ISO Mr. C. '\\ Regan on the Vcndnces of Lcchmalen 



;XXIV. — TheVendaces of Lochnndien and of Derwmhoater and 

 Bassenthivatle Lakrs, Coiegomis vaiidesius and Coregouus 

 gracilior. By C. Tate Regan, B.A. 



[Plate VII.] 



The Biitisli fislies of the genus Congonus are of considerable 

 interest, as they are the ones whose ehiini to rank as species 

 peculiar to the British Isles has been least disputed. The 

 Coreyoni here dealt with are those called " Vendace/' this 

 word apparently being derived from the old French word 

 " Ycndese " and corresponding to the modern French 

 " Yandoise,^^ the Dace. They are distinguished from other 

 British Coregoni by the ])rojecting lower jaw and the larger 

 scales. Some authors unite the Lochmaben Vendace, Core- 

 gonus vondtsius^ to C. alhula of Northern Europe and would 

 even include tlie Irish " Pollan," C. poJlan, in the same 

 species. I'he last-named appears to me to be quite different, 

 and after examination of the specimens preserved in the British 

 Museum I have no hesitation in saying that C. vandesius 

 can be separated from its nearest continental allies by several 

 distinctive features; whether these entitle it to rank as a 

 species is, of course, another question. 



The little-known Vendace of Dervventwater and Bassen- 

 thwaite Lake proves to be closely alHed to the Lochmaben 

 form, but is by no means identical with it. I have described 

 it below under a new specific name, in order to call attention 

 to its distinctive peculiarities. 



Coregonus vandesius, Richardson. 



Coreffinus vandesius, Giinth. Cat. Fish. vi. p. 194 (1866); Daj *, 

 Fishes of Britain, ii. p. 128, pi. cxxiii. fig. 1 (1884). 



Depth of body 3§-4^ in the length, length of head 4^-4|. 

 Snout shorter than eye, the diameter of which is 3?-3| in the 

 length of head, interorbital width 3^-4. Prtt^niaxillaries 

 continuing the line of the upper profile of the snout ; max- 

 illary about I the length of head, extending to below anterior 

 ^ of eye ; lower jaw |jrojecting. 26-30 gill-rakers on tiie 

 lower part of the anterior arch, the longest |-| the diameter 

 of eye. Scales 65-72 ^, 6 or 7 between lateral line and 

 root of ventral fin, 20-22 round the caudal peduncle. Dorsal 



* Day's figures of this species aud of C. pollan are by no means good, 

 but that of C. clupeoides is more accurate. 



