Kid THE FHESH-WATEK FISHES OF EUROPE. 



and iViui- and a half times the lenf^th of the head. The <i;-reatest thickness is in 

 the pectoral region, and is equal to half the length of the head. The eye is 

 fairly large, being one-fifth of the length of the head ; it is separated from the 

 other eye by twice the orbital diameter. The angle of the oblicpie mouth 

 reaches nearly as far back as the anterior border of the orbit. The dorsal fin, 

 which commences in the middle of the length, is much higher than long. The 

 anal fin has a similar length of base, but is shorter and less truncated behind. 

 The ventral fins are rather in front of the dorsal fin, but behind the middle of the 

 body. They do not reach back to the vent. The long pectoral rays are equal 

 to the longest rays of the caudal fin. The lateral line descends rapidly over 



Fig. 84.— 1,11 (Is(l,s (El'IlMl^, VAH. ALIUS (hoNAPAKTE). 



the pectorals to the lower third of the body, and rises again to the middle of 

 the tail. The length of the fish is from four to nine inches. It is recorded 

 by Heckel and Kner from the Kerka, near Scardona, in Dalmatia. Canestrini 

 regards this fish as essentially an elongated form of the L. caredanus. but, in 

 our view, it is a good geographical variety. 



LeTiciscus vulgaris ("Fleming). — The Dace. 



D. ](), A. 11, V. D— 10, P. 17, C. 19. Sq. lat. 17—52, transverse S^t/O. 



The Dace is characteristic of the parts of Europe north of the Alps. It 

 is also 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 

 common name is Sidnim (Fig. 85). 



It is a very variable fish, and distinguished naturalists have separated its 

 varieties as distinct species. The form of the body is elongated, and rather 

 compressed, with a blunt snout, and similar ventral and dorsal contours 



