446 Mr. W. Thompson's Notes on British Char. 



firm and red. Loch Corr is described to me as a deep moun- 

 tain-lake or basin, less than a mile in length, with rocks rising 

 precipitously above it at one part ; at another it is shallow 

 and sandy, and here this fish is taken in some quantity 

 when spawning. A beautifully clear river issues from the lake. 

 About fifteen miles from Loch Corr is Loch Killin, situated in 

 the pastoral vale of Stratherrick. Three specimens of Char 

 have thence been brought me. They are remarkably different 

 from the L. Corr example, are of a clumsy form, have very 

 large fins like the Welsh fish, and are very dull in colour — of 

 a blackish leaden hue throughout the greater part of the sides, 

 the lower portion of which is of a dull yellow ; no red appear- 

 ing anywhere. So different indeed is this fish from the Char 

 of the neighbouring localities, that it is believed by the people 

 resident about Loch Killin to be a species peculiar to their 

 lake, and hence bears another name — "Haddy" being 

 strangely enough the one bestowed upon it. This fish is only 

 taken when spawning, but then in great quantities, either 

 with nets, or a number of fish-hooks tied together with their 

 points directed different ways. These, unbaited, are drawn 

 through the water where the fish are congregated in such 

 numbers, that they are brought up impaled on the hooks. 

 The largest of my specimens is 16 inches in length, and others 

 of similar size were brought to my friend at the same time — 

 on the 26th or 27th September, when about a " cart-load" of 

 them was taken. The flesh of some was " white and soft. 

 They contained ova the size of peas *." On dissection my 

 specimens were found to be male and female — externally the 

 sex could not have been told with certainty. Their sto- 

 machs and intestines were empty. This fish bears a resem- 

 blance to the Lough Melvin Char, but differs from it in some 

 characters. It will have been remarked that, in accordance 

 with the Irish fish, the sexes present little difference exter- 

 nally either in form or colour, that their flesh is soft and in- 

 sipid and very pale, and that neither is designated Char. The 

 remarks of Lord Cole on the L. Melvin fish, and of Mr. 

 Langtry on the L. Killin one, were in every respect similar. 

 To the latter gentleman the dozen of L. Melvin fish were shown 

 the day they were received, and in colour, &c, they were pro- 

 nounced just the same in appearance as the L. Killin fish in 

 an equally fresh state. 



In the following instances the Char of Ireland have 



* At this very time, the Char from the neighbouring Loch Corr were in 

 high condition. This is one out of numerous instances which might be ad- 

 duced respecting the different period of spawning in contiguous localities. 



