The natural history of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals . e genera. THE COBITID^, OB LOACHES. 361 not belong to them ; and although we are not pre-pared, at present, to adduce equally conclusive evidencethat the loaches are excluded from the Salmonidte, ourinvestigations, as we have shown, have been carriedsufficiently far to render such a supposition highly im-probable. The viviparous nature of the Cobitidoe ne-cessarily carries with it certain peculiarities in thegenerative organs, not necessary, indeed, to be heredetailed; yet of great importance in determining therank
The natural history of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals . e genera. THE COBITID^, OB LOACHES. 361 not belong to them ; and although we are not pre-pared, at present, to adduce equally conclusive evidencethat the loaches are excluded from the Salmonidte, ourinvestigations, as we have shown, have been carriedsufficiently far to render such a supposition highly im-probable. The viviparous nature of the Cobitidoe ne-cessarily carries with it certain peculiarities in thegenerative organs, not necessary, indeed, to be heredetailed; yet of great importance in determining therank of this family in the circle of malacopterygiousfishes. (292.) The loaches, in comparison to the silures,are a very small group, whether we regard the numberof species and forms already known, or the size of thefish themselves. They appear to be more numerous inthe Indian rivers than in those of Europe, while thosegenera, which are found in the New World, are altogetherpeculiar. The common loach of Europe (Cobites bar-batula Linn., fig. 95.), not unfrequent in England, is a. perfect example of the typical structure, and Dr. Hamil-ton has given us a few particulars of other genera,which are almost exclusively found in India. The com-mon loach is generally met with in small running brooks,where, lurking under stones, it searches for worms andinsects; and it swims rapidly when disturbed. It spawnsearly in the spring, and is very prolific: although itseldom exceeds four inches in length, its flesh is es-teemed a great delicacy ; so much so, indeed, as to haveinduced many wealthy persons on the Continent to trans-port them to their own waters. It is said that they owetheir introduction into Sweden to Frederick I., who, at \Cy-2 CLASSIFICATION OF FISHES. much trouble and expense, had them brought fromGermany for this very purpose. The pond loach, , is another European species, but has not yetbeen found in Britain j it is larger than the last, andsometimes grows to a foot
Size: 2818px × 887px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubj, booksubjectfishes, booksubjectreptiles
