SALMO.] PISCES (OSSEI) MALACOPT. 425 



snout short; but the jaws, which are nearly equal, becoming more length- 

 ened in the spawning season : maxillary reaching to a vertical line form- 

 ing a tangent to the posterior part of the orbit, by which character it 

 is distinguished from the S. Salmulus : teeth on the whole length of the 

 vomer : dorsal and adipose fins placed as in the Salmon ; the former with 

 the first three rays, the first especially, very small and inconspicuous, but 

 gradually increasing in length; sixth and seventh longest; first four 

 simple, the rest branched: anal entirely in advance of a vertical line 

 from the adipose: caudal not so much forked as in the S. Trutta, or 

 so square as in S. Eriox : number of fin-rays, 



D. 14 ; A. 11 ; C. 19, &c. ; P. 13 ; V. 9. 



(Colours.) Back dusky: sides and belly, the former more especially, 

 yellow, tinged with gold, and also with green : a row of red spots along 

 the lateral line : dorsal fin, and above the lateral line, spotted with dusky. 

 In young fish, more or less indication of transverse dusky bands on the 

 sides. 



Var.p. Gillaroo Trout, Sow. Brit. Misc. pi. 61. 



A common species in lakes and rivers, attaining in some localities to a 

 large size. Has been known to weigh from sixteen to twenty pounds, 

 though usually much smaller. In many places seldom exceeds a pound 

 or a pound and a half. Spawns in September and October ; ascending 

 to the sources of rivers for this purpose. Is very voracious. Feeds on 

 worms, small fish, and insects, especially Ephemerte and Phryganece. 

 The variety, called the Gillaroo Trout, is distinguished by its strong 

 muscular stomach, resembling the gizzard of birds, resulting from feeding 

 principally on shells. It is found in some of the lakes in Ireland. 



Obs. The above species exhibits very great variation in colours*, and 

 in some measure in form also, according to the locality in which it is 

 found. Possibly two or more species may have been hitherto confounded, 

 but in the present state of the science it is almost impossible to decide 

 this point. Sir W. Jardine, who has paid great attention to the whole 

 family, and from whom we may expect much light upon the subject, has 

 particularized some remarkable varieties found in Sutherlandshire, in 

 the " Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal," 1. c., to which I refer the 

 reader. According to Agassiz, the S. punctatus of Cuvier, the S. mar- 

 moratus of the same author, and the -S. alpinus of Bloch, all belong to 

 this species. 



107. S. ferooo, Jard. and Selb. (Great Lake Trout.) 



Great Lake Trout (S. ferox), Jard. in Encyd. Brit. (7th Edit.) 

 Art. Angling, p. 142. Id. in Edinb. New Phil. Journ. vol. xvm. 

 p. 55. 



DESCRIPT. (Form.) "Principally distinguished by its large size, 

 square tail in all its stages of growth, the form of the gill-covers and 

 teeth, the relative position of the fins, the form of the scales, particu- 

 larly those composing the lateral line, and in the generally delicate skin 

 which is spread over the outside of the body* being extremely strong and 

 tough, and from under which the perfectly transparent scales can be 



* Sir H. Davy was of opinion, that when Trout feed much on hard substances, such as larvae 

 and their cases, and the ova of other fish, they have more red spots, and redder fins : and that 

 when they feed most on small fish, as minnows, and on flies, they nave more tendency to become 

 spotted with small black spots, and are generally more silvery. See Salmonia, (2nd Edit.) p. 41. 



