814 



SCANDLN.WIAN l-l.MlE.s. 



iiunieroiis tluiii in tlie said spfcies, tlieir mniihci' in tiic 

 outer row on the front of the first hranciiial ardi l)eing 

 22 or 23, on the outer anterior margin of the pha- 

 ryngeals 15 or 16. The pharyngeal teeth (fig. 203) 

 are always set in one row, cxceiit during the shedding 

 of the teeth, when one or iwn ni;iy he found in the 

 gums within the main row, wliicli usually consists of 

 .') compressed teeth, obliquely truncate at the crown, 

 with hollowed masticatory surface and slightly hooked 

 tip. Tlie pseudobranchiu' are distinct in )oung Bream, 

 in old ct)ncea]ed. 



The dorsal fin begins at tiie ajiex of the angle 

 formed by the dorsal profile, almost vertically above 

 the middle point in the postabdominal part, and at a 

 distance from tlie tip of the snout wliich inrreases with 

 age, measuring about .^2 — 58 % of the length of tlie 

 bod}', or (in our specimens) about 88 — 94 % of the 

 distance between the tip of the snout and the anal tin. 

 In this species too its height is about twice its length 

 — longest (first branched) ray al)out 21 — 26 ?4 (some- 

 times 27 %) of the length of the body, and the base 

 about IIV2 (sometimes 11) — 12' ^ ?^ of the same. The 

 upper posterior margin of the fin is so obliquely trun- 

 cate that in front the height is more than three times 

 as great as behind. The anal fin is of about the same 

 form, and occupies about the same position as in the 

 White Bream; but is generally somewhat longer. In 

 proportion to the length of the body the distance be- 

 tween this fin and the tip of the snout is a))out 59 — 

 62 %, its base about 247;. (sometimes 24) — 27 %, and 

 its height in front about 20 — 17 ?» (in our largest s})e- 

 eimen 15\'2 ?»). The caudal fin is deeply forked, tlie 

 lower lobe being longer than the upjier. Tlie uuddle 

 rays measure about 10 — 7V2 % of the length of the 

 body, or about ',3 of that of the longest ray in the 

 lower lobe of the fin. 



The tips of the pectoral fins extend (in the males 

 and sometimes in the females) to the insertions of the 

 ^•entrals or a little farther, the length of the former 

 pair being about 20 — 21'/^ % of that of the body. The 

 ventral fins are set at a distance from the tip of the 

 snout measuring about 44 — 42 '/j % of the length of 

 the body, or less than 83 % (82—74 %) of the distance 

 between the ti]) of the snout and the dorsal fin. Their 

 length is about 17 % (16 — 17'„ %) of that of the body. 

 The postabdominal length is always less than the pre- 



° Cf. Underd. Bel. m. Forshtij till Ny Fiskeristadija, Stkhlin 

 * Sw. Braxengvds, Bream-grass. 



abdomiiiMl, the former varying between about 17 ami 

 20 %, the latter between about 23 and 20 %, of the 

 length of the body. 



The scales are large, finely striated, broader than 

 long, and of a rounded quadrangular shape, with the 

 free (hind) part more than twice as deep as long, and 

 the anterior (inserted) margin irregular! v undulating or 

 even smoothly rounded. They are denselj- imbricated 

 in regular rows, and the lateral line runs much nearer 

 to tlie belly than to the l)ack. 



The coloration, which varies greath' according to 

 the age of the fish and the water in which it lives, is 

 darker in old and fat specimens than in young and 

 lean. In a full-gro\vn fat Bream the upper parts of 

 the head and the back are yellowish gray, suffused 

 with a brassy lustre most distinct on the sides, which 

 are lighter and become yellower towards the belly. 

 The belly is of a more or less whitish j^ellow. The 

 opercula and cheeks are yellowish white with a brassv 

 lusti'e. The lips are white. During the spawning- 

 season the scales of the milters are studded on the front 

 part of the sides and the head with whitish tubercles. 

 All the fins are blackish gray. The pectoral and ventral 

 fins have lighter, almost white bases; but these parts, 

 as well as the 1;elly, become suffused with blood on the 

 death of the fish (cf. above, on the Sheatfish). The 

 iris is yellow, strewn with extremely fine, dark dots, 

 and is divided from the pupil b\' a ring of still deeper 

 3'ellow. 



North of the Alps the Bream is more or less com- 

 mon in most of the great European lakes, in places 

 where the water is clear, and where at least a few 

 shelving, weedy shores are to be found. It also lives 

 in large rivers where the current is not too strong. 

 In such waters it occurs in all the provinces of Sweden 

 save Gothland". In Finland it is equally common, and 

 according to Mela goes north to lat. 67° 25'. It does 

 not thrive in the highlands, and in Lapland and even 

 in Jemtland it is rare. In Norway, according to Col- 

 LETT, it occurs only in the south-eastern tracts of the 

 country, hardly going north of lat. 61°. Though it 

 does not attain the same size in salt Avater, it is found 

 in the inner parts of the Baltic island-belts. 



Tile favourite haunts of the Bream invariably lie 

 in clear and moderately deep water with a weedy 

 bottom, especially where it can find' Merlin's-grass' 



1883, |j. int. 



