FAMILY SALMONIDjE. 235 



FAMILY SALMON IDsE. 



Body more or less scaly. Two dorsals ; the first with articulated rays, the second adipose. 

 Numerous ceecal appendages, and an air-bladder . Excessively voracious. Great varia- 

 ■ tion in the armature of the jaws. Inhabiting fresh and salt water. 



GENUS SALMO. 



Branchial membrane with more than eight rays. Anal Jin with less than thirteen rays. 



THE BROOK TROUT. 



Salmo fontinalis. 



PLATE XXXVIII. FIG. 120. 



S. fontinalis, New-York Trout. Mitchill, Report in part, &c. p. 52. 



S. id., Common Trout. Id. Trans. Lit. and Phil. Soc. Vol. 1, p. 345. 



Red Spotted Trout. Dodghty, Cabinet Nat. Hist. Vol. 1, p. 145, pi. 13. 



Nae-York Char. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 3, p. 17C, pi. 83, fig. 1, and pi. 87, fig. 2. 



S. fontinalis. Storek, Report on the Fishes of Massachusetts, p. 106. 



Characteristics. With vermilion dots, and larger yellow spots in the vicinity of the lateral 

 line. Gill-covers with no defined spots. Length 6-20 inches. 



Description. Body oblong, compressed ; back broad and rounded. Head sloping nearly 

 symmetrically from above and beneath ; equal to one-fifth of the total length, or equal to the 

 interval between the ventrals and anal. Scales minute, oblong, imbedded in the skin. Late- 

 ral line slightly curved downward. Nostrils equidistant between the eyes and snout, with a 

 double opening ; the posterior closed by a valve. Branchial rays twelve. Labial armed with 

 numerous acute incurved teeth, nearly to the extremities ; somewhat shorter on the interma- 

 xillaries. Tongue with from four to six teeth on each side. About twelve recurved teeth on 

 each side of the palatines, and from six to eight on the vomer. 



The first dorsal fin equidistant between the pectoral and the adipose fin ; quadrate, with its 

 base equal in length to the fourth or fifth ray ; the first ray very short, and the two following 

 gradually longer; from the fifth, the rays gradually diminish in length to the last; the first 

 three rays simple. Adipose dorsal somewhat pointed behind, and nearly equal in length to 

 the diameter of the eye ; it is placed above the last four rays of the anal. Caudal deeply 

 emarginate. The intestines scarcely exceed the body in length. Stomach stout and mus- 

 cular, filled with remains of earth-worms, water beetles, etc. ; caeca numerous. Air-bladder 

 occupying the whole length of the abdomen, simple, cylindrical, slightly tapering behind. 



Color. Body above with irregular dark markings on a horn-colored ground, which, in freshly 

 taken specimens, gives bluish metallic reflections. Sides bluish, mixed with silvery white ; 

 the whole underside silvery. Upper part of the head dark greenish brown, with obscure 



