376 CYPRINID.E. 



ABDOMINAL 



MALACOFTERYGII. CYPRINID^. 



THE LOACH, LOCHE, OR BEARDIE. 



Cobitis barbatula, LinNjEus. Block, pt. i. pi. 31, fig. 3. 



,, ,, Loche, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 379. 



„ ,, Bearded Loche, Don. Brit. Fish. pi. 22. 



„ ,, ,, „ Flem. Brit. An. p. 189, sp. 69. 



Generic Characters. — Head small ; body elongated, covered with minute 

 scales, invested with a thick mucous secretion ; the ventral fins placed far 

 back, in a line under a small dorsal fin ; mouth small, without teeth ; upper 

 lip furnished with six barbules, four of them in front, and one at each corner ; 

 gill-openings small ; branchiostegous rays 3. 



The Loach is not uncommon in our rivers and brooks ; 

 but its habit of lurking under stones often prevents its 

 being observed. Mr. Neill says it is also frequent in the 

 Waters of Leith, and other rivers of Scotland in general ; 

 and Dr. Rutty includes it in his Essay towards a Natural 

 History of the County of Dublin. The Loach delights 

 in small, shallow, clear streams, and swims rapidly when 

 disturbed by moving the stone under which it secretes itself. 

 As they are difficult to catch from their slimy smoothness 

 and activity, country boys are in the habit of surround- 

 ing any small pool, known to contain some, with a bank 



