414 FISHES. A13DOMINALES. 



The Barbel frequents the still and deep parts of rivers, rooting like swine with its 

 nose in the soft banks. They are so tame as to suffer themselves to be taken by 

 the hand. Their flesh is coarse, and the roe is considered noxious. 



B. Capoeta, Cuv. (C. capoeta, Gmel.) Body silvery, with a dusky 

 shade above ; white below ; scales with brown points ; fins brown 

 with dusky specks ; pectoral fins acuminated ; third ray of the 

 dorsal fin very long, serrated downwards. 12 inches long. Cas- 

 pian Sea Guldenst. Nov. Com. Petrop. xvii. pi. 18. fig. 1, 2. 



B. Mursa, Cuv. Body golden olive, dusky above ; skin mucous ; 

 anal and ventral fins white, spotted with brown on the upper 

 part, the other fins brown ; third ray of the dorsal fin very long 

 and thick, and serrated beyond the middle; tail forked. 12 

 inches long. Inhabits Caspian Sea. Shaw, v. 235. 



Gen. 45 GOBIO. Cuv. Cyprinus, Lin. 



Dorsal and anal fins short, without spines ; two cirri at the up- 

 per jaw, which is longer than the under one. 



G.Jluviaiilis, Rondel. (C. gobio, Lin.) The Gudgeon. Body elon- 

 gated, subcylindrical, pale olive brown above, spotted with black ; 

 belly white ; scales middle sized ; dorsal fin short, spotted with 

 black spots ; tail forked. 4 to 6 inches long. Inhabits lakes and 

 rivers in Europe. B. Block, pi. 8. fig. 2. 

 This fish is generally found in gentle streams, and is of small size. It is a very 



prolific species, and is extremely plentiful in the lakes of some parts of Germany. 



Gen. 46. TINCA, Cuv. Cyprinus, Lin. 

 Dorsal and anal fins short, without spines ; minute cirri on the 

 jaws ; scales very small. 



T. vulgaris. (C. tinea, Lin.) The Tench. Body thick and short, 

 brownish yellow ; abdomen paler ; skin slimy ; tail nearly even. 

 12 to 14 inches long. Inhabits lakes and marshes. B. Block, 

 pi. 14. 



The Tench is like the carp, remarkably tenacious of life, and is sometimes found 

 of unusual size and weight. In the clearing out of an old pond in Yorkshire in 1801, 

 where rubbish had been thrown for years, and where no fish were expected, two 

 hundred of Tench and as many Perch were found ; and in a hole among roots was 

 found a large fish, 2 feet 9 inches long, and 2 feet 3 inches in circumference, which 

 appeared to have been stationary for years, and which in growth had accommodated 

 its body to the form of the hole. 



Gen. 47. CHIRHINUS, Cuv. Cyprinus, Bloch. 

 Dorsal fin large ; cirri on the middle of the upper lip. 



C. Malabaricus, (C. cirrhosus, Bloch.) Body compressed, silvery, 

 with a violet brown shade on the upper parts ; fins of a pale or 

 whitish colour. 18 inches long. Inhabits rivers and lakes in 

 India Bloch, pi. 411. 



Gen. 48. ABRAMIS, Cuv. Cyprinus, Lin. 

 Dorsal fin short, placed behind the ventral fins ; anal fin very 

 long ; destitute of spines and cirri. 



