148 MALACOP. ABDOM. SALMON FAMILY. 



trouts. The head is small, the snout flattened at 

 the top, rounded at the extremity ; irides golden 

 yellow, pupil blue ; tongue without teeth, the vo- 

 mer having only a few on its anterior part; the 

 lateral line at first descends a little, and is afterwards 

 straight ; the scales are large and arranged in lon- 

 gitudinal rows, there being seven above the lateral 

 line and an equal number below it. The fin rays 

 are, 



D. 20 P. 15 V. 10 A. 13 C. 20. 



The colour of the body is light yellowish brown, 

 with varied reflections according to the light in 

 which it is viewed, and about fifteen dusky longi- 

 tudinal bands along the sides. The fins are darker 

 than the body, and the dorsal is spotted between 

 the rays in the form of transverse bands. 



The natural history of the Grayling has been 

 carefully investigated by Sir H. Davy, and is de- 

 tailed in his Salmonia in a very interesting manner. 

 " The habits of the Grayling/' he says," " like those 

 of most other fish, are very simple. He is, I be- 

 lieve, to a certain extent gregarious, more so than 

 the Trout, and less so than the Perch. lie is in his 

 highest or most perfect season in the end of Novem- 

 ber or beginning of December, when his back is 

 very dark, almost black, and his belly and lower 

 fins almost gold-coloured; but his brightness, like 

 that of most other fishes, depends a good deal upon 

 the nature of the water : and on the Continent, I 

 have seen fishes far more brilliantly coloured than 



