Sir W. Jardine on the Parr. 57 



ther the difficulty which they appear to have in forming one, 

 whether this fish is distinct, or only the young of some others, 

 has rendered the solution of it interesting. The greatest uncer- 

 tainty, however, latterly resolved itself into, whether the parr 

 was distinct, or a variety, or young of the common trout, S.Ju- 

 rio, — with the migratory salmon it has no connection whatever. 

 What follows is the result of examination and comparison made 

 last month from Tweed specimens. 



Among the British salmonidas, there is no fish where the ha- 

 bits are so regular, or the colours and markings so constant. It 

 frequents the clearest streams, delighting in the shallower fords 

 or heads of the streams having a fine gravelly bottom, and hang- 

 ing there in shoals, in constant activity, apparently day and 

 night. It takes any bait at any time with the greatest freedom, 

 and hundreds may be taken when no trout, either large or 

 small, will rise, though abundant among them. That part of 

 its history only which is yet unknown is the breeding. Males 

 are found so far advanced, as to have the milt flow, upon being 

 handled ; but at that time, and indeed all those females which I 

 have examined, had the roe in a very late state of forwardness, 

 and they have not been discovered spawning upon any of the 

 shallow streams or lesser rivulets like the trout. 



In the markings they are so distinct as to be at once sepa- 

 rated from the trout by any observer. The row of blue marks 

 which is also found in the young trout, and in the young of se- 

 veral salmonida;, in the parr are narrower and more lengthened. 

 The general spotting seldom extends below the lateral line, and 

 two dark spots on the gill-cover are a very constant mark. On a 

 still closer comparison between the young trout and parr of si- 

 milar size, the following distinctions present themselves : The 

 parr is altogether more delicately formed, the nose is blunter, 

 the tail more forked ; but the chief external distinction is in 

 the immense comparative power of the pectoral fin : — it is lar- 

 ger, much more muscular, and nearly one-third broader; and 

 we will at once see the necessity of this greater power, when 

 we consider, that they serve to assist in almost constantly sus- 

 pending this little fish in the most rapid streams. Scales of the 

 parr taken from the lateral line below the dorsal fin, were alto- 

 gether larger, the length greater by nearly one-third, the fur- 

 rowing more delicate, and the I'orm of the canal not so appa- 



