32 Guide to the British Fresh-Water Fishes 



COBITIDAE. 



The Loaches are closely related to the Cyprinidae, hut they 

 have no plate for the pharyngeal teeth to bite against. Externally 

 they are distinguished by the elongate body, with the scales very 

 small or absent, and by the presence of at least six barbels. The 

 majority of the species inhal)it mountain streams of Central and 

 Southern Asia ; two of the three European species occur in our 

 islands. 



56. Loach or Stone Loach, Ncmachilus barbatulus. — The 

 Loach has the body spotted or marbled, and the fins crossed by 

 series of small spots. It inhabits Europe, except the Iberian 

 Peninsula and Greece, and ranges through Turkestan and Siberia 

 to China and Japan ; in the British Isles it is widely distributed, 

 but is absent from the Highlands of Scotland. Loach frequent 

 small streams, and lie concealed beneath stones during the day ; 

 they are said to be more active at night. A length of about 

 o inches may be reached. 



57. Spined Loach, Cohitis taenia. — This species takes its 

 name from the erectile spine that lies in a groove below the eye ; 

 the most conspicuous feature of its coloration is the interrupted 

 dark lateral stripe or series of spots. Its general distribution is 

 the same as that of the Stone Loach, but in our islands it has been 

 recorded only from a few localities in England. It often buries 

 itself in the sand, and lies with the head protruding. It may grow 

 to about 4 inches lontr. 



'o- 



GADIDAE. 



The Cod family includes fishes with all the fin-rays flexible 

 and jointed, but with the pelvic fins placed in advance of the 

 pectorals. 



58. Burbot, Lota lota. — This is the only fresh-water fish of 

 the family. The head is broad and the mouth wide, with bands 

 of pointed teeth ; the lower jaw has a barbel ; the dorsal fin is 

 divided into a short anterior and a long posterior part, the latter 

 opposed to the anal and continuous with the rounded caudal ; the 

 body is spotted or marbled with brown or black. The Burbot is 

 found in Europe, except the Iberian Peninsula and Greece ; it 

 extends through Sibeiia to Alaska and the Great Lakes of North 



