436 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxxii. 



This subspecies varies much more than the European form, espe- 

 cially as regards the length of pectorals; the width and depth of body 

 are also subject to much variation. 



In a recent paper « Messrs. Jordan and Snyder have referred speci- 

 mens from northeastern China to M. decemclrrosus Basilewsky, and 

 indicated that they differ from angnillicaudatiifi as follows: 



a. Scales relatively large, about 112 (105 to 118) in a lateral series; Iwdy plump, the 

 depth 6^ to 6| in body; head 6| to 7* in length; barbels long, the longest 1| 

 to 2| in head; eye, 2 to 3 in snout; color, relatively plain, the stripes and spots 



not very distinct. Streams of northeastern China decemcirrosus. 



aa. Scales relatively small, about 148 (143 to 154) in lateral series; body slender, the 

 depth 6i to 8 in length; head, 6^ to 6^ in length; barbels short, the longest 

 3i to 4^ in head; eye, 2f to 3 in snout; coloration rather brighter, but very 

 variable; the body with dark lateral shades and more or less numerous small 

 black spots. Streams of Japan, common everywhere in Hondo, Shikoku, 

 and Kiusiu; also in southeastern China, Chusan, Shang-hai, etc. 



anguillicaudafus. 



The examination of a large collection of 3f. anguillicaudatus from 

 Amur, China, and Japan, belonging to our museum, convinced me 

 that decemcirrosus is a nominal species. If we regard the specimens 

 from near Peking as a distinct species, we shall be obliged to regard 

 many varieties of the same species found in other parts of China and 

 in Japan also as distinct species, which is inadmissible in consequence 

 of the known variability of (niguiUlcaudatus. 



Concerning the scales, I am unable to find anj' differences between 

 the Japanese and north Chinese specimens. In Nos. 2341 and 8640 

 from Peking, I count 14.5 scales, in No. 8640 from Pikua (Kansu), 

 150, in specimens from -bipan, 155-170. Also in M. fossilis the num- 

 ber of scales in the lateral line is subject to much variation. In speci- 

 mens from Elurope I tind 165-175 scales, while Valenciennes'^ gives 

 135-140. As regards the depth of the body I find in Japanese 6.3-9.1, 

 (in body without cauda'l) in north Chinese, 6.7-7.2, in specimens from 

 Amur, 6.8-9.0; length of head is respectively 6.4-6,8, 6.1-6.2, 6.8-7.8; 

 eye in snout, 2.2-2.6, 2.3-2.4, 2.0-4.4, etc. Both in China and Japan 

 there are specimens that are plain as well as brightly colored. Most 

 convincing to me wils a comparison l)etween No. 4280 from Japan (Doc- 

 tor SchlegePs collection) and No. 2341 from Peking; they belong to 

 a varietv with high body and differ in no respect one from another; 

 scales, color, as plastic characters, are quite identical. On the other 

 hand, bright colored specimens from Nagasaki (No. 7515) are identi- 

 cal with similarly colored specimens from the Amur Basin (No. 12791). 



«Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XXX, 1906, p. 833. 

 &Cuvier and Valenciennes, XVIII, 1846, p. 48. 



