I^E LOCHE!, 543 



DlVlslGN IV. — Abdominal Fijhes, 



Section X. 

 Genus XLIII -I'he Loche. 



VV E are now come to the lad divifion of the fplnous 

 fiflies, termed by naturalifts, the abdominal, from the li= 

 tuation of their ventral fins, which are placed far behind 

 the perioral in the abdomen. The loche, or cobitis of 

 LinnceuSf which is placed at the head of this tribe, is 

 perhaps the moft unfliapely of the whole race. The 

 body is compreffed laterally, and nearly of the fame deptk 

 from the head to the tail : It is deflitute of that fymmet- 

 rj and elegant tapering form, which is charaderiftic of 

 the greater part of fifties. The fcales are deciduous, and 

 fo fmall as fcarcely to be perceived. The back is mar- 

 bled with brown fpots, upon a paler ground of the fam? 

 colour i the belly, a dirty white *. 



Linnceiis has five fpecies, that are peculiar to our rivu- 

 lets. The loche feldom attains to the fize of four inches; and 

 is rendered hideous by a beard that proje^is all round the 

 fnout. Forbidding, however, as this animal may feem, 

 we are told our fportfmen foraetimes fwallow it down 

 ^live in a glafs of wine f . 



H h 2 Th? 



f Guan. Hift. Pifcium, p. aoj, f Briiifli Zoologr. 



