i8 THE SEA-TROUT 



matters may compare with it, say, the scheme of classification which the 



late Mr. H. Cholmondeley-Pennell, in 1863, adopted and set forth in 



his well-known book, " The Angler-Naturalist." I hope I do not 



misrepresent Mr. Regan's scheme, but I gather that of the great number 



of British vertebrate fresh-water animals known as fishes there are two 



classes, with the first of which, Marsipobranchii, having one order, and 



one family (represented by the lampreys), we have nothing to do. Of 



the other class, Pisces, there are two sub-classes, and with the first of 



these, Chondrostei, which has one order, and one family (represented 



by the sturgeons), we have also nothing to do. The other sub-class, 



Teleostei, is our concern. In this sub-class Mr. Regan predicates 



seven orders, each of which comprises one or more families; but it is 



only the first of these orders, Isospondyli, which interests us here, for 



in it are comprised three families, the important one for us being the 



family Salmonidcs, of which the salmon and trout are more particularly 



the representatives. Mr. Regan has courteously furnished me with the 



reprint of a Paper, of which he is the author, on " The Systematic 



Arrangement of the Fishes of the Family Salmonidce," which enables 



us to carry the classification a step further. 



To the family of the Salmonida;, then, in its universal aspect, Mr. 



Regan is able to refer four genera : — (i) Salmo, Linn., which includes, 



he says, " all the fish commonly known as Salmon and Trout." The 



other three, though not to the purpose, may be stated : — (2) Salvelinus, 



Nilss., including the char; (3) Hucho, Giinth., including the hucho of 



the Danube, etc., and (4) Brachymystax, Giinth., including a species of 



Siberian hucho. In the synopsis of the four genera given in this paper, 



Mr. Regan states their general characteristics thus : — 



" Parietals not meeting in middle line. Teeth well developed 

 in jaws, on vomer and palatines, and in a double series on tongue. 

 Scales .small, 19 or more in a transverse series from origin of dorsal 

 fin to lateral line. Dorsal fin short, with not more than 16 rays, 

 1 2 or fewer branched " ; 



