GEN. SALMO. THE PARR. 123 



The Parr is well known to every Scottish angler, 

 even though he be the merest tyro in the Gentle 

 Art. It is extremely plentiful in the greater num- 

 ber of our rivers, especially in the lowlands of Scot- 

 land, delighting in clear running streams with a 

 gravelly bottom. In England and Wales it is also 

 found plentifully in similar situations. They congre- 

 gate in small shoals, and remain in a state of great 

 activity at all times of the day, and apparently in 

 all states of the weather. Unlike the trout, their 

 frequent companion, they seem to feed at all times, 

 and are ever ready to take a bait. Indeed in many 

 of the inferior fishing streams, in the end of summer 

 and beginning of autumn, when they are in a greatly 

 reduced state by a dry season, the Parr is almost 

 the only fish that can be taken with the rod. 

 Their markings are so distinct that they can at all 

 times be easily recognised. Its ordinary length may 

 be stated to be from five and a half to seven inches, 

 although it has been found to reach nine and a 

 quarter. The body is deep in proportion to its 

 length : the head rather blunt ; the tail deeply 

 forked. The number of fin-rays as follows : 



1st D. 12— P. 13— V. 8— A. 10— C. 19. 



The teeth are small and sharp; the whole bones 

 of the skeleton rather delicate ; flesh white. The 

 colour of the back and sides is olive-brown, marked 

 with numerous smaU rounded dark spots ; the sides 

 with a row of eight or nine broad abbreviated dusky 

 bands, or transverse spots, a kind of marking com- 



