774 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



vol. Ill, p. 435: NiLss., Ukand Fn., Fisk., p. 316; Suxuev. 

 (Cyprmus), Stockh. L. Hush. Sallsk. Handl., H. 6 (1855), 

 pp. 81 et 174; Vet.-Akad. Handl. 1855, p. 13; Hckl, Kn. 

 (Leuciscus), 6'ussivasser/. Oestr. Mon., p. 169 (,+ L. Pau- 

 singeri, p. 172); Dyh., Cypr. Liv., p. 36; Sieb., Susswasserf. 

 Mitteleur., p. 184; MoBN, Finl. Fiskfn., p. 46; Wiuegr. 

 {Cyprinus), Landtbr. Akad. Tidskr. 1863, pp. 201, 202, 207; 

 LlSDSTR. (Leuciscus), Gotl. Fisk., Gotl. L. Hush. Arsber. 

 1866, p. 17 (sep.); Bl.^.nch., Poiss. d. eav.r douces Fr., p. 

 382 (+ Leuc. pallens, p. 386); Gthr, Cat. Brit. Mus., 

 Fish., vol. VII, p. 212; Coll., Forli. Vid. Selsk. Christ. 

 1874, Tilla.gsli., p. 180; ibid. 1879, No. 1, p. 96; Olss., 

 Ofvers. Vet.-Akad. Forh. 1876, No. 3, p. 130; 1882, No, 

 10, p. 48; Malm, Gbys, Boh. Fn., p. 557; Bncke, Fisch., 

 Fischer., Fischz., 0., W. Preuss., p. 136; Mob., Hist. Nat. 

 Poiss. Fr., torn. Ill, p. 413; Fatio, Fn. Vert. Suisse, vol. 

 IV, p. 479; Mela, Vert. Fnui., p. 323, tab. X; Grimm, 

 Fish., Hunt. Russ. Wat., p. 14; Day, Fish. Gt. Brit., IreL, 

 vol. II. p. 175, tab. CXXXII, fig. 2; M6b., Hcke, Fisch. 

 Osts., p. Ill; Reut., Sundm., Finl. Fish., tab. XX; Lill.i., 

 Sv., Norg. Fn., Fisk:, vol. Ill, p. 189. 

 Leuciscus Heckelii, Nordm., Voy. Russ. Mi'rid. (Demid.), torn. 

 Ill, p. 491, \nh. 23, fig. 1; vide Gbimm, 1. o. 



The Roach does not gl•o^v to any great size. Most 

 of the specimens caught during the spaAvning-season 

 are 1.5 — 20 cm. long, l)ut iiianj- attain a length of 3 

 dm. The largest specimen in the Royal Museum is 

 from Lake Wetter, and measured 3 '/a dm. Nilsson 

 once saw a Roach 371 mm. long". At a length of 

 "230 — 248 dm., according to Fatio, the Roach weighs 

 120— UiO grammes''. 



The body is rather thick, but compressed, and 

 generally thinner than that of the Ide. The greatest 

 depth varies between about 24 and 28' U ?i, of the length 

 of the body, the percentage being highe.st in old spe- 

 cimens and the females; while the greatest thickness 

 usually measures only 36 — 41 % of this depth, though 

 in gravid females it may rise to 54 % of the same. 

 The back ascends without forming any abrupt curve 

 from the occiput to the beginning of the dorsal fin, 

 from which point it slopes almost in a .straight line to 

 the caudal tin. Throughout the greater part of its length 

 it is convex, but a little in front of the dorsal tin more 

 or less distinctlv compressed or even carinated. In front 

 the downward curve of the ventral margin is similar 

 to the upward curve of the dorsal; but between the 

 \entral tins and the anal apei'ture the lielly is almost 



straight and slightly but distinctly carinated, and at the 

 beginning of the anal fin it rises at an obtuse angle. 

 The head resembles in form tliat of the Ide, save 

 that here the forehead is narrower' and straighter, and 

 the snout more pointed, with a similar faint depression 

 in front of the nostrils. The length of the head is 

 also somewhat less, varying between about 21' ,, and 

 20 % of that of the body. Tlie mouth is still smaller 

 than in tlie Ide, the length of the upper jaw from the 

 tip of the snout being always less than that of the 

 latter and varying with age'' between about 27 and 24 

 or 25 % of the length of the head. The length of the 

 lower jaw varies simultaneously between aljotit 36 and 

 32 % of that of the head, and is always less than (about 

 95 — 84 % of) that of the suboperculum along the suture 

 at the lower margin of the 0]>ereulum. The longitu- 

 dinal diameter of the eves varies in the same speci- 

 mens between about 27 and 18 % of the length of the 

 head, or between about 75 and 48 % of the breadth ot 

 the interorbital space. The postorbital part of the head 

 alwavs measures somewhat less than half the entire 

 length of the same, unless the rim of the branchiostegal 

 membrane be taken into account, in which case it 

 slightly e.xceeds half the said length. The position of 

 the eyes is also such that the lower margin of the pu- 

 ])il touches the line from the middle of the caudal fin 

 to the margin of the upper jaw. The nostrils resemble 

 those of the Ide. The gill-openings are separated be- 

 low, here as in the preceding forms, by the isthmus, 

 which is rather narrow, and to \\hich the l^ranchiostegal 

 meinl)ranes are united. The pseudobranchiaj are free 

 and comparatively large in young Roach, in older spe- 

 cimens less distinct. The gill-rakers are short and 

 scattered, numljcring 10—14 in the outer row on the 

 first branchial arch, 10 on the outer margin of the 

 pharyngeal bones. In contradistinction to the three 

 preceding species, the Koach (fig. 192) has only one 

 row of teeth on each of the jiharyngeals, generally 6 

 on the left and 5 on the right, though these numbers 

 may vary, being sometimes only 5 on each side, some- 

 times 6. The first two teeth, here as in the preceding 

 forms, are almost straight, blunt, conical, and without 



" MCbius and Hein'CKE give 5 dm. as the maximum length of the Ro.nch. 



'' According to ISAAK WALTON the Roach may attain a weight of 2 lbs. (907 grammes); and in 'The Field' (2 Nov., 1881) wc read 

 of a Roach weighing 3 lbs. 12' ., oz. (949 grammes), taken by Mr. Stead in Bedfordshire. 



<■ The breadth of the interorbital spiice is less tlian 38 '. (35—37-8 \) of the length of the he.^d. or than 73 (52 — 04 ',) of the 

 length of the base of the dorsal nn. 



'' In our specimens, which are between 100 and .'S30 nun. long. 



i 



