110 SALMONID^. 



rior, the two forming a rounded angle ; the posterior praeopercular 

 edge descends obliquely backwards. 



The distance of the dorsal fin from the occiput is somewhat less 

 than its distance from the caudal fin. It is somewhat longer than 

 high, and composed of fifteen rays, the two anterior of which are 

 rudimentary, the third half as long as the fourth, which, together 

 with the fifth (first branched ray) forms the highest point of the fin : 

 the last ray is split to the base. The adipose fin is exactly above 

 the end of the anal. Anal higher than long, composed of twelve 

 rays, the two anterior of which are rudimentary, whilst the third, 

 with the fourth (which is the first branched ray), forms the highest 

 point of the fin ; the length of the base of the anal is contained once 

 and one-third in its distance from the caudal fin. Notwithstanding 

 the age of the individual, the caudal Jin is still deeply emanjinate, the 

 length of one of the middle rays being two -fifths of that of the longest. 

 The length of the pectoral equals that of the head without snout, 

 but is much more than that of the ventral, which exceeds one-half 

 of the distance of its root from the anal fin. 



There are 122 transverse series of scales, counted immediately 

 above the lateral line ; twenty-eight scales compose the transverse 

 series descending obliqviely backwards from the origin of the dorsal 

 towards the lateral Hne ; there are twenty-two longitudinal series 

 between the lateral line and the root of the ventral. The transverse 

 line descending obliquely forward from the a.ril of the adipose fin to the 

 lateral line is composed of thirteen scales. All the scales overlap each 

 other, scarcely a trace of the skinny pouches being visible, which cir- 

 cumstance gives a peculiarly bright aspect to the fish. 



The entire fish of the brightest silvery colour, the back being 

 sHghtly shaded with greenish ; irregularly scattered black spots, some 

 of which are as large as one scale, others of the size of three or four 

 scales, occupy the parts above the lateral line. Several round, deep- 

 black spots on the crown of the head and on the opercles, the lateral 

 spots having a light centre : a few black spots on the base of the 

 dorsal. Caudal, inner side of the pectoral, and ventral blackish. 



26, Salmo venernensis. 



Var-lax. 



? Salmo, Artedi, Synon. p. 23, no. 3 ; Genera, p. 12, no. 5 ; Species, 



p. 51, no. 4. 

 Wenerns-lax, Lloyd, Scand. Advent, i. p. 113. 

 Salmo microps, Hardin, Ofvers. Vetensk. Akad. Forhandl. 1861 (1862), 



p. 383. 



B.ll. D. 14. A. 11. P. 14-15. V.9. L.lat. 120. 

 L. transv. 28/34. Yert. 59-60. Ca;c. pyl. 59-62. 

 Attaining to a length of more than 3 feet ; female mature at a 

 length of 



Head rather high, compared with its length ; eye small, its dia- 

 meter being one-fourth, or rather less than one-fourth, of the length 

 of the postorbital part of the head, in specimens from 12 to 24 inches 



