THE POWAN, POLL AN, VEND ACE, AND GRAYLING 285 



and some thirty-five to forty years ago this was rather a big 

 annual event. 



" As for the present status of the vendace, I hear from time 

 to time of small takes by net (the Lochmaben magistrates, I 

 believe, give the requisite permission) of a dozen or maybe two. 

 It has always been a very unusual thing to take more than a 

 very few dozens, big and wee fish, all told. I have no reason 

 to believe that this most interesting species is less numerous, 

 or perhaps I should say more scarce, than ever it was." 



That vendace in Lochmaben should be few in number is 

 no wonder ; the marvel is that they should have maintained 

 their existence in small shallow pools swarming with pike. 

 They cannot be very numerous in the English Lake District, 

 for Mr. John Watson, in all his long experience, has only 

 seen half a dozen specimens in all. They never take fly or 

 bait, and can only be caught in nets. 



GENUS THYMALLUS 



The genus Thymallus is very closely akin to that of 

 Coregonus, and was treated as one therewith by Artedi and 

 Lacepede ; but modern ichthyologists have separated it, chiefly 

 on account of the long, many-rayed dorsal fin. It consists 

 of five species, whereof only one is British. 



The Grayling (Thymallus vulgaris] 



FINS. 



First Dorsal : 20 to 23 rays. 

 Second Dorsal : Rayless, adipose. 

 Pectoral: 16 rays. 

 Ventral ; 10 or n rays. 

 Anal : 13 to 16 rays. 



TEETH. 



Small teeth in the jaw bones, on 

 the head of the vomer and 

 the palatines. None on the 

 tongue. 



In the grayling we come back to the true game fish, for 

 he is only second to the brown trout in the esteem of fair 

 anglers. Nevertheless, it happens sometimes that this choice 



