222 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



to coalesce at their terminations. By the convergence down- 

 wards of the upper long rays, and upwards of the lower ones, 

 the fin assumes a rounded form, instead of presenting the 

 usual broad fan-shaped aspect." I also showed that a similar 

 condition might also affect other fins, more especially the anal 

 and pectoral, though to a less extent than the caudal; the dorsal, 

 however, being normal in every specimen I had examined. 



On the occasion of these fish being first exhibited to the 

 British Association, Dr Grierson of Thornhill mentioned that 

 he had heard of similar " docked " trout having been taken 

 near Wanlockhead in Dumfriesshire, but I have not learned 

 that that gentleman has as yet succeeded in obtaining actual 

 specimens from that locality. The Museum of Science and 

 Art is, however, indebted to Mr Harvie-Brown for two speci- 

 mens of " tailless " trout from Loch Enoch in Kirkcudbright- 

 shire, which he himself recently obtained from Mr Adam 

 Skirving of Croys, These specimens form the subject of the 

 present communication. 



They are both of small size, the larger being 6, the smaller 

 5f , inches in length. They are dark in colour and very closely 

 spotted, and, apart from the peculiarity of the caudal fin, their 

 external appearance is remarkable, owing to the proportionally 

 large size of the head, the length of which, from the tip of 

 the snout to the posterior margin of the operculum, is con- 

 tained little over 3 J times in the total. The form of the 

 caudal fin and the condition of its rays is identical with that 

 in the specimens from Islay, and consequently requires no 

 further description. In both specimens there is also some 

 affection of the rays of the pectoral and anal fins, though this 

 is most evident in the larger individual. The dorsal fin is 

 perfectly normal, as are also the ventrals, although the latter 

 appear a little small in proportion to the size of the fish. 



The disproportionate size of the head gives those fish a 

 somewhat uncouth appearance, which contrasts strangely 

 with the graceful figue of the normal Salmo fario, but there 

 is, however, no evidence of any specific difference. 



The fact of all the trout in a small lake in Islay being 

 affected with this singular condition of the caudal and other 

 fin rays, is a strange enough circumstance in itself, but the 



