AND OF STILL WATERS. 87 



The Greeks called the gudgeon KwftLos, from 

 which came the Latin gobius or gobio. Some 

 authorities, such as Linnaeus, Bloch, Donovan, 

 and Jenyns, consider him a true member of the 

 carp family, and therefore call him Cyprinus 

 Gobio, while Johnston, Willoughby, Fleming, 

 Yarrell, and Couch differ from their learned 

 brethren, and, though allowing that the little 

 barbels at the gudgeon's mouth cause a resem- 

 blance to the mighty carp, they maintain that 

 the difference of the dorsal and anal fins being 

 short in the gudgeon, and, above all, in his not 

 possessing the spines in front of those fins, 

 which are a distinguishing mark of the true 

 Cyprinidce, precludes the idea of a very close 

 relationship. By these authorities, therefore, 

 this lovely little fish is simply called Gobio 

 fluviatiiis, on account of his preference for 

 running water. Alluding to this very spine- 

 lessness (which causes his non-resemblance 

 to the carp family) and the general slipperiness 

 of the gudgeon's little person, Ovid says of 

 him, 



" Lubricus et spina nocuus non gobius ulla." 



