266 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
30 Ib. when taken out of the water, and measured 3 ft. 2 in. 
in length and 2 ft. in girth— Yours truly, 
“Wma. McLeop.” 
To which Mr. R. B. Marston, editor of the Fishing 
Gazette, added the following note :— 
‘“‘T always look upon this as the finest trout I have ever 
seen, even a handsomer fish than one of the same weight 
caught in the Lake of Geneva, which I saw some twelve years 
ago.” 
Of Dr. Ginther’s third species, Salmo nigripinnis, the 
black-finned trout from Welsh mountain tarns, also called 
S. cornubiensis, the Cornish trout, I cannot speak from 
observation; but I remain very sceptical about the perma- 
nence of the features which have been relied upon as specific. 
Now, as to the outward appearance of our common trout, 
it is very difficult, owing to its variability, to give a precise 
description. Moreover, there is the widest possible difference 
in the same individual at different seasons. The most usual 
coloration of an adult trout in the best condition—say in the 
month of June—consists of a brownish or olive ground tint, 
passing into gold on the flanks and pure white on the belly. 
The back varies from nearly black to olive green or pale 
brown; the dorsal fin and sides are more or less thickly 
spotted with black, in most instances mixed with smaller spots 
of bright scarlet. Trout often retain through life the parr- 
markings—those dark vertical bars so characteristic of the 
young of salmonoid fish ; but that is only the case when want 
of space or food interfere with their development in size. It 
is very seldom that these bars can be detected in a fish of 1 Ib. 
and upwards. The skin of the body is covered with minute 
thin and circular scales, which reflect a metallic or roseate 
lustre, making it difficult to define the real ground tint; but 
all these shades and hues are subject to modification or con- 
cealment by the deposit of guanin under the scales, consequent 
upon certain favourable conditions of water and food. When 
