40 SALMONIA. 



these are very small. I have always remarked, 

 in this river, that the nearer the fish approach 

 to perfection, the colour of the body becomes 

 more uniform, — pale olive above, and bright 

 silver below ; and these qualities are always 

 connected with a small head, — or rather, an 

 oval body, and deep red flesh. 



PoiET. — May not the red spots be marks 

 of disease — a hectic kind of beauty ? For I 

 observed in a very thin and poor fish, and 

 great-headed, that I caught an hour ago, 

 which had leeches sticking to it, a number of 

 red spots, and a long black back, and black 

 or bluish marks even on the belly. 



Hal. — I do not think red spots a symptom 

 of disease ; for I have seen fish in other rivers, 

 and even small fish in this river, in perfectly 

 good season, with red spots ; but the colours 

 of fish are very capricious, and depend upon 

 causes which cannot be easily defined. The 

 colouring matter is not in the scales, but in 

 the surface of the skin immediately beneath 

 them, and is probably a secretion easily affected 

 by the health of the animal. I have known 

 fish, from some lakes in Ireland, mottled in a 



