260 THE RIVER-SIDE NATURALIST. 



tail is dark, growing lighter as the fish gets older ; the 

 spots extend below the lateral line. 



In the mature sea-trout the cross spots extend as low as 

 the pectoral fins, and in the breeding season, after sea-trout 

 have been in fresh water for some time, in some examples 

 a few red spots, similar to those found in S. fario, appear 

 along the lateral line, particularly in the male, and the 

 silvery abdomen becomes yellowish. 



The body of the sea-trout is not so elegant as that 

 of the salmon. The fins in the larger specimens are 

 somewhat shorter than in the smaller. The ventral fin is 

 on a line beneath the middle or last third of the dorsal ; 

 dorsal somewhat small. The caudal (tail) is very vari- 

 able in form, according to age, &c., sometimes square, 

 sometimes notched, and sometimes convex. The teeth 

 in the young parr are in a double line, but as they get 

 older they become a single line along the vomer, with a 

 transverse row across the posterior edge of the head of 

 that bone. 



Fin-rays: dorsal, 12-14; pectoral, 13-14; ventral, 9 ; 

 anal, 11-13; caudal, 19-21. 



This fish, either under the name of sea-trout, sewin, or 

 white trout, gives almost as much exciting sport, owing to 

 its gameness and courage, as Salmo salar himself. It has 

 been truly said that there is no fish that swims which rises 

 so boldly at the fly, and when hooked shows such fighting 

 powers and such courage. Taking size for size, the sea- 

 trout shows more pluck than the salmon, and there is one 

 peculiarity in favour of the former, he seldom sulks when 

 hooked. He is, as Francis Francis says, " like a champion 

 of light weights, here, there, and everywhere ; now up, 

 now down, now in the water, now out." He fights to the 

 last, even when in the net. A fresh-run sea-trout of from 

 2 Ibs. to 4 Ibs. is worth fishing for. 



The general size of a sea-trout is from I Ib. to 7 Ibs. 

 We have seen some from 10 Ibs. to 16 Ibs. The colour of 

 the flesh is of a peculiar pinky-red, very different to the 

 salmon, and quite different to that of the bull-trout, which 

 is of a yellowish hue with a shade of pink ; and whilst the 



