go GENERA AND SPECIES. 



out at night, and are frightened off at the slightest noise. The 

 Pilchard ranges into the Mediterranean, and is the same fish as the 

 Sardine, the Sardine being merely the Pilchard caught off the coast 

 of France before it is large enough to have a roe. 



The Allis Shad has from 19 to 21 rays in its dorsal fin, 20 to 24 in 

 its anal, and 20 in its caudal, and it has 15 or 16 in its pectorals and 9 

 or 10 in its ventrals. The ventrals are almost level with the beginning 

 of the dorsal, and the lower lobe of the caudal is rather longer than 

 the upper. In its lateral line there are from 70 to 80 scales. The 

 abdomen is sharply keeled, and has strong spines. The body is 

 much deeper in proportion than those of the foregoing species. The 

 mouth extends to the hinder edge of the eye, and the upper jaw is 

 notched in the middle, the lower jaw being the longer. There are 

 radiating lines on the gill covers and below the eye, the eye having 

 vertical eyelids like the rest of the family. In colour the Allis Shad 

 is greenish blue, with silvery sides ; in length it ranges, when fully 

 grown, from 2 feet to 4 feet. It is solitary at sea, and gregarious 

 when it enters the rivers to spawn ; and it is as quick of hearing and 

 fond of music as the Twait Shad. 



The Twait Shad has from 1 8 to 20 rays in its dorsal fin, 20 to 

 25 in its anal, 19 in its caudal, 15 or 16 in its pectorals, and 

 9 in its ventrals. The ventrals are under the seventh ray of the 

 dorsal, and the caudal is deeply forked, the lobes being equal. 

 In its lateral line there are from 60 -to 75 scales. The 

 spines on the abdomen are strong and sharp. The body is 

 about a third as deep as it is long. The mouth reaches the hinder 

 edge of the eye, and the upper jaw has a notch in the middle, the 

 lower jaw being the longer. The gill covers have radiating lines, 

 and the gill-rakers are thick, sharp, and under 29 in number. In 

 colour the Twait Shad is blue above, silvery below, with a row of 

 dark blotches in a line from the head to behind the dorsal, which 

 are only found in the Allis Shad when young. In length it rarely 

 exceeds 16 inches. It ascends the rivers to spawn in May, a month 

 later than the Allis Shad, and returns in July. It is quick of hearing, 

 frightened at thunder, and so fond of music that the Germans attach 

 little bells to their shad nets, which ring under water, and not only 

 attract the fish, but keep them lost in admiration as the nets are 

 drawn in 1 



Cobitis. Plate xxiii. CYPRINW&. 



183. tcenia, SPINY LOACH. A double-pointed spine below the 



hind nostril. 



The Spiny Loach, otherwise the Groundling, has from 8 to 10 

 rays in its dorsal, the first two or three of which are spiny ; in its 

 anal are 7 or 8 rays, two or three of which may perhaps be called 

 spines ; in its caudal are 16 rays, in its pectorals 8 or 9, in its 

 ventrals 6 or 7. The dorsal, which is high in proportion to its width, 

 is over the ventrals, midway between the eye and the base of the 

 caudal, and the anal is midway between the ventral and the caudal, 

 which is wide at its base, the body tapering gently with but a very 

 slight curve. The mouth extends to the hind nostril, and on the upper 

 jaw and snout are 6 barbules. This Loach is not common ; it is pale 



