66 SPINED LOACH, OR GROUNDLING. 



inducement for the fisherman, unless he wants them as bait for Trout, small Pike, or Perch, 

 and even for this purpose they are not to be recommended, for the flesh is delicate. 



The Loach, and the Spined Toach, the next species to be described, are the only two 

 British fresh-water fishes which have their air-bladder enclosed in a bony capsule, a peculiarity^ 

 however, which is common to all the group of the Cobitidina. This bony capsule, in the 

 Loach, consists of two globular cases connected together by a short transverse channel. It 

 is situated near the second vertebrae. By means of a fine needle these osseous capsules may 

 be broken, and the air-bladder disengaged. This organ is figured in Yarrell, who, however, 

 mistook its nature, he regarding "these circular bones as analogous to the scapulae." 



The Loach seldom exceeds the length of five inches, and generally does not attain to 

 that sixe ; the head is somewhat depressed or flattened ; eyes small ; snout produced ; body 

 round at first, then flattened ; origin of the dorsal fin about half way between the end of 

 the snout and the root of the tail. Colour prettily marbled or mottled with dark brown ; 

 tail and dorsal fin with brownish-black spots in cross bands ; ground colour of head, body, 

 and sides yellowish white. 



The fin rays are 



Dorsal 9- — 10. 

 Pectoral 1 2. 

 Ventral 7. 

 Anal 6. 



The generic name of Nciiuuliilits {i.e. "thread-lipped") contains such species of the group 

 as do not possess an erectile suborbital spine, like the Spined Loach. "The Common 

 Pond-Loach," {Cobitis /ossilis), to which Dr. Badham and Mr. IManley refer, whose favourite 

 pastime is to roll and wallow in the mire of his pond, the Schlaimnpitzgcr and Moorgrundel 

 of the Germans, found in Central and Eastern Europe, is not known to occur in this 

 country. The origin of our English word Loach, with which the French Locke and the Spanish 

 Loja are identical, is obscure. The German names of this fish are Bartgrundel and Sclunerlc. 



Urder IV. Familv 



PlirSOS TOM J. C J 'PRIXID^. 



Spined fioACH. or -Groundling. 



{Cobitis taniai) 



Cohitis acukata, Gesner, De Aquatil. p. 404. 



Cohitis harhalida acukata, Willughby, p. 265. 



Cohilis aculeo hifurco infra utrumquc oculum, Artedi, Spec. Pise. p. 3 No. 2. 



Cobitis ticnia, Lin., Sys. Nat. i. p. 409; Block; Lac^p^de; Cuv. and Val. ; 



SiEBOLD, Siisserwasserf. p. 338; Gunther's Cat. vii. p. 362. 

 Botia tccnia, Yarkell, i. p. +32; Couch, Fish. Brit. Isl. iv. p. 72 



Characters of the Genus Cobitis. — "Body more or less compressed, elongate; back not arched. A small, erectile, 

 bifid suborbital spine below the eye. Six barbels, only on the upper jaw. Dorsal fin inserted opposite to the 

 ventrals; caudal rounded or truncate. Air-bladder enclosed in a bonv capsule. Europe; East-Indian Continent." — 



GiJNTHER. 



