ASP. 
785 
females than in the males, begins at a distance from 
the tip of the snout measuring 62 — 67 % of the length 
of the body. The length of its base is about 1 3 1 / 2 — 
147 2 % of that of the body, and its height about 16 — 
13 7 2 % of the same, the base being as a rule in the 
young less than, in old specimens equal to or greater 
than, the height. The base is also as a rule about equal 
to the length of the ventral tins, which measures about 
14 % of that of the body. The distance between the 
ventral fins and the tip of the snout is about 43 — 46 
% of the length of the body, being greatest in the fe- 
males, where the preabdominal length is thus about 7 4 
of the length of the body, while in the males it is only 
about 7 9 thereof. The postabdominal length, which is 
also greater in the females, varies with age between 
about 20 and 23 % of the length of the body. The 
outer posterior corner of the ventral tins is indeed 
pointed, the second simple or the first branched ray 
being the longest; but the succeeding rays are only 
slightly shorter, and sometimes, especially in the young, 
the outer posterior margin of these fins, when expanded, 
is somewhat rounded. The pectoral fins are pointed, 
with a distinct contraction at the hind margin within 
the tip, calling to mind the genus Pelecus; their length 
is about 17- or 18 % of that of the body. The caudal 
fin with its pointed lobes, the lower somewhat longer 
than the upper, is deeply forked, the length of the 
middle rays being in young specimens about 9 %, in 
old about 7 or 6 %, of that of the body, or in the 
former about 38 %, in the latter about 31 %>, of that 
of the longest caudal rays. 
The scales are of moderate size and of the same 
type as in Leuciscus both in form and texture, save that 
the concentric strife on the free (hind) part are more 
distinct, coarser, and more scattered; and as in Leu- 
ciscus, their nucleus is fairly central. Their number in 
an oblique transverse row between the ventral fins and 
the lateral line is 7 ; but on counting vertically up- 
wards we find only 6 longitudinal rows". 
The coloration as a whole conforms to the Leu- 
ciscine type, varying according to age, season, and en- 
vironments. The colours of the young are lighter, of 
old specimens darker. The olive green back with its 
steely lustre passes towards the sides into a silvery 
or brassy hue, and the belly is white. Especially pretty 
is the brassy or golden and silvery lustre on the sides of 
the head, which are finely punctated with dark green. 
The iris is mostly silver white, but the pupil is encircled 
by an almost golden yellow (sometimes paler) ring, and 
the upper part of the iris displays a brassy tinge with 
a shading of dark dots. The dorsal and caudal fins are 
of the same colour as the back, though with a stronger 
dash of blue (violet) and red, and with dark margins. 
The other fins usually shade into red and yellow; but 
in the female our figure represents in her spawning- 
dress, they were darker. In this dress might also be 
traced — though they became more prominent under 
the action of the spirits in which the specimen was 
preserved — the 8 dark stripes along the sides above 
the lateral line, formed by a dark streak along the 
middle of each scale’s free surface, and shown in the 
above-quoted figure by Marsigli. 
The Asp belongs properly to South-eastern Europe, 
but is also common in the central parts of this con- 
tinent. In Switzerland and Western Europe, even in 
Denmark, it is wanting. It is most frequently found, 
however, only in large lakes and rivers, but does not 
shun the brackish water on the coast, e. g. in the Haffs 
of Northern Germany and Lake Dassower (the mouth of 
the Trave). In Sweden its range is almost confined to 
the Malar valley and the basin of Lake Wener. It 
also occurs, however, in the Dal Elf (at least in* Lake 
By, a broad on this river in the south-east of Dale- 
carlia 6 ), in the Em (Calmar), and, according to Malm c , 
in the Helge (Christianstad). In Lake Wetter and the 
neighbouring waters it has never been found. That it 
also inhabits the Baltic island-belts, is more than pro- 
bable, for the large female represented in our figure 
was taken at Sjbtullen outside Stockholm. Muller 1 * 
assigned it to the Norwegian fauna under the name of 
Blaa-spol; but, according to Collett, the only Nor- 
wegian waters inhabited by this species are Lake Ojeren, 
from which it ascends in spring the Lersundselv and 
Nitelv, and that part of the Glommenelv which is below 
Lake Ojeren. In Finland the Asp is known with cer- 
tainty only from the extreme south-west, but according 
a Sometimes only 4, according to Dybowski. 
b According to information received from Dr. Steffenburg by Lilljeborg. See also the above-cited report of the Swedish Fisheries 
Commission. 
c See also Retzius, Fn. Saec. Lin. 
d Zool. Dan. Prodr., p. 51. 
