64 
MINNOW. 
MINNIS. PINK, 
Variua or Phoxinus Imvis, Jonston. 
Phoxinus, Willoughby j PI. 28, 1, p. 268. 
Oyprinus phoxinus, Linnieus. Donovan ; PI. 60. 
“ Jenyns; Manual, p. 415. 
Leuciseus phoxinus Ctn'iEii. Bloch; p. 8, f. 5. 
Fleming; British Animals, p. 188. 
* Yabkell; British Fishes, vol. i, p. 423. 
It appears from the writings of Jonston and Eondeletius that 
some other species has been confounded with our well-known 
Minnow, and that the Phoxinus and Varius of ancient authors 
are to be regarded as distinct; so that it becomes in some 
degree uncertain whether the remarks that will be extracted 
from Aristotle with reference to its habits, are applicable to 
one or the other; although indeed we suppose they may be 
more correctly referred to both. The Phoxinus, which is termed 
Squamosm or the Scaly, may belong to the genus Lc^ciscus, 
and has been supposed to be the fish denominated by Linmeus 
Cyprinus hipunctatus; but it is beyond doubt that the Varius 
of Eondeletius is our Minnow. 
As its name implies, this fish is the smallest of the British 
species of this family. It appears also to be the most exten- 
sively distributed, and yet it is remarkable that it was not 
originally a native of the Irish rivers; its introduction into 
that island not having taken place at a much earlier date than 
the beginning of the present (nineteenth) century, and it is 
not, even at this time, to be found in many situations that 
appear well fitted to its nature. But where it has been con- 
veyed it multiplies as freely as in England. In Scotland also 
