THE HERLING OR FINNOCK. 227 



of size. There is another distinguishing peculiarity in 

 the whitling, namely, that its flesh is much redder and 

 better flavoured than that of the eriox. It occasionally 

 also, like the latter fish, attains large dimensions, with- 

 out losing any of its characteristic features, except, as 

 in the case of the grilse on becoming a salmon, the 

 tail acquires more squareness, its central rays lengthen- 

 ing as the fish advances in age. 



The finnock or herling is included by Dr. Fleming 

 among the different species of sea-trout, under the 

 designation of the salmo albus. I have been fortunate 

 enough to have had an opportunity of capturing this 

 fish, or one answering in some degree to its description 

 in various rivers in different parts of Scotland. I have 

 taken it in Ross-shire, in the Conan and the Carron ; 

 the one discharging its waters into the Cromarty frith, 

 near Dingwall, on the east coast ; the other into Loch 

 Carron above Jean-town, on the west coast. I have 

 caught it over and over again, in the Nairn, the Ness, 

 as well as in the Findhorn. I have also angled for it 

 successfully in the Lochie, and other streams in the 

 Western Highlands, and I have taken it under another 

 denomination, from Tweed, and the Esk above Lang- 

 holm; in which two last-mentioned rivers, it is severally 

 designated the silver-white, and the herling, whiten, or 

 bill, a bill being the term applied to it when in breeding 

 condition. 



That the finnock of the north of Scotland is the same 

 fish, at an earlier stage of existence, as the whitling or 

 salmo trutta, there can be little question. Every fea- 

 ture in its external appearance assists to prove this, and 

 I am quite satisfied, from what I observed some years 

 ago while residing on the Moray Frith, that such is the 

 case. The habits of the finnock on the Nairn water, 



