POMERANIAN BREAM. 59 



remark now that, although I have taken Heckel's A. Leiickariii to be a particular species, 

 and have raised it to a genus, I have doubts whether this fish really deserves this special 

 classification. The more specimens I have had to pass through my hands of A. Leuckartii, 

 from different countries of Middle Europe, the more it appears to me that this Cyprinoid is 

 nothing but a hybrid (Bastard) between an Abramis and a Laicisus.'" — (P. 137.) 



The Pomeranian Bream has been admirably described by Dr. Giinther as "a Roach-like 

 modification of the Bream, or a Bream-like modification of the Roach." It differs from an 

 Abramis in having a low back, less compressed body, a much less extended anal fin with rays 

 not more than eighteen or nineteen, whereas in the Bream that fin has twenty-eight to thirty ; 

 it has not the long, scaleless, compressed ridge at the fore part of the back so characteristic 

 of a true Abramis; the shape of the dorsal fin is different, it does not diminish sharply 

 from the anterior extremity to the posterior basal portion ; the belly behind the ventral fins 

 is covered with angularly bent scales, in Abramis the scales do not extend across it ; on 

 the other hand this part of the belly is strongly Bream-like, being compressed into an edge; 

 the throat-teeth in all the specimens I examined were in a single row of five ; Siebold found 

 six teeth on the left throat-bone twenty-four times in forty-five specimens, while in one 

 specimen he found on the left throat-bone a double series, namely 1.6, and on the right a 

 single series of 5 ; in another he found 1.5 teeth on the left and 5 on the right. Although 

 the form and number of the throat-teeth in the Cyprinidce afford a good guide in seeking 

 to determine species, and although the number of teeth, whether in a single or double series, 

 is generally more or less characteristic of a species, I have found that here, too, there is 

 no rule without exceptions. On the whole the throat-teeth of this hybrid presents us with 

 such a combination as one would expect in a fish intermediate between a Bream and a 

 Roach. I have specimens of the pharyngeal teeth and throat bones of the Roach, Bream, 

 and of the fish under consideration, and can confidently affirm that in this case also Giinther's 

 description of this fish, quoted just now, is most appropriate and correct. I may notice that 

 when netting the large mere of Aqualate, only portions of which, on account of its great size, 

 are available for this purpose, sometimes the net would bring to shore an immense quantity 

 of Bream without any Roach ; in such cases there were no Pomeranians ; sometimes Roach 

 and no Bream were caught, here again there was an absence of the Pomeranians ; but in 

 every case where the net secured both Bream and Roach, there was always found a certain 

 number of these fish. The evidence, therefore, taken on the whole, satisfies me with the 

 correctness of Professor von Siebold's opinion that the so-called Pomeranian Bream is merely 

 a hybrid — but an exceedingly interesting one — between Abramis and Lcucisciis, and that in the 

 specimens I have been fortunate enough to examine that Lcuciscus is the L. riitilus, or the 

 Roach. 



One of the names which the German fishermen give to this fish is Lciicr, which means 

 "a guide." Bloch states that the fishermen are greatly delighted when they take this fish 

 in their nets, because they say they may then expect a successful haul. They have an idea 

 that other Bream follow this fish. Siebold mentions this name when he says, "Very large 

 specimens grown in the Frische Haff have been given to me at Tolkemit by the fishermen 

 as so-called Leiter (guides)." 



In a specimen from Aqualate Mere, measuring eleven inches from the snout to the 

 bifurcation of the tail, the greatest breadth was four inches, the length of head two and a 

 half; the origin of the ventral fin was about an inch in advance of that of the dorsal ; the 

 lateral line descending at first, then straight, then gradually and slightly ascending to a 

 point nearer to the lower portion ; irides pale straw ; colour of pectoral, ventral, and caudal 

 fins brownish, slightly tinged with red ; scales large ; whole body much more full and round 

 than in the Bream, not compressed in the upper part of the back ; belly compressed towards 

 the anal fin and tail. Back at the upper part bluish black; sides and belly silvery white. 



