284 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 
the vendace was introduced into Scotland from the Continent 
by Mary Queen of Scots. Rapidity was not a conspicuous 
feature of transport in the sixteenth century, and we have 
Sir William Jardine’s assurance that the vendace is so delicate 
a fish, with such a slender hold upon life, that it will not 
endure a journey. Moreover, this species is unknown on the 
Continent of Europe, and is to be found only in a group of 
small lakes at Lochmaben, in Dumfriesshire, in Windermere, 
Derwentwater, Bassenthwaite Lake, and the river Greta. 
In almost every respect the vendace resembles the other 
two British species of Coregonus. Its habits are similar, save 
that in Lochmaben there is no very deep water for it to 
retire to; it is gregarious and herring-like in its movements, 
and spawns in autumn in the shallows. In appearance it is 
distinguished from its near kin by rather larger scales (sixty- 
eight to seventy-one along the lateral line, as against seventy- 
three to ninety in the powan), by the slight projection of the 
under-jaw, and by the possession of two fewer vertebre than 
the powan (fifty-six instead of fifty-eight). 
The vendace was of old held in high repute as a delicacy, 
and two local clubs were wont to hold an annual feast at 
Lochmaben for the discussion of the same. These have ceased 
to exist, and I am indebted to Mr. Service, of Maxwelltown, 
an experienced naturalist, for the following report upon the 
condition of what was once a somewhat famous institution :— 
“The Vendace Club was still in existence in 1869, but 
was wound up in 1870 or 1871. No doubt the old minute 
books and other papers are still in the possession of Messrs. 
John Henderson and Sons (late Sir W. Brown and J. 
Henderson), Dumfries, but buried amongst the débris of 
this old legal firm, as their cellars are choke-full of papers. 
The St. Magdalene Vendace Club, an organisation of a very 
decided democratic kind, ceased shortly before the more 
aristocratic society. After fishing the lochs for vendace in 
the usual way, they held a meeting for Border games, etc., 
