714 



SCANDINAVIAN FISUKS. 



scribed them. These specimens may thus be ascribed 

 with reason to the said transplantation. However, the 

 Loach does not seem to have continued to multii)]y in 

 Lake Millar ; Sundevall at all events never succeeded 

 in (obtaining the slightest evidence of its occurrence 

 there. On the other hand, it has been found in recent 

 times both in Scania and the south of Halland. In Scania 

 it was discovered in 1864 l)y Lector IUltmahk in a 

 brook at Trolleniis and by Mr. C. Moller at Gisleberga 

 and Bosarp; in 1809 it was met with by A. Nathorst 

 in the river at Andrarum. In 1888 the Royal Museum 

 received through ^Ir. Trybom, Assistant Inspector of 

 Fisheries, two specimens wliicii had been taken by Mr. 

 F. SvEXONius in the Laga River at Lahohn. It may 

 possibly be found on closer investigation to occur in a 

 few more jiarts of Sweden; but a tish of this small size 

 may easily escape observation. In Norway it is wanting, 

 to the best of our knowledge; but in Jutland it was 

 found in 1878 l)y C E. Vakjiing in tlie River Nebels. 



— It has been met with throughout the rest of Europe 

 as well as the north of Asia. In Germany it is said 

 to be taken at several places in great numliei-s with 

 nets constructed for the purpose. Its flesh has always 

 been praised as highly delicious and so easy of digestion 

 that even a weak stomacli has nothing to fear from it. 

 Bloch describes at length the method of constructing 

 holes or small pools for the cultivation of this tish. 



The S\vedish name {GronUng), ^\•hich we have applied 

 to this species, is given by Linn.eus in his Fauna 

 Suecica. It is now unknown witii whom the name ori- 

 ginated — we are also ignorant of the source from which 

 NiLSSON drew his name of nissdga (Brownie-eye) for the 

 preceding species — but it is obviouslj^ a corruption 

 of the German Griindliiir/ (Eng. Groundling), a name 

 which has lieen given to the lish because it keeps close 

 to the bottom. There is nothing green in its coloration. 

 Another Scandinavian name for the Loach is SmdrUng, 

 from the German Schiiierliiiff. 



For the elucidation of tlie naturiil relations be- 

 tween our two Cohitis species Canestrini's numerous 

 measurements afford interesting materials of com- 



parison. Taking into account the measurements given 

 by him we obtain the following results: 



The correspondence in the changes of development 

 is here so great — the percentages of the t^vo different 

 ages in both species rise or fall ^vith so great similarity 

 — that Me are fully justified in assuming that these two 



species belong to a common direction of development; 

 and in this direction of development Cohitis Uenia 

 evidentlv occupies the more advanced rank. 



(Sundevall, S.mitt.) 



