NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 183 



The Natural History of the Par. 



The following observations on the par are the 

 result of practical experience during twelve or 

 fourteen successive years ; and, though differing 

 in some points from the general received opinion, 

 they coincide with the remarks of a few intel- 

 ligent friends, who have lately devoted much time 

 and attention to the subject. 



Although the history of the par may at first 

 appear scarcely worth the trouble of investiga- 

 tion, yet this is not really so ; for independently 

 of its interest as a long-disputed question in 

 natural history, various legislative provisions 

 have, from time to time, been made on the 

 assumed nature and species of this curious little 

 fish ; indeed, so various and contradictory are 

 the opinions entertained respecting it, that, on 

 consideration of all that has been said and written 

 upon the subject, the naturalist is inclined to 

 believe nature expressly intended it as an enigma 

 for the solution of the curious, with the per- 

 plexing properties of changing its form and cha- 

 racter, as the chameleon was formerly said to do 

 its colours, to every individual observer. 



The par, skirling, fingerling, graveling, last- 

 spring, shedder, sampion, rackrider, or smelt, — 

 for by all these names, and many others, it is 

 locally known — is a small fish, seldom exceeding 

 six inches in length, though usually found much 



