Cottus poecilopus was deseribed and adopted as a distinct 
species for the first time in 1836 by JACOB HRCKEL in >Annealen 
des Wiener Museumsy. HRoKer's specimens came from a brook 
in the Carpathians and he does not hesitate to declare this 
fish to be seine ausgezeichnete Species» In his work written 
in conjuncetion with KNER, »Die Sisswasserfisehe der Öster- 
retehusehen Monarehie, Leipgig 18585, he still maintains it as 
a separate species, but says it is very nearly allied to Cottus 
gobio, and he has discarded some of the specific characters 
that he gave in his first work and introduced some new ones. 
In this later work there are mentioned many places in 
Hungary, Galicia, and Bukowina where it is said to be found; 
the authors also think themselves able to decide that some 
specimens from the Pyrenees belong to this species. Not long 
afterwards SUNDBVALL remarked its presence in Sweden, where 
it has since been found in several places, both in fresh and 
brackish water. In Norway it is found in some lakes and 
rivers and seems there to occupy the place of C. gobio. The 
Royal Swedish Museum has received through Dr. A. FEDDER- 
SEN a specimen from the brook Skern in Denmark: he tells 
us that it is said to be by no means rare in that country. 
I have not seen it recorded as found at any other places. ! 
Most authors, however, are of a very different opinion 
with regard to the systematie value of this form. As we 
1 In the second edition of > Scandinavian Fishes> Professor Smirr speaks 
of it as occurring in England, founding his opinion on a figure in DAY, > The 
Jishes of Gr. Brit. & Ireland>, whieh figure Professor Smirr considers as 
representing a fish belonging to this species. Neither DAY nor GUNTHER 
montions its prosenco in England, and my opinion is that the above-mentioned 
figure may without difficulty bo regarded as a Cottus gobio. 
In a foot note on p. 25 in »DPie PWisehe des Neckars> GUNTARR men- 
tions some specimens of fresh-water Cotti from Lombardy as having spotted 
vontral fins. As he does not speak about any other characters, one can only 
suggest that they may be regarded as OO. poecilopus, whieh form then would 
oxist oven as far south as the plains of Lombardy. 
