64 THE SEA-TROUT 



superficially apparent, though it is doubtful if they are a structural 

 difference warranting special classification. fn the matter of size, 

 for example — because it must be admitted that these East Coast 

 sea-trout attain a large average size — there may be an augmentation of 

 growth through the fish ranging further afield in the North Sea. 

 Hardly any of the East Coast rivers in which these " bull trout " are said 

 to be numerous have any estuary. The Scottish Tyne, the Tweed, the 

 Northumberland Aln and Coquet, and the English Tyne have none of 

 them, except the last, a distinctive and extensive estuary, and the local 

 sea-trout may possibly have acquired habits like those of the salmon of 

 ranging far afield in the ocean, with a proportionate effect upon their 

 growth. In the regions of pure surmise also it might be argued that 

 they go far afield because they are descendants of fish which in earlier 

 geological times had to traverse great river-channels long since 

 submerged in the waters of the North Sea. Such speculations have a 

 certain attraction. But there may be this prosaic explanation of the 

 size to which these sea-trout attain that, as they run in greatest numbers 

 after the netting close-time has begun, there is very little toll taken of 

 the stock and that therefore a higher percentage, or a greater proportion, 

 of the older and larger fish survives. However this be, I think that Mr. 

 Regan, apart from his theory that there is only one species of trout in 

 these islands, has not conclusively established that there are sufficient 

 grounds for recognising either two species, or two races, in the sea-trout, 

 although the cumulative effect of the facts may help to establi-sh that 

 there are two types of .sea-trout, and, I believe, two species. 



This is clearly one of the points connected with the sea-trout and its 

 life-history in regard to which more definite information is required, and 

 I think that scale reading, if systematically undertaken, will help to 

 throw considerable light on the subject. 



I have not my.sclf, I regret to say, had the opportunity yet to 

 make such a systematic examination of the scales of East Coast fish, 



