CYPRINTD.E. 



ABDOMINAL 



MALACOPTERYGII. CYPRINID&. 



THE DOBULE ROACH. 



Leuciscus dobula, CUVIER, Regne An. t. ii. p. 275. 



,, ,, YARRELL, Linn. Trans, vol. xvii. pt. 1, p. 9. 



,, JENYNS, Syst. Cat. p. 26, sp. 88. 



Cyprinus ,, LINNAEUS. BLOCH, pt. i. pi. 5. 



WHILE fishing in the month of August 1831, in the 

 Thames below Woolwich, with the mouth of a White-bait 

 net open against a strong flood-tide, I caught a single spe- 

 cimen of the fish above-named, but have not been fortunate 

 enough to obtain any more since. 



This species inhabits the Oder, the Elbe, the Weser, 

 and the Rhine, as well as the smaller streams that fall into 

 them. Like the Idus, last noticed, it inhabits also large 

 lakes, and seeks to enter rivers from March till May for the 

 purpose of spawning. The larger and older fish spawn ear- 

 lier than the younger ones, which exhibit small dark spots 

 on the body and fins at this particular season. The flesh 

 of the Dobule is white, but full of bones, and little esteemed 

 for table : they die soon when taken out of the water, and 

 their food is worms, snails, and small dark-coloured leeches. 



