146 LOCH KILLIN CHARR. 



enough 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 diff'erent 

 ways. Those, 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 

 sixteen inches in length, and others of similar size were brought to my friend at the same 

 time — on the 26th. or 27th. of 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 stomach and intestines were empty. This fish bears a resemblance to 

 the Lough Melvin Charr, but differs from it in some characters." 



Dr. Giinther speaks of this Charr as one of most remarkable form, which in the excessive 

 development of its fins, differs from all the other species known to him from Great Britain 

 and the continent of Europe. "Only Saimo grayi from Ireland, and 5. Jiivalis from Iceland 

 approach it in the length of the pectorals ; but the former cannot well be confounded with 

 it, having much larger scales, and the body compressed and rather elevated ; from the latter 

 it differs in several points of minor importance, and especially in the increased number of 

 pj-loric appendages, which besides are extremely narrow and slender. For specimens of this 

 Charr I am indebted to Mr. Gould, to whom they were sent by Mr. Hanbury Barclay, and 

 who informs me that they inhabit a very retired loch in Invernesshire, Loch Killin, about two 

 thousand feet above the level of the sea. They are caught only in September and October, 

 when they approach the edge of the lake to spawn." — {Proc. Zoo/. Soc, 1865, p. 698.) 



The only specimens of this interesting Charr that I have seen are those in the British 

 Museum ; and through the kindness of Dr. Giinther I have had an opportunity of examining 

 them. It would be impossible to confuse this well marked fish with any other known species. 

 Giinther thus describes it: — "Head and body thick, but slightly compressed; the greatest 

 depth of the body equals the length of the head, and is two ninths of the total length (to 

 the extremity of the central caudal rays). The length of the head is little more than one 

 half of the distance between the snout and the vertical from the origin of the dorsal fin. The 

 lower jaw is rather shorter than the upper ; and the maxillary extends scarcely beyond the 

 hind margin of the orbit in adult males. Teeth very small. Snout obtuse ; eye of moderate 

 size, much shorter than the snout, and about half the width of the interorbital space. Sub- 

 operculum very short and high. Fins excessively developed; pectoral not much shorter than 

 the head ; dorsal long and high, the longest ray being nearly as long as the head (without 

 snout), or shorter than the pectoral fin. The ventral fin extends nearly to the vent; caudal 

 very broad, slightly emarginate. Head, upper parts and fins brownish black ; lower with an 

 orange-coloured tinge in the male ; sides with very small light inconspicuous spots. Anterior 

 margins of the lower fins white or light orange coloured." The specimens are from ten to 

 fifteen inches longf. 



The fin-ray formula is 



Dorsal 14- — 15. 

 Pectoral 13. 

 Ventral 9. 

 Anal 13. 



The illustration was taken from a specimen in the British Museum which was nearly 



fourteen inches long. 



