S28 



CYPRINID^. 



ABDOMINAL 

 MALACOPTERYGII. 



CYPRINID^. 



THE TENCH. 



Tinea vulgaris, Cuvier, Regne An. t. ii. p. 273. 



,, ,, Tench, Flem. Brit. An. p. 186, sp. 61. 



,, ,, Tinea, WiLLUGHBY, p. 251, Q. 5, fig. 1. 



Cyprinus tinea. Block, pt. i. pi. 14. 



,, „ Tench, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. iii. p. 474. 



,, „ „ Don. Brit. Fish. pi. 113. 



Generic Characters. — To those common to the Gudgeons (Cofoio), maybe 

 added, that the scales are very small, the mucous secretion on the surface of 

 the body abundant, the barbules or cirri very small. 



The Tench was known to the older writers, but was 

 not lield in much estimation. In the present day it inha- 

 bits most of the lakes of the European continent. In this 

 country, though frequent in ornamental waters and ponds, 

 it is but sparingly found in the generality of our rivers. 

 There is some doubt whether, like the Carp, its origin be 

 not foreign, and whether those rivers that can now boast 

 of it are not indebted for it to the accidental escape of fish 

 from the preserved waters of neighbouring gentlemen. In 

 rivers it is mostly in those which are slow and deep, 

 that this fish is found, and in such situations it does 



