30 THE SPORTING FISH 



Much controversy and many experiments have 

 been devoted to the question, " Will Salmon live 

 and thrive entirely in fresh water that is, in lakes 

 or ponds which have no communication with the 

 sea ? " The answer appears to be in the negative, 

 so far as all practical purposes are concerned. It 

 has been proved that the fish will so far increase 

 under these conditions as to attain a maximum 

 weight of a few pounds ; but the flesh of such fish 

 is comparatively white and insipid, and as an 

 article of food altogether different from that of the 

 sea-bred Salmon. 



The characteristics common to all the Salmon and Trout 

 family (Salmonida) % of which we have several genera in Great 

 Britain, are, bodies scaly ; two back-fins, all the rays of the 

 first fin soft; the second fin adipose or fatty, without rays; 

 numerous gill-rays ; air-bladder large and simple. Of this 

 family, the first genus (Salmo) embraces all fish following the 

 common Salmon and Trout as their types, in which we find 

 the head smooth ; teeth on the vomer, the tongue, both bones 

 of the palate, and on all the jaw-bones above and below; gill- 

 rays varying in number, generally from ten to twelve, but 

 sometimes unequal upon opposite sides ; whilst a great part 

 of the margin of the upper jaw is formed of the maxillary 

 bones. 



In addition to these, and the generic distinctions already 

 given, the Principal Characteristics of the True Salmon are : 



Length of head compared to whole length of fish as i to 5. 

 Body elongated; dorsal and abdominal line about equally 

 convex ; lateral line near middle of body, dividing it about 

 equally. Fleshy portion of tail slender. Scales moderate- 

 sized, oval, and thin, easily removed when young, adherent 

 when old. Teeth stout, pointed, and curved, one line on each 

 side of upper jaw, one line on each bone of palate, one line on 



