126 BRITISH FRESHWATER FISHES 



this genus are intermediate between the Trout and 

 the Whitefish. There are about seven closely related 

 species inhabiting North America, Europe, and 

 northern Asia, especially in arctic or alpine streams. 



Our species has the body rather elongate and 

 moderately compressed, with the profile convex from 

 the snout to the dorsal fin ; the head is short and 

 subconical, with the mouth subterminal and rather 

 small, the maxillary about reaching the vertical 

 from the anterior edge of the eye ; the teeth are 

 small, pointed, in a single series in the jaws, on the 

 anterior part of the vomer and the palatines ; the 

 diameter of the eye measures about one-fourth of 

 the length of the head ; the dorsal fin is longer than 

 high, with the free edge convex. 



The coloration is very variable, usually greenish 

 brown or purplish on the back, silvery grey on the 

 sides, and white below ; on the sides a number of 

 dark longitudinal stripes mark the limits between the 

 series of scales, and little scattered blackish spots are 

 usually present also ; the dorsal fin is barred with 

 from three to five rows ot bluish-black spots. It is 

 from the greyish colour that the fish takes its name. 



The Grayling is abundant in the streams of 

 Lapland, Finland, and other parts of the north of 

 Europe, and is common in Switzerland and in the 

 alpine districts of the surrounding countries, ranging 

 southwards to northern Italy. In England and 

 Wales the Grayling is locally abundant, occurring 

 in many streams in the northern and midland 

 counties, also in the Dee, the Severn and its 

 tributaries, and the Avon and Itchen in Wiltshire 

 and Hampshire; it has been introduced into 

 Scotland, but is absent from Ireland. 



