THE CHAR 



FROM the angler's point of view char are inferior to trout. 

 They are fairly well distributed over Scotland, England, and Ireland, 

 and are only found in lochs or lakes, except in the spawning season, 

 when they run up rivers to spawn. They are much more local in their 

 habits than trout, swimming mostly in shoals, and usually frequenting 

 the quietest bays in the larger lochs, while in smaller lochs they 

 roam over that portion where food is most abundant. They often 

 grow to 12 oz. or i lb., but the great majority average about 

 four to the pound. The largest I have seen was caught in Loch 

 Ericht, and weighed 2\ Ibs., although as a rule in this loch they are 

 seldom got over a quarter of a pound. This large one, however, may 

 have been a different species, as it was much lighter in colour than 

 the ordinary ones. 



While fishing for trout in the Gaick Lochs near Kingussie I 

 caught many weighing from a half to three-quarters of a pound. In 

 Loch Tay they run about three to the pound. In the lochs at 

 Altnacealgach there are many small char, while in the Baden Lochs in 

 Sutherland they also run small. At Scourie, on the west coast of Suther- 

 land, again, some of the lochs contain large char. Some I caught here 

 and sent to the British Museum were new to natural history, and have 

 been named after the donor. In appearance they are somewhat like 

 sea-trout, being silvery and having very little red on them. The 

 heads are small and the bodies thick. A description of them is given 

 below by Mr. Tait Regan of the British Museum, who is at present 



working at the British char with considerable success. 



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