752 
SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 
ryssjor, see above, p. 33, fig. 7). It bites freely at a 
bait of the common earth-worm. The qualities of the 
tlesh as an article of food are extolled by some and 
decried by others". This depends in most cases upon 
the manner of dressing it for table, and a Tench may 
lie made into a good dish. The flesh is white, free 
from bones, and firm, but is considered indigestible and 
therefore unwholesome. The muddy flavour which it 
generally possesses, disappears if the fish be scalded in 
hot water before cooking, to remove the thick coat of 
of slime which covers the body. This slime has been 
supposed to deter predatory fishes from attacking the 
Tench. But this is not the case: both the Pike and 
Salmon eat Tench with avidity, and small Tench are 
excellent live-bait, especially in trolling for Pike. 
The Tench, which is known in Sweden as Lin- 
daren, Sutaren (the Danish Slider), and Skomakaretf , 
was regarded by the popular belief of ancient times as 
the physician of the other fishes; and in human medi- 
cine it was employed in several ways. It was used as 
a remedy for ague and a preventive of malaria, by its 
aid jaundice could be removed from the constitution^ 
and its liver was a cure for toothache. 
’(Ekstrom, Smitt.) 
Subfamily LEUCISCINtE. 
Base of the dorsal Jin about equal in length to that of the anal ( the latter varying between 70 and 130 % of 
the former , but less than 16 % of the length of the body). Distance between the dorsal fin and the tip of the 
snout more than twice the length of the head. No spinous ray in the dorsal or the anal fin d . Lateral line ( where 
present) situated at the middle of the depth of the tail or lower. Abdominal margin in front of the vent uninter- 
ruptedly covered with scales in the median line. Mouth without barbels. Length of the lower jaw more than 47 % 
of the base of the anal fin. Pharyngeal cartilage as a rule oblong (oval), rounded or pointed in front. Length 
of the intestinal canal as a rule less than that of the body. 
As we have mentioned above, we have chosen as 
the principal character of the subdivisions of the Cyp- 
rinoid family, the correlative size of the dorsal and 
anal fins. Within the Scandinavian fauna this distinc- 
tion is adequate; but the natural connexion between 
this subfamily and the following one produces hybrid 
forms, which even in our fauna are exceptions to the 
rule — a Bream form (the so-called Abramidopsis Leuck- 
artii) with Leuciscine characters and Leuciscine forms 
( Bliccopsis ) with Abramidine characters. 
The Scandinavian forms belonging to the subfamily 
Leuciscince are distributed among the following genera: 
A: Length of the base of the anal fin less 
than 19 % of the distance between this 
fin and the tip of the snout. 
a: Distance between the dorsal fin and 
the tip of the snout more than 82 % 
of that between the anal fin and the 
same point. Scales small _ Genus Phoxinus. 
b: Distance between the dorsal fin and 
the tip of the snout less than 82 % 
of that between the anal fin and the 
same point Scales of moderate size Genus Leuciscus. 
B: Length of the base of the anal fin more 
than 19 % of the distance between this 
fin and the tip of the snout. 
a: Distance between the dorsal fin and 
the tip of the snout less than 86 % 
of that between the anal fin and the 
same point. Lateral line complete. 
«: Beginning of the dorsal fin situated 
behind the middle of the body. 
Length of the lower jaw less than 
2 /. of that of the head Genus Scardinius. 
(3: Beginning of the dorsal fin situated 
in front of the middle of the body. 
Length of the lower jaw more 
than 2 / 3 of that of the head Genus Aspiits. 
b: Distance between the dorsal fin and 
the tip of the snout more than 86 % of 
that between the anal fin and the 
same point. Lateral line incomplete Genus Leucaspius. 
a An allusion to the contempt with which the Tench was regarded survives in the well-known lines of Ausonius: 
“Quis non et virides vulgi solatia tineas 
Norit’’ . . . 
“Who knows not the green Tench, the mob's delight?’' 
b Sutare and Skomakare both mean shoemaker, a name perhaps derived from the colour of the fish. Tr. 
c Icteri magnes , Linn^us. 
d In Scandinavian forms. 
