. Shad, The {f'hipca alom), 257—261.

four spined, 80. ten spined, 80, 81. Sturgeons, 381—419.

poUfni), 350.

Pomeranian Bream [A'hrdDiis hnlnirtii), 222. Pond Loach, 245. Pope, The {Acn-ina rrrniia), 33—36; "plug-

Powan,

niurs/r/I//),

Staehelfisoh {(;a.sfcro.'<fr)is acnlcatxs), 14, 73. Sterlet {Acipenxcr nithctnts), 388. Stiehling {Gastrro.strus aculrafiix), 14, 73. Stickleback {(Tastrro.strus aculcahi.s), 73^80.

Pickerel, 360.

{('(trcfio)iufi

{Saliiri

Sander {Lur/opcrra .sanilra), 14, 39. Sandpiper (Prtrcnnjzon hranrhial ix), 427. Sand Smelt {Athrrina prcslniter), 66. Sclilannnbeissor {Pond loach), 245. Sehleihe {Tinea riilr/ans), 15, 189. Schrasen {Accrina'schrcetzcr), 14, 3G.

Smelts, 332—336. Smolt, 269, 283. Solo {Solea vulffariit), 88, 89. Soodake (Luciojn'rca sandra), 14, 39. " Soosh," 27. Spitter, The, 194, Spotted Cxoby {Gohiua mimdiix).

Nosary {Accrina

Pollan

Austria

of

301.

!

Mud-Luuprey {Prtromijzim hntnch/ulix), 427. IMullets, 68—73. Myxus, 69.

Nerfling Lcucisruif

Trout

i

IMountaiii Trout, 292. Mouse Enter, The, 157.

'Niislin'j; {f7i(i)i(h-iixtii)iu/ ?u^sw.s),

trutta), 310.

I

344. {Prtromi/:o)i h ranch ialis), 427.

Telescope

fish, 111.

Tench, The {Thica ruhjarix), 189—193. Trout, 278 332. Table of principal European species of, 278 specific diagnosing characters of, 279 Mr. Daj' on, ih. change of colour under different internal conditions, ih., 280. Trout of Lake Garda, 296.

—

;

The

;

" Quixote," 294.

;

Twaite Shad {Clupcafinta), 261—262.

Red Eye, 134—138. River "Bullhead {<'offii!< f/ahio), 50—55. River Trout, 288. Roach, The {Lcurhfi/.s r«/'//«.v), 145—149. Rothauge {Lcuclscm crythroj/htJialmi/.^),

Vairon {Lcuclseus phoxhuix), 15, 175. Vaudoise {Leuciscus vulgavix), 15, 160. Yendace {Corcgonua rtrndesiux), 351. 15,

Wels, 93.

134.

{Leuclscus cnjthrophthalmiis), 134—138. Ruff, The [Acrriiin crniua), 33—36.

Rudd

White Bream {Ahramix

Pennant, 310. Whitebait {Clvpca harcngiis), 262, 263. Whiting, 311.

Saddle Carp, 99. Salbling, 320.

Salmon, The {Salmo salar),

of

2G7- 278. Zander {Luciopcrca xand ra),

Peal, 271.

Prtntki) by

{hJicra) hjorhnn),

226.

White Salmon

C'ahski.i.

k Company, Limited,

L.\

Belle

S.\i'V.\ge,

14, 39.

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*,<'

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'v^'

i

Date Due

5Sep'49 '67 DEC ze

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