
( 321 ) 
XX.—Some Observations on the Charr (Salmo umbla), relating chiefly to its 
Generation and Early Stage of Life. By Joun Davy, M.D., F.R.SS., L. & E., 
Inspector-General of Army Hospitals, &c. 
(Read 15th March 1852.) 
The natural history of the Charr, especially as regards its generation and the 
early period of its life, is admitted to be very defective, partly, no doubt, arising 
from the peculiar habits of the fish withdrawing it from observation, and in 
part, and more, to the circumstance that it is comparatively of rare occurrence, 
being found only in a limited number of the deepest lakes of this country, and, 
with few exceptions, seldom taken by the angler, and consequently a good deal 
removed from the notice of the naturalist. 
' Residing for several years in the neighbourhood of Windermere,—a lake in 
which this fish, though decreasing in number, is still pretty abundant,—I en- 
deavoured to collect information respecting its breeding, the time required for 
the hatching of its ova, and the peculiarities of the young fish after its exclusion, 
but in a great measure in vain. The fishermen of the lake were acquainted with 
its spawning season and the spawning localities; but none of them had ever seen 
a young charr after its quitting the egg, nor till it had attained a notable size. 
Artificial breeding—that process of fecundation which was first tried by 
Count GoxtsreEIN in the middle of the last century, and has since been so success- 
fully employed both in propagating some of the more valuable species of the 
Salmonidee, and in illustrating their history—occurred to me as the only likely 
means of affording the information desired. 
About the same time, viz., in the autumn of 1850, a gentleman, Morris Rry- 
NoLps, Esq., living near thé lake,—through whose garden a small stream of good 
water descends from the hill above, very favourably circumstanced for carrying 
on the process of artificial breeding, —commenced the attempt, after the manner 
recommended by Jacozr. This process is now so well known as hardly to require 
description. I may briefly mention, that two wooden boxes, communicating, were 
used, through which a small current of water was allowed to pass by a grating of 
perforated zinc, over a bed of gravel laid on the bottom of each compartment. 
In these boxes the roe of the fish, for trial, after admixture with the fiuid milt, 
was deposited, each obtained from individuals in the act of spawning, or mature 
for that act, as denoted by both the roe and milt being yielded under gentle 
VOL. XX. PART III. 4s 
