108 INTRODUCTION. 



The second class, to which we now proceed, 

 namely, those fish which live partly in fresh water 

 and partly in salt, is still more important, and in- 

 volves the interesting inquiry, how far those natu- 

 rally migratory fish may be made to abandon their 

 habits, and, without detriment, become the denizens 

 of fresh water alone. As to the Basse, Labrax 

 lupus, which belongs to this category, the experi- 

 ment is said to have been completely successful : in 

 Mr. Yarrell's words, " They have been retained with 

 success in Mr. Arnold's fresh-water lake in Guern- 

 sey, and Dr. M'Culloch has vouched for the supe- 

 riority of flavour obtained by the change," (i. 9).— 

 We shall farther illustrate the question by a refer- 

 ence to the family of the Salmonidaa, and shall 

 make a few remarks upon the Sea-trout, Salmon, 

 and Smelt, three species held in the highest estima- 

 tion. 



With respect to the Sea or Salmon-trout, also the 

 Whitling, the White-trout of Ireland, the Phinock 

 of the North of Scotland, Salrno trutta, second in 

 value only to the true Salmon, Dr. M'Culloch 

 stated, nearly twenty years ago, that it was then a 

 permanent resident in a fresh-water lake in the 

 island of Lismore, and without the power of leav- 

 ing it, and reaching the sea. There it has been 

 known for a long course of years, perfectly recon- 

 ciled to its prison, and propagating without any 

 apparent difficulty. It will not be superfluous to 

 corroborate this important fact by a second distinct 

 example, which we take from the interesting pages 



