FRESHWATER FISHES OF THE SOLWAY AREA 25 



famous for big Pike, and I have a long list of large ones that 

 have been recorded from time to time. First and foremost is 

 the monster taken in Loch Ken towards the end of last century 

 by John Murray, gamekeeper to John, Viscount Kenmure. 

 It is said to have weighed 72 lbs., and, as the old sportsman 

 carried it along for presentation to his master, its head rested 

 on his shoulders, while the tail swept the ground. The skeleton 

 of the head is still preserved in a case in Kenmure Castle, 

 where I have seen it, along with another head of a pike which 

 is very small by comparison, and weighed only 27 lbs. Other 

 local records are — One 32-^- lbs. taken 23d April 1813 in the 

 Castle Loch, Lochmaben, by one of the French prisoners of 

 war: one 45 lbs. April 1830, at Hightae ; one, 43 lbs., 10 

 June 1835, Castle Loch; one, 35 lbs., 1834, in Loch Ken, by 

 a boy named Kenna ; one, 18J lbs., 12th May 1857, Loch- 

 rutton, by the late Mr. Boyd; one, 20 lbs., 24th August 1858, 

 AuchencriefT. Of late years the principal captures have been ; 

 one in Auchenstroan Loch, 32 lbs., got by breaking the ice, 

 January 1881 ; two in May 1887 in the Castle Loch, weighing 

 respectively 32 and 35 lbs. ; one in Carlinwark Loch, 18th 

 June 1889, 20 lbs. ; one in Loch Ken, June 1890, 30 lbs. ; and 

 one of 30 lbs. out of a mere farm pond in Kirkpatrick Durham 

 in June 1891. 



Anguilla vulgaris, Flem. ; A. latirostris, Risso. — Common Eel. — 

 Whether these are distinct species or not may be doubted. 

 Both types are everywhere numerous. 



Aeeipenser sturio, Linn. — The Sturgeon. — Almost every year 

 one or more are captured in the estuaries. They are, how- 

 ever, very rare within the actual limits of the rivers. A small 

 one of three feet in length was seen at the Suspension Bridge 

 in the Nith in June 1890. 



Petromyzon marinus, Linn. — The Sea Lamprey (locally " Ram per 

 Eel "). — Comes up the rivers to spawn, and is fairly common. 



Petromyzon fluviatilis, Linn. — The River Lamprey (locally 

 " Ramper Eel "). — Much more abundant than the last. 



Note. — The American Charr (Salmo fontinalis^ Mitch.) has been 

 put into some of the Stewartry rivers, and also in Loch Doon. The 

 American Black Bass was introduced into the Upper Annan by Mr. 

 Smith of Craigielands. Specimens of both these species have been 

 (aught since their introduction, but sufficient time has not elapsed 

 to pronounce their naturalisation a success. 



