416 PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. [CoBiris. 



(17.) C. Orfus, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 530. Bloch, Ichth. 

 pi. 96. 



This species having been confounded by Willughby and Ray with the 

 Hud, (C. Erythrophthalmus), Linnaeus was led, apparently on their au- 

 thority, to consider it as inhabiting the English rivers. This error has 

 been reproduced in the "British Animals," (p. 186), of Dr. Fleming, 

 who attaches the name of Barbus Orfus to the Rud or Fmscale of 

 Willughby, a species undoubtedly the same as the Red-Eye of Donovan. 

 It is almost certain that the true C. Orfus, which is a native of Germany, 

 has no claim whatever to a place in the British Fauna. 



GEN. 36. COBITIS, Linn. 



97- C. barbatula, Linn. (Bearded Loach.) Body 

 rounded anteriorly, compressed behind : sides of the head 

 unarmed. 



. C. barbatula, Linn. Syst. Nat. torn. i. p. 499. Bloch, Ichth. pi. 31. 

 f.3. Don. Brit. Fish. vol. i. pi. 22. Turt. Brit. Faun. p. 103. 

 Flem. Brit. An. p. 189. Loche, Will. Hist. Pise. p. 265. tab. Q. 8. 

 f. 1. Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. in. p. 282. pi. 58. Id. (Edit. 1812.) 

 vol. in. p. 379. pi. 69. Bowd. Brit.fr. wat. Fish. Draw. no. 12. 

 Yarr. Brit. Fish. vol. i. p. 376. La Loche franche, Cuv. Reg. An. 

 torn. IT. p. 278. 



LENGTH. From four to four and a half, rarely five, inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) Elongated; subcylindric anteriorly, compressed 

 towards the tail: greatest depth one-seventh of the entire length; 

 thickness, in the region of the pectorals, about two-thirds of the depth : 

 head small, a little depressed, the profile gently sloping : snout blunt ; 

 upper jaw projecting over the lower; mouth small, placed beneath, 

 furnished with six short barbules, two at the corners, and four in front 

 of the upper Up ; those at the corners longest, equalling rather more 

 than one-third the length of the head: eyes small; the intervening 

 space flat: body covered with very small scales, and invested with 

 a mucous secretion : lateral line straight : dorsal commencing midway 

 between the end of the snout and base of the caudal ; its height nearly 

 equalling the depth of the body ; first ray very short and easily over- 

 looked ; second not half the length of the third ; fourth and fifth 

 longest ; the first three simple ; the rest branched : anal commencing 

 beyond the tip of the dorsal when laid back, somewhat smaller than that 

 fin, but in other respects similar ; first ray very small ; fourth and fifth 

 longest: caudal slightly rounded: pectorals attached low down, about 

 the length of the head, rounded ; second and third rays longest, and, as 

 well as the fourth, much stouter than the others: ventrals in a line 

 with the commencement of the dorsal, somewhat shorter than the 

 pectorals; third ray longest: 



B.3; D. 10; A. 9 ; C. 17 ; P. 12; V. 8: 



vent in a line with the tip of the dorsal when laid back. (Colours.) Back 

 and sides yellowish brown, mottled and spotted with dusky; abdomen 

 and lateral line whitish : dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins, spotted ; anal 

 and ventrals nearly plain. 



Not uncommon in rivers and streams with a gravelly bottom. Feeds 

 on aquatic insects. Spawns in March and April. 



