CHAPTER WIT 
THE BARBEL AND THE GUDGEON 
The Barbel—Distribution—Appearance—Habits—Angling for Barbel—The 
Gudgeon—Habits and Distribution—Angling for Gudgeon—Gudgeon 
as Food. 
The Barbel (Barbus vulgaris) 
Fin ForMmuta (very variable). TEETH. 
Dorsal: 3 bony and 8 soft rays. Pharyngeal, in two 
Rectoral: 1 bony and 16 soft rays. series. 
Ventral: 2 bony and 7 or 8 soft rays. 
Anal: 3 bony and 8 soft rays. 
Caudal: 17 to 1g soft rays. 
Tue well-defined genus of Barbus is the largest in the Carp 
Family, comprising nearly two hundred species from the tropical 
and temperate regions of the Eastern Hemisphere. On the 
American continent, strange to say, it is not represented. 
Naturalists have felt the inconvenience of including so many 
species in a single genus ; but Dr. Giinther has wisely refrained 
from indulging them by further subdivision, so consistent and 
uniform is the transition between the extreme forms. The 
mighty mahaseer (Barbus mosal) of the mountain rivers of India 
and the neighbouring countries, well known to anglers because 
of the noble sport it affords, is probably the largest of the 
genus, running to as much as 150 lb. in weight, with scales as 
large as the palm of one’s hand; while certain other species 
never exceed two inches in length. 
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