242 THE FRESH- WATER FISHES OF EUROPE. 



may be green, brown, yellow, or like polished steel. On each side of the lail 

 there is often a clear silver or steel-blue band, which is sharply defined by a 

 dark edging. The sides of the head and body and the abdomen are silvery. 

 The fins are all transparent, and free from spots ; the iris is silvery, with yellow- 

 green flecks. This species is extremely variable, and almost every locality has 

 a local variation. Von Siebold records that in thirty-six individuals eight 

 had the pharyngeal teeth in two rows; in ten fishes there was a double 

 row of teeth on the left side only,' and six fishes had the double row of 

 teeth on the right side only, while the remaining twelve had only one 

 row of teeth on each side. Spawning takes place in April and May. 

 According to some Russian observers, three papillae appear behind the vent 

 at spawning-time. 



A common size is two to three inches, and the largest specimen does not 

 exceed three and a half inches in length. 



The species is found in all the rivers of Southern Russia, in Greece, Dal- 

 matia, the Danube, and its tributaries, in Moravia and other parts of Austria, 

 and throughout Germany, especially in the Kurische Haff. It extends as far 

 west as Brunswick. 



G-ENUS : PeleCUS (ACASSIZ). 



The genus Pelecus was formed by Agassiz for a fish of the Bream type, 

 having the body oblong and greatly compressed, with the entire abdomen 

 forming a sharp edge. Its scales are small. The lateral line descends in an 

 unusual way behind the pectoral fin towards the abdominal border. The 

 mouth is nearly perpendicular. The dorsal fin is placed far back, and is 

 opposite to the commencement of the anal, which resembles that of the 

 Bream in its numerous rays. The pectoral fins are very long. The pharyn- 

 geal teeth are in a double series, and strongly hooked (Fig. 139). The intestine 

 is short. It was united with the genus Leuciscus by Valenciennes, on account 

 of similarity in the pharyngeal teeth, and placed in Abramis by Nilsson ; but 

 most modern writers recognise it as a distinct genus. It is found only in 

 the waters of Eastern Europe, but extends into the Baltic; it occurs in 

 Sweden, but not in Russia ; and is characteristic of Germany and Austria. 



