GENERAL FEATURES 



55 



Every angler will recognise in the first part of this description the 

 " wrist " which, with the more spreading and fleshier lobes at the base 

 of the tail (Fig. 12 (i)), enables one to hold a salmon with comparative 

 ease. As to the marginal .shape of the tail it is less easy to refer a 

 particular salmon or sea-trout, for purposes of identification, to any 

 constant abstract standard. In the young of b(jth species the tail is 

 markedly forked or notched, and as both fish grow to maturity the notch 

 fills up till the margin of the tail in each becomes perfectly straight. 

 In old fish, in both cases, the tail tends to become even round in outline. 

 It is not probable that both fish would often tally weight for weight and 

 age for age at the same time, but in a case where a grilse of 4 lb. weight 

 and a sea-trout of equal weight were in contrast, the tail of the grilse 

 would still be forked while that of the sea-trout would be perfectly 

 straight or even rounded, in its outline. 



Dealing with the fins Mr. Regan also points out that " In adult 

 Salmon the anal fin is less pointed than in Trout, so that when it is laid 

 back the last rav usually extends farther than the longest, the reverse 

 obtaining in the Trout." A reference to the fish themselves will clearly 

 show the distinction indicated. I have endeavoured in the diagram 

 (Fig. 12) to show the main distinctions between the tails and anal fins 

 of salmon and sea-trout and to contrast their scales. 



Lastly Mr. Regan points out that " The maxillary extends to (in 

 Grilse or small Salmon) or a little beyond (in large fish) the vertical 

 from the posterior margin of the eye, being shorter than in the Trout." 

 Put rather more crudely the trout has a longer jaw and consequently a 

 relatively bigger mouth than the salmon (Figs. 13 and 14). 



I make no apology for thus stating Mr. Regan's distinctions in his 

 own words. I myself profess to have no scientific knowledge, and in 

 this matter prefer to offer the reader the safe guidance of his expert 

 authority. 



It is interesting that Mr. Malloch makes no allowance for variation 



