824 



SCAXDIXAVIAX FISHES. 



Ci/primis cultnittis, Li::., Si/sl. .Xat., c-d. X, torn. I, p. 32G; 

 Bl., Fi.sch. DeutfM., |.t I, p. 2.05, lab. XXXVII; Ketz., 

 Fn. Siiec, Lin., p. 3C0; Pai.i.., Zoogr. Ross. Asiat., torn. 

 Ill, p. 331; XiLSS., Prodi: Ichtliyol. Scand., p. 32; Abass. 

 {Pelecus), 1. c; Cuv., Val. (Leucisciis), Hist. IVat. Poiss., 

 vol. XVII, p. 330; Kr. (Pelecus), Damn. Fisk., vol. Ill, p. 

 511; Xir.ss. {Abramis, siibg. Oliela ex. Buchax.), Skand. 

 Fn., Fisk., p. 340; Kessl. {Pelecus), Bull. Soc. Natur. Mosc, 

 vol. XXIX, I (1856), p. 376; Hckl, Kn., Sunswasserf. 

 Osir. Mon., p. 126; Dyk., Uypi: LivL, p. 153; Sieb., 

 Siisswasserf. Mittelear., p. 152; Mgrn, Finl., Fiskjn. (disp. 

 Hclsingf.), p. 43; Gthu, Cat. Brit. Mus., Fish., vol. VII, 

 p. 330; Bncke, Fisch., Fischer., Fisch;. 0., W. Preuss., 

 p. 125; Mkla, Vert. Fenn., p. 337, tab. X; Mub., Hcke, 

 Fisch. Osts., p. 121; GRI.MM, Fish., Hunt. Buss. Wat., pp. 

 10 et 22; Mela, Sundm., Fi7il. Fisk., tab. XXVII; Lillj., 

 Si:, yorg. Fn., Fisk., vol. Ill, p. 324, 



The 'Ziege' attains even in the North a length of 

 4 dm.; hnt in Southern Russia, where it apparently 

 lias its true home, it sometimes measures, according to 

 Kesslek, as much as (3 dm. Tlie elongated and com- 

 pressed form of the body is most suggestive of a lean 

 Herring, but the most characteristic external features 

 are the almost straight dorsal margin and regularly 

 arcuate belly, without tiie more or less sharp angles 

 which we have seen in the profiles of most of the pre- 

 ceding Cyprinoids. Furthermore the form differs from 

 that of our other (['yprinoids in the strong elongation 

 of the forepart of tlie trunk, for in no other Scandi- 

 navian member of the family is the preabdominal length 

 more than ^/i„ of the length of the body. The greatest 

 depth in adult specimens is somewhat less than ' 5 of 

 the length of the body (about 19 % in our specimens, 

 which are 22 — 36 cm. long); the greatest thickness 

 about '3 — " ,j, and the least depth of the tail about ''3, 

 of the greatest depth of the body. 



The head also measures somewhat less than ^'5 of 

 the length of the body, and is characterized principally 

 by the above-mentioned relation to the dorsal muscles, 

 the origin of which extends forwai-d over the forehead. 

 The eyes are large and set rather low, almost as in 

 the Zope. Their longitudinal diameter, which even in 

 adult specimens is somewhat, tiiough only slightly, 

 greater than the length of the snout, measures a little 

 more than V4 (28—26 %) of the length of the head. 

 The postorbital length of the head is about half its 

 entire length. The position of the nostrils is normal. 

 The sides of the smmt (the preorljital bones) are re- 

 nuirkable for the distinct ducts belonging to the sub- 

 orlntal branch of the cephalic system of the lateral 

 line. The shape and position of the mouth we have 

 already described. The length of the upper jaw from 



the ti]) of the snout is somewhat less than the least 

 depth of the tail, but the length of the lower jaw is 

 perceptiblv greater than the latter, measuring aljoiit 

 42 % of the length of the head, lioth the opercuhnn 

 and tlie jn-eoperculum are comparatively large, and the 

 latter is distinguished by the rectangular form of its 

 hind inferior corner. The gill-openings are large, the 

 branchiostegal membranes coalescing with the isthmus 

 rather near each other and in a line ^vith the posterior 

 orbital margin. The gill-rakers are strong and rather 

 scattered. The outer row on the first branchial arch 

 contains about 17 or 18, the inferior ])ointed, the su- 

 perior flat and branched or lobulate at tlie tip. 



The dorsal tin is remarkable botli fur its small 

 size and its Ijackward position. It begins almost ver- 

 ticalh' aliove the origin of the anal tin, at a distance 

 from tile U\> of the snout measuring about 64 "o of the 

 length of the bodv. Its base is equal to the longi- 

 tudinal diameter of the eye (in our specimens .")'3 — 5 % 

 of the length of the l)ody) and measures aliout half of 

 its height in front, which is nearly 11 — 9^2 % of the 

 length of the body. It is sharply and obliquely trun- 

 cate, with the upper posterior margin somewhat con- 

 cave. The anal tin is more deeply concave, reminding 

 us of the Garpike, with the anterior part prolongated 

 to a lobe, but with the posterior part of almost uni- 

 form height. Its base measures about 21^ U — 22 %, and 

 its height in front about 12 — 11 **, of the length of 

 the bodA-. The c;uulal tin is deeply forked, with pointed 

 lobes, the lower somewhat longer tiian the upper. Its 

 middle ravs occupv about 7 % of tlie length of the 

 body, and measure a little more than ' 3 of that of 

 the longest caudal rays. 



The shape of the pectoral fins too — expanded at 

 the base and incised at the lower margin — calls to 

 mind the Garpike or, still more, the Horse ^lackerel; 

 and they are remarkable, as in tlie hitter of these two 

 species, for their great length, 29 — 28 % of that of 

 the bodv and only slightly less than the preabdominal 

 length. The ventral fins, which are inserted half-way 

 along the bodv, are also more pointed th;iii in the rest 

 of the Scandinavian Cyprinoids. Their length, which 

 measures about 12 — 12' „ 96 of that of the Ijody, is less 

 than the postabdominal length, though the latter is 

 remarkalily small, being only about 16' '2 — 15 % of the 

 length of the body. 



The scales are thin and deciduous; they vary 

 greatly in size and shape on different parts of the 



