BIHANG TILL K. SV. VET.-AKAD. HANDL. BAND 24, AFD. IV. N:0 3. 7 
species defined by HEcKEL, however, this character might be 
found constant. 
In his paper, »Die Fische des Neckars», GÖNTHER criticizes 
HEcKEL's distinctions of the forms, showing that the branch- 
ing of the rays in the fins varies considerably, for which 
reason it would not be correct to pronounce them on that 
ground to be distinct species. He attaches, however, a cer- 
tain weight to this character, finding in it evidence of dif- 
ferent varieties or local forms, according to the following table. 
>I. In den Brustflossen 7—8 gegabelte Strahlen. 
A) 3(4) Strahlen in der Bauchflosse N:o1. C. gobio Var. Frankreich. 
ByO > ARD > N:o 2. C-microstomus HeEcK. Krakau. 
II. Die Strahlen der Brustflossen ungegabelt. 
A) Strahlen d. Bauchflossen gegabelt N:o 3. C. gobio ÅRTEDI, LINN., EKSTR. 
= C. affinis HEcE. Skandi- 
navien. 
B) » > ungegabelt. 
a) Bauchflossen gefleckt . . . . N:o4. C. poecilopus HEcK. Karpathen. 
b) > ungefärbt . . . N:o5. C. gobio Deutschland.» 
JEITTELES, who, some years after GÖNTHER, also revised 
HECKEL's species, says that, exceptionally, there are found 
rays branched in all the fins of all European fresh-water Cotti. 
Dar adopts nearly the same local forms as GÖNTHER: 
A French form, with 7 or 8 branched rays in the pectoral 
fins and simple rays in the ventrals, a Scandinavian form, 
with branched rays in the ventrals and simple in the pec- 
torals, and another form, found in England, Germany, and 
Austria, with simple rays in both pairs of fins. 
On closer examination, however, it is clear that there 
is little reason to range them under different local forms, 
judging only by the character mentioned above. As to the 
Scandinavian form, with branched rays in the ventrals and 
simple in the pectorals, ARTEDI, subsequently herein followed 
by LINNZUs, has stated in his description of this species that 
the articulated rays in the ventral fins are found to be forked 
at the point, and EKSTRÖM also gives, probably after ÅRTEDI, 
a like account in his work, »Mörkö Fiskar», in accordance 
with which HzEcKEL has defined the above-mentioned species 
»affinis». Some years later, in the first edition of »Scandi- 
navian Fishes», EKSTRÖM seems to have modified his opinion, 
