FRESH- WATER TROUT— LOCHLEVENS, COLOURS AND HABITS. 227 



As regards the colour* of the adipose dorsal fin, on June 5th, 1886, I examined 

 this in many Lochlevens, from pond 9 ; the first was rising 2 years, and 5 inches 

 long. It had two black spots on the adipose dorsal, but not a trace of orange and no 

 red spots on the body ; and several more subsequently looked at were the same. 

 Three had a slight orange tinge on the adijMse fin, and likewise a few red spots 

 on the body ; in fact this fin was orange-tinted in all wherein red spots existed 

 on the sides, and the presence of these red spots was the exception, not the rule. 

 Passing on to the nursery ponds, we examined a few under-sized Lochlevens 

 which had not fed well ; all had their bodies red-spotted and also red on the 

 adipose dorsal fin, while the rayed dorsal had a more distinctly black white-edged 

 margin than was generally seen. Some of the fish had two, three, or four black 

 spots on this fin. These fish would at once have the brook trout livery and not pass 

 through the normal silvery stage — a stage that has been erroneously asserted to 

 be an infallible test of whether a trout is migratory and sea-going'. In August I 

 examined a number of the two-year-olds of these fish, which were removed from 

 the Howietoun ponds, and only a trace of orange was apparent in the adipose 

 fins of some, but the white front edge to the dorsal and anal fins was not 

 uncommon. 



Many statements have been made as to the number of the par bands extending 

 along the sides of trout, and some naturalists apportion two or three more to the 

 anadromous than to the fresh-water forms (p. 158 ante). But I have already 

 shown (p. 172) that those numbers are inconstant, and that I have counted 

 from eight to seventeen, and all the intermediate numbers, in undoubted young 

 Lochlevens. 



I have already (p. 145 ante) referred to how a hybrid between a Lochleven 

 trout and salmon par showed an orange edging to the adipose dorsal fin, whereas 

 not only is such absent in both young salmon and young Lochlevens, but present 

 in many sea trout with which young Lochlevens have been compared. 



I assume it cannot be denied that the Howietoun fish are in every respect similar 

 to those of Loch Leven, from whence the breed was derived. This variety is 

 sometimes, not always, finer shaped towards the tail, and when young has a rather 

 shorter head than is seen in the ordinary brook trout. Its maxillary bones, when it 

 remains in its native locality, are somewhat finer than in our oi-dinary river trout ; 

 its csecal appendages are more in number ; while its colour differs, being as a rule 

 silvery with black, but no red spots up to its fourth or fifth year, but as already 

 remarked, all these characters are liable to change if removed to a new locality. 

 This fish doubtless is a rapid grower in its northern home ; and the race at Howie- 

 toun has been much improved by selection of breeders ; but removing the eggs to 

 a new locality and then rearing the young has shown that the form and colour of 

 the local race of trout is, as a rule, assumed, while even the number of coecal 

 appendages becomes altered, owing to changed condition of life.f 



Variety. — One was taken, October 15th, 188(3, at Howietoun, which had the 

 basal half of its caudal fin spotted with black, otherwise it was slate-coloured. 



Habits. — These are similar to what have been remarked in the brook trout 

 (see p. 204 ante). During the breeding season it has been observed that some adults 

 have abraded snouts, apparently due to rubbing or routing up the ground for eggs, 

 but as such is not seen among unripe fish, it has been suggested that it may be 

 consequent on their searching for suitable places in which to form redds, and 



* A brook trout 5 inches long, taken from the brook, had 10 vermilion spots along the lateral- 

 line, and two rows below it, also some irregularly disposed ones on the body with a considerable 

 number of black spots ; and black and red ones on the dorsal fin, which, and also the ventral and 

 anal, had a white dark-based front edge (see also p. 172 ante). 



t Mr. Andrews (MSS. Nov. 1886) finds in his " Fish-Cultural Establishment " at Guildford 

 that " eggs of the Lochleven trout from Howietoun do very well with him ; they are hatched in 

 water coming from chalk, and reared where it comes from a gravelly soil. The young grow 

 more rapidly, and are deeper in form than seen at the same age in their native home. The year- 

 lings have the tip of the adipose dorsal fin and edge of the tail fin red, and there are also some 

 red spots on the body, in common with young of the brook trout and some reputed as S. ferox.'' 

 Mr. Andrews continued that he " knows of no tiitmistakable peculiarities observable in the fore- 

 going three varieties of British trout ;" and I question if anyone else is able to point such out. 



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