THE CHAR AND THE SMELT 275 



are often taken by trout-fishers. Specimens of these Doon char 

 were sent by Mr. Service, of Maxwelltown, to Dr. Gunther, 

 who pronounced them to be the true Saivelinus alpinus. 



Most of the Scottish char belong to the variety classed 

 as Salmo or Saivelinus alpinus ; but those of Loch Bruaich 

 are described by Dr. Gunther as identical with the char of 

 Windermere, and are therefore assigned by him to the species 

 S. Willughbii ; while he makes a distinct species, S. killinensis, 

 of the char from Loch Killin, in Invernesshire, in virtue 

 of the extraordinary development of its fins, the pectoral 

 fins, especially, being nearly as long as the head. Loch Killin 

 is a very secluded sheet of water, 2,000 feet above the sea. 

 The char inhabiting it are said to be of a browner tint than 

 those of England and the rest of Scotland, and dull yellow 

 takes the place of brilliant red in the lower parts. 



The char of Wales, again, or Torgoch, as they are called 

 in Welsh, have been given the honour of specific distinction 

 under the title of Salmo or Saivelinus perisii. But how slender 

 is its claim to specific rank may be seen from Dr. Gtlnther's 

 explanation that it rests only upon the existence of a certain 

 membrane, which is produced into a small flap covering the 

 anterior segment of the nostril. The Torgoch inhabits Llan- 

 berris, Llyn Quellyn, and a few other mountain lakes, and is 

 a very beautiful fish, of graceful form, sea-green on the back, 

 yellowish on the sides, which are ornamented with many 

 reddish-orange sparkles, and vivid red on the lower parts. 

 The cheeks and gill-covers are thickly spotted with black. 



Passing to Ireland, char are found irregularly distributed 

 from Donegal in the north to Cork county in the south. There 

 are two varieties classed as species by Dr. Gunther, Saivelinus 

 Grayi and S. Colii. The last-named variety is found in Lough 

 Eske, in Donegal, and Lough Dan, in Wicklow, and is said 

 never to exceed eight or nine inches in length. They retain 

 the parr-markings permanently, and the belly of breeding 

 males assumes a delicate rosy tint instead of the fiery hues 



