GILLAROO. 241 



acknowlcdgod, however, as a delicate fish for the table; and, 

 as in some rare instances, it has been suffered to grow to 

 twenty-four pounds, it may sometimes rival even the Salmon 

 in the esteem of the epicure. 



That eminent physiological anatomist, John Hunter, remarks 

 of the stomach of this fish that it cannot justly be ranked as 

 a gizzard, as it is sometimes described, since it wants some of 

 the most essential characters of that organ, which are — a power 

 and motion fitted for grinding, and the horny cuticle. But 

 the stomach of the Gillaroo is more circumscribed than that of 

 most fish — better adapted for small food, and endued with 

 sufficient strength to break the shells of small shell-fish, which 

 will most probably be best done by having more than one in 

 the stomach at a time, and also by taking pretty large and 

 smooth stones into the stomach, which will answer the purpose 

 of breaking, but not so well that of grinding. But this 

 stomach can scarcely possess any power of grinding, as the 

 whole cavity is lined with a fine villous coat, the internal 

 surface of which appears everywhere to be digestive, and by 

 no means fitted for mastication. The stomach of the English 

 Trout is exactly of the same species with that of the Gillaroo, 

 but its coat is not so thick by two thirds. To this Professor 

 Owen adds, (Lectures, part 1, p. 234,) that "it is the ascending 

 or pyloric half of the bent or siphonal stomach that has its 

 muscular parietis unusually thickened, by which it is enabled 

 to bruise the shells of the small fluviatile testaceans that 

 abound in the streams in which this variety of Trout is 

 peculiar." It has been believed that this Trout is confined to 

 Ireland, where, indeed, it is so generally distributed, that it 

 would be superfluous to specify any particular rivers or lakes; 

 but I am informed by Charles W. Peach, Esq., Avho has long 

 resided at Wick, that it is found also in Scotland, at least in 

 a small loch near Inchnadamff Assynt, in Sutherland. 



Of two examples laid side by side, one was more slender 

 towards the tail than the other; but the one selected for 

 description measured ten inches in length, whereas instances 

 are mentioned where this fish has measured nearly thirty 

 inches, with a weight of about twenty pounds; but compared 

 with the Common Trout it is always far stouter, and much 

 more robust. Depth of the specimen in front of the dorsal 



VOL. IV. 'i I 



