SIB WILLIAM JABDINE ON THE PARK. 83 



state. Neifhor have they been seen in an advanced state at any other 

 season, or discovered spawning upon the shallower streams, like the 

 common trout. It is probable that this little fish may also be found 

 in some of the continental alpine and subalpine streams, but I cannot 

 say so from observation. In the north of Europe I suspect it is wanting; 

 and in our late excursion to Sutherland, a perceptible decrease of its 

 numbers was observed towards the north. It should also be observed, 

 that I have never seen the parr^ or been able to find any traces of it, 

 except in rivers which had an uninterrupted intercourse with the sea. 

 The size is from three to six inches in length ; very rarely specimens 

 reach eight and nearly nine inches. It abounds in nearly all the 

 Berwickshire rivers. 



The general colour on the upper parts is a greenish-grey, chang'ng 

 to a pure silvery white on the lower parts, which, however, are some- 

 times tinted with yellow. When the streams which they frequent are 

 impregnated with moss from some of the small alpine sources, upon 

 each side is a row of oval-shaped marks of a deeper tint, and more 

 inclining to bluish-grey than that of the upper parts ; and it is probable 

 that from a somewhat similar marking being seen in the young of the 

 common trout, and the young of several other Salmonidee, the supposi- 

 tion of this being identical with some of them was first surmised. In 

 the 'parr these markings are narrower and more lengthened in their 

 form. The general smaller spotting of the sides seldom extends below 

 the lateral line, and vipon the gill- cover there are almost always two 

 black spots ; sometimes one is only distinctly marked, but a trace of 

 the other is mostly perceptible, and the relative position of them is 

 almost always alike. In comparison with a trout of similar size, the 

 farr is altogether more delicately formed ; the nose is blunter ; the 

 tail more forked ; but the chief external distinction is in the great 

 comparative power of the pectoral fins, which are longer, much more 

 muscular, and nearly one-third broader ; and we shall at once see the 

 necessity of this greater power, when we consider that they serve to 

 assist in almost constantly suspending this little fish in the most rapid 

 streams. Scales of the parr^ taken from the lateral line, were alto- 

 gether larger, the length greater by one-third ; the furrowing more 

 delicate, and the form of the canal not so apparent or so strongly 

 marked towards the basal end. In the osteology of the head, which 

 appears to offer the most constant and well-marked distinctions in 

 this tribe, the general delicacy (still continuing the comparison with a 

 trout of same size) of the bones is in all parts kept up. The opircle, 

 foi-ming the posterior edge of the gill-covers, is much more rounded, 

 approaching, in this respect, to the form of it in th<j salmon ; in the 

 trout, the lower corner is decidedly angular. The i7iter opercle is longt r 

 and narrower. The maxillary bone is much shorter, but broader at the 

 posterior end, whence the much shorter or less gape in the ])arr. Tho 

 vomer is much weaker. The bones of the rays of the gill-coveis are 



