204 PEAL. 



rising to proceed in the contrary direction. That these White 

 Trout are not the same with those which bear the same name 

 in Scottish rivers the Salmo albus of naturalists is certain; 

 and in only one instance, where the example was of unusual 

 size, have I ever seen a few grains of roe in them. The usual 

 length is about six inches, the form closely like that of the 

 Peal, and they are easily distinguished by the brilliant whiteness 

 of the scales; on the back a slight tint of blue or green, with 

 faint dots in some instances, and occasionally a tinge of pink 

 on the adipose fin. 



It may be useful to be aware that the Peal is able to live 

 in the confinement of a pond of fresh water. Four of these 

 fish were taken in a river with a net, and presently conveyed 

 to a nc.,ly-enclosed piece of water of no large dimensions; 

 and after thirteen months they had not altered in any particular. 



The Peal under several names is known in considerable 

 abundance through the whole extent of the British Islands, 

 although perhaps with some variation of form and colour, as 

 is the case with the Salmon and others of this family; but 

 there appears much .difficulty in assigning to this, and indeed 

 most of the other species, the names given by the writers of 

 the continent; the reason of which we suppose to be, that there 

 exist several kinds of the Salmonidce which are not yet clearly 

 defined; so that not a few which have hitherto been judged 

 to be only varieties will at last be discovered to be distinct 

 species. 



From communications received from several districts in the 

 north of our island we have reason to believe that this, under 

 a variety of names, is as widely distributed as any of the 

 same family. An example has been obtained from Robert 

 Embleton, Esq., of Chathill, in Northumberland, under the 

 name of Hirling, f Sahno albelhis,J which measured eleven 

 inches in length, and closely resembled the Peal of Cornwall; 

 and I owe to the same gentleman, among other valuable 

 communications, the substance of a paper by Sir William 

 Jardine, Bart., which is contained in an early number of 

 "The Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club." 

 This gentleman says, "This fish I consider to be the S. albus 

 of Fleming, the Herling or Hirling of the Scotch side of 

 the Solway Firth, the Whiting of the English side, and by 



