72 THE SPINED LOCHE. 



to hide. This fish is tenacious of life, and like others of 

 the genus, may be kept for a length of time in a tub or 

 glass, provided the water be regularly changed. Valen- 

 ciennes, who has observed this fish in confinement, says 

 it is accustomed so to conceal itself in the sand, that only 

 the point of the snout, the eyes, and a small portion of 

 the forehead are visible. If touched, it retires from view 

 for a time, but soon reappears at the same spot. Should 

 it, however, be touched several times, it moves off altogether, 

 and when it shows itself again, it is at some distance from 

 the former place. Unlike the C. fossilis, it does not remain 

 long in any one spot. Bloch mentions that it moves its lips 

 like a rabbit. 



It is reputed to be a voracious fish, feeding on worms, 

 the roe of fish, small fry, and other minute aquatic animals. 



Its flesh is said to be lean and tough, and it is seldom 

 used for food. 



According to Kroyer, the spined loche spawns in April 

 and May, and the lek is held in the deeps. 



Valenciennes tells us the largest he met with was four 

 inches in length ; but Bloch's drawing, on the contrary, 

 would make it out to be five inches, or upwards. The 

 specimen in my own possession is less than four inches. 



Swedish naturalists include the Colitis Barbatula, Linn., 

 amongst the Scandinavian fishes ; but the information they 

 give us is very vague : they merely say it is found in stony 

 rivers, and is very scarce. According to Linnaeus, this 

 fish was introduced from Germany into the Lake Malaren, 

 by King Frederick I. of Sweden. 



The Colitis fossilis, Linn., would not appear to in- 

 habit the peninsula; for though Kroyer includes it in 



