176 PHYSOSTOMI. 



Hybrids with Leuciscus erythr ophthalmias. 



Leuciscus affinis, Cuto\ and Val. xvii, p. 250. 



Scardiniopsis ancepk Jackel, Abhand. z. — m. Ver. Regensb. 1864, p. 64, and 

 1865, p. 44. 



Hybrids ivith Abramis blicca. 



Abramis abramo-rutilus, Holandre, Fauna Depart. Moselle, p. 246. 

 Abramis buggenhagii, Selys-Longch. Fauna Beige, p. 216. 



Bliccopsis abramo-rutilus (pt.), Siebold, 1. c. p, 142; Jackel, 1. o. 1864, p. 53, 

 and 1865, p. 40. 



B. iii, D. 11-13 ( ¥ r T V), P. 16-18, V. 9-10, A. 12-13 feV). C. 19, L. 1. 42-45, 

 L. tr. 7£-3£/6£. 



Length of bead 5 to 5f, of caudal fin 5| to 5f, beigbt of body 3f to 4| in 

 tbe total length. Eyes — situated very slightly above the centre of the height of 

 the head, the diameter of each 3|- to 4 times in the length of the head, 

 1 to li diameters from the end of the snout, and 1\ apart. Body somewhat 

 elevated and compressed. Mouth anterior, the jaws of nearly equal length, and 

 the cleft of the mouth a little oblique ; the maxilla reaches to beneath the 

 posterior nostril. Teeth — pharyngeal teeth in a single row 5 or 6 — 6 or 5 (only 4 

 are said to be present in some examples), in some the left side has one more than 

 the right. They are somewhat hooked and pointed at their extremities, but 

 become ground down with age. Fins — dorsal, commences midway between the 

 end of the snout and the base of the caudal fin, its height anteriorly being one- 

 fifth more than the length of its base. Pectoral as long as the head, excluding 

 the snout. Ventrals inserted on a vertical line beneath the first ray of the dorsal 

 fin ; they are slightly longer than the pectorals, but do not reach to the anal, the 

 length of the anterior rays of which latter fin are a little longer than the extent 

 of its base. Caudal deeply lobed, the length of the central rays being about 

 two-fifths of that of the longest outer one. Scales — 4 rows between the lateral 

 line and the base of the ventral fin ; about 17 rows anterior to the base of the 

 dorsal fin. The abdominal edge, between the base of the ventral and the insertion 

 of the anal, somewhat compressed, but not sharp. Lateral-line — slightly concave 

 anteriorly above the base of the ventral fin, and situated between the middle and 

 lower third of the depth of the body. Pseudobranchise moderately developed. 

 Colours — superiorly bluish or greenish, becoming lighter on the sides and beneath. 

 Lower fins reddish-yellow, in some localities red ; dorsal and caudal dusky, with 

 blackish outer margins. 



Varieties. — Several have received distinct names owing to the proportions of 

 the body differing, some being more elongated than others, this variation being 

 often due to size or else to the colours being pale or otherwise unlike the typical 

 form. 



Names. — " Sound as a Roach," is a proverb that appears to be but indifferently 

 founded, that fish being not more distinguished for its vivacity than many others; 

 yet it is used by the French as well as us, who compare people of strong health 

 to their Gardon, our Roach (Pennant). Some have asserted that the proverb 

 was as "sound as a Rock," and the old Roche Abbey shows that the ancient mode 

 of spelling "rock" was "roche," while Ray gives it as "sound as a trout." 

 Sometimes termed red-dace from the colour of its fins. Mr. A. Walker informs 

 me that at Chester this fish is termed Roach-dace. Rhyfell, Welsh. Braise, 

 Scotland. Scylga, reohha, reohche, heoce, Anglo-Saxon. Be Blanlc-Voorn, Dutch. 

 Be Gardon commun, French. 



In heraldry three roach are borne in the arms of the De la Roche family. 



Habits. — A gregarious fresh-water fish, preferring clear and deep but still 

 rivers and quiet waters, and although, observes Parnell, the sea is not the natural 

 abode of the roach, yet sometimes it is found there, being carried down from 

 rivers and lakes after high floods. He saw five examples, taken from the salmon 

 nets in the Solway Firth, in the month of June, and stated that they are frequently 

 taken there after a flood. But that this migration must be very gradually effected 

 the following observation from Montagu would seem to show. A small river in 



