I20 BLACK-FINNED J ROUT. 



occurs in greater numbers than the Common Trout; at least my brother-in-law, Lieutenant- 

 Colonel Masefield, and myself caught a great many more Black-Fins than Brown Trout, 

 during our week's visit at Garrison. It was quite easy to fill our baskets with these fish, 

 though a great number were rather small, about eight inches in length. They rise most freely at 

 the fly, are very plucky, and fight strongly to get free; are beautiful in shape and colour; 

 have deep pink flesh, and are unsurpassed as an article of diet for the breakfast or dinner 

 table. I would advise any one who cares more for numbers than size to visit Garrison, where 

 he will be well attended to, in every respect, by Mr. Scott, of the Hotel, and have opportunities 

 of excellent sport with this lively little Salmonoid. The Black-fin occasionally grows to the 

 length of fifteen or sixteen inches, but we seldom took a specimen above ten or eleven 

 inches in length. This species is also found in the mountain pools of Wales, and I have in 

 my possession specimens caught with the artificial fly from a river near Bala Lake, Merioneth- 

 shire. Dr. Giinther mentions the following additional localities for the Black-Fin : — Llyn 

 Beguilin, Merionethshire, Llyn Gadr, Cader Idris, and probably the River Towey, from whence 

 some sterile specimens had been transferred to a fresh-water pond. 



The following is a description of a specimen caught by myself in Lough Melvin, Fermanagh, 

 on the 1 6th. of July, 1878. The length was eight inches and a half, the greatest breadth two 

 inches ; the length of head was nearly two inches ; length of maxillary seven eighths of an 

 inch, breadth a little more than one eighth of an inch ; eye large, three eighths of an 

 inch in diameter ; irides white ; the prseoperculum with a rounded indistinct lower limb ; 

 maxillary reaching to the hind margin of the orbit of the eye; in larger specimens the max- 

 illary reaches beyond that orbit; teeth sharp, but not so strong as \n fario ; the teeth of the 

 vomer, as seen in the mouth, appear to be arranged in a double series, but on dissection 

 this apparently biserial arrangement is seen to be owing to the zig-zag disposition of a single 

 series. The pectorals are long and pointed, the outer and inner margins dark ; in young 

 specimens, when taken immediately out of the water, they are always almost entirely black. 

 The tail is largely developed and deeply forked, the lobes pointed, and smoky black ; adipose 

 fin finely tinged with pink ; the dorsal has numerous large oval black spots. Colour of the 

 head on the sides golden yellowish or olive, with several round dark spots on the gill-cover, 

 which sometimes has an elongated silvery blotch : in some specimens these silvery marks are 

 very indistinct or quite absent. The whole length of the back dark with purplish hue ; spots 

 large, dark, and reticulated ; there are small red spots, sometimes faint in colour, on the lateral 

 line, and a few above and below that line; the scales are small and round, margined with 

 black, silvery in the centre ; body full and thick, belly with a yellowish tinge, or white ; some 

 specimens have the colour of the body more golden than others. The length of the pectoral 

 is always considerably more than half the distance of its base from that of the ventral ; in 5. 

 fario the length of pectoral is not more than half that distance. 



The fin-ray formula is 



Dorsal 12 — 13. 

 Pectoral 13. 

 Ventral 9. 

 Anal II — 12. 



I think this species is the one described by Sir William Jardine in his Illustrations ; he 

 says that when hooked these fish are very strong and lively, and frequently spring out of 

 the water, that the flesh when dressed is pink and highly flavoured. (See pi. ii. fig. i.) He 

 gives Loch Awe as a locality. I am not sure, however, about this ; but in my note-book I 

 have this memorandum made when Sir William's figure was before me, "surely this is nigri- 

 pin?iisy I am unable to refer again to the Illustrations while writing these remarks. 



