60 SALMONIA. [SECOND DAT. 



mation, than as attempting a satisfactory view of this 

 little animal. 



ORN. I have seen this fish in the rivers of Wales 

 and Herefordshire,, and have heard it asserted, on 

 what appeared to me good authority, that it was 

 a mule, the offspring of a trout and a salmon. 



HAL. This opinion, I know, has been supported 

 by the fact, that it is found only in streams 

 which are occasionally visited by salmon; yet I 

 know no direct evidence in favour of the opinion, 

 and 1 should think it much more probable, if it 

 be a mixed race, that it is produced by the sea 

 trout and common trout. In a small river, which 

 runs into the Moy, near Ballina in Ireland, I once 

 caught in October a great number of small sea trout, 

 which were generally about half-a-pound in weight, 

 and were all males ; and unless it be supposed, that 

 the females were in the river likewise, and would not 

 ' take the fly, these fish, in which the spermatic system 

 was fully developed, could only have impregnated the 

 ova of the common river trout. The sea trout and 

 river trout are, indeed, so like each other in character, 

 that such a mixture seems exceedingly probable ; but 

 I know no reason why such mules should always 

 continue small, except that it may be a mark of 

 imperfection. The only difference between the parr 

 and common small trout is in the colours, and its 



