ti4 BRITISH FRESHWATER FISHES 



migratory species which ascend the Siberian rivers 

 from the Arctic Ocean and with several continental 

 forms inhabiting the countries round the Baltic ; but 

 it differs from all of these in the larger scales, which 

 number only from sixty-two to seventy-three in a 

 longitudinal series and six or seven between the lateral 

 line and the base of the pelvic fin, and in the more 

 posterior position of the dorsal fin, the origin of which 

 is nearly equidistant from the end of the snout and 

 the base of the caudal fin, and is not or but little 

 in advance of the pelvic fins ; the rather deep body 

 and the large fins are also notable characteristics of 

 this species, which is usually a silvery white fish 

 with the back greenish blue ; sometimes the dark 

 colour of the back extends down to the lateral line, 

 below which the body may be of a golden tint. 



The Lochmaben Vendace is gregarious, swimming 

 in shoals ; its food consists mainly of minute shrimp- 

 like organisms — Entomostraca — which abound in the 

 lakes, and which may occasionally be supplemented 

 by small insects, larv^, etc. The shoals retire to 

 the deeper parts of the lakes in warm weather, and 

 at the end of the summer approach the shores to 

 spawn, which they do usually in November, when 

 they are frequently seen at the surface of the 

 water. 



They are captured by means of sweep-nets with 

 a small mesh, and it has been observed that in the 

 summer they are most successfully taken during a 

 dull day and in a sharp breeze, when they forsake 

 the depths and swim near the edges of the lochs in 

 a direction contrary to the wind. Formerly a club, 

 consisting of twenty or thirty of the neighbouring 

 gentry, used to meet annually in July to enjoy the 



