COMMON TROUT, §35 



round that -lake is formed of black and white granite; the 

 bottom of the loch of large boulders of granite gravel, or fine 

 sand; and, except at the edge of one or two small bays, no 

 indication of moss appeared. The colour of the water was clear 

 sienna brown, and more limpid than that of any of the lochs 

 of the same district. The fish were of good size, and in form 

 came near to the accepted idea of symmetry in a Trout; 

 remarkable for the small size of the head, arched back and 

 great depth; the colours were of the highest brilliancy, the 

 upper parts of a rich brown, the lower half and belly a deep 

 golden orange, the spotting numerous but ill-defined, and often 

 of a cruciform shape; the flesh high-coloured. 



We notice this description more particularly, because on some 

 wild doAvns in the parish of Luxulian, in Cornwall, there are 

 large pools in a granite district, in which there are Trout much 

 like those of Loch Craigie, and probably from the operation 

 of a like cause. These pools are in an open country, and have 

 the appearance as if they had been formed by some ancient 

 workings for tin, and are not connected with any river; so that 

 it is not easy to form an opinion how it has happened that 

 any fish could have had access to them. Minnows exist in 

 these pools, and probably constitute the principal food of these 

 orange golden-coloured Trout. However, there are in the same 

 pools some Trout of a larger size and different form, as well 

 as colour, so as to raise the supposition of their being a different 

 species. The first-named have the anterior margin of the dorsal 

 fin and also the adipose red; the upper and lower portions of 

 the tail not rounded, and both the margins red; with no 

 light line on the anterior border of the anal. In the larger 

 fish there is not a mark of red cither on the body or fins; a 

 slight tinge of yellow on the cheeks, and on the body some 

 crossly-marked spots; points of the tail rounded; anterior border 

 of the anal fliintly white. 



The second variety noticed by Sir William Jardine is found 

 in Loch Shin, which is of great extent and depth, on a lower 

 level than Loch Craigie, although only three or four miles from 

 it. The bottom is for the most part rocky, gravelly, or sandy, 

 but to a great extent its banks are mossy, and the Avater is of 

 a very deep brown. The Trout were in a good condition, but 

 remarkable for the lengthened and graceful form of the body 



