THE POLL AN. 97 



NOTE 

 ON THE GRAYLING AND THE TOLLAN. 



BY HENRY SIMPSON, M.D. 



The author of the foregoing paper having had his attention called to the 

 large quantities of so-called " grayling " which appear on the slabs of the 

 Manchester fish-dealers in the autumn, was at first under the impression that 

 these fish came out of the Derbyshire rivers, and was consequently some- 

 what alarmed with regard to the prospects of his favourite sport on the 

 Wye and kindred streams. Further inquiries, however, elicited the fact 

 that the "grayling" of the fishmongers are obtained from Loch Neagh in 

 Ireland. Specimens of the fish in question were obtained from the Fish 

 Market, the dealer admitting that they were " pollan " or "powan" in 

 Ireland, but "grayling" in Manchester. Specimens of the Bakewell 

 grayling were also obtained, and likewise a fine grayling caught in the Dee 

 by Mr. Eaton, and the whole were submitted to Dr. Simpson, who furnished 

 the following note on the subject : — 



" There is a certain amount of superficial resemblance in the silveiy 

 look of the pollan to the colours of the grayling ; but it is not borne out by 

 close inspection. The scales of the pollan have not the glistening nacreous 

 sheen of those of the grayling, and they are browner — as if sprinkled over 

 with brown dust. The pattern formed by the coalescence of adjoining scales 

 is different in the two, and the lines along the side are more distinct in the 

 grayling than in tTie pollan. The latter has not the pear-shaped, or, rather, 

 perhaps, the lozenge-shaped eye of the former, nor the large and very 

 remarkable dorsal fin which distinguishes the grayling. Both belong to the 

 Salmonidc2, and posses therefore the small adipose fin ; but while one is of 

 the genus Salino, the other belongs to the genus Coregonus. One takes 

 various baits and the fly boldly, while the other, so far as I know, is only 

 obtained by netting. One is a river and the other is a lake fish, and both 

 are well worth cooking. No doubt many of the members of the Association 

 have noticed the extreme brittleness of the grayling as compared with the 

 trout if the neck be broken on taking them out of the landing-net." 



