264 WATER SUITABLE TO THE CHARR. 



PiscATOit. It is ; and its absence is, I think, 

 a proof of the great delicacy of this fish ; for 

 more than one attempt has been made to in- 

 troduce it, but without success. The failure 

 is commonly attributed to deficiency of depth 

 of water, where deepest being only about 

 fourteen fathoms. But, as I know there are 

 charr in lakes in Connemara, even of less 

 depth, this explanation is hardly satisfactory. 

 I am more disposed to consider the quality 

 of the water as the cause. My conjecture is 

 that it is not sufficiently pure. It may have 

 some taint from the adjoining mines and me- 

 talliferous rocks; or it may be too much impreg- 

 nated with vegetable matter, either in solution 

 or suspension. One of the marvels of the lake, 

 its floating island, which occasionally appears 

 and disappears, composed chiefly of vegetable 

 matter, seems to favour this supposition; and 

 the colour of the water, I think you will agree 

 with me, is also in favour of it : pray observe 

 it in the Derwent as it flows out of the lake. 

 The proximity of the town, with a population 

 amounting to 2400, and its drainage, must 

 tend to render the water somewhat impure. 



AMICUS. Speaking of marvels, is not another 



