THE GUDGEON 181 



fin has from six to eight branched rays, the anal five 

 to seven. The colour is brownish or greenish above, 

 silvery or golden on the sides and below, often with 

 small scattered brownish spots on the upper parts 

 and a row of larger blackish ones along the middle 

 of the side ; there are series of small dark spots on 

 the dorsal and caudal fins. 



The main reason for placing this species in a 

 genus distinct from that of the Barbel is the arrange- 

 ment of the pharyngeal teeth in only two series, 



FIG. 19. Gudgeon. 



four or five in the inner and two or three in the 

 outer on each side. 



The Gudgeon is found all over Europe except the 

 Iberian Peninsula and Greece, and extends through 

 Russian Turkestan and Siberia to Mongolia. In 

 England and Wales, it is generally distributed, but 

 appears to be absent from the Lake District, 

 Western Wales, and Cornwall ; it is unknown in 

 Scotland, but is common in Ireland. 



This is a small species, rarely growing to more 

 than 6 inches in length, whilst specimens of 8 inches 

 are considered exceptionally large. 



Gudgeon are usually found in rivers, especially 



