i8o ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



salar or other of the migratory species do ascend the upper 

 streams of the lake to breed. I should certainly say that it 

 would be an error not to preserve the Salmo ferox. His 

 existence to the extent now probable was never known to me 

 before. His voracity will be more gratified in the lake than 

 in the streams, which he ascends only for a short time and 

 special purpose and I should incline to the idea, as they 

 have been known to take perch, that they may from their 

 abundance constitute a fair proportion of his fish food. 

 Anyhow, the position of his vomerine teeth at once clears 

 up any doubt as to his being a salmon which scarcely has 



any 



In haste, yours very truly, 



JOHN FELL. 



Hawesmead, Kendal, 



Dec. 14, '67. 

 DEAR MR. JONES, 



I have been much interested in reading the letters you 

 so kindly sent me. Mr. Fell is quite right when he says that 

 in the spawning season the male fish especially become 

 altered in general appearance. This remark applies also to 

 the female, and but for special characteristics such as the 

 tail, teeth, and gill-covers, it would be difficult to designate 

 them. I will give you the description of the one sent by 

 S. H. le Fleming, whom I saw to-day at Beetham. 



Length 25^ inches. 



Greatest depth 5i 5? 



Length of head 5f 



Width of tail (square) .... 6 



5 rows of teeth on vomer, those down the middle thus : 

 \/ Dark on back, shading to a dirty- white, with slight 

 \ / lake tinge ; spotted on sides and below lateral line 

 ^^ large black spots surrounded by a red ring. Jaws 

 capacious ; dorsal fin spotted ; others dark-looking ; 

 scales small and covered with a thick glaze. Skin thick ; 

 flesh full red ; teeth strong 6^ Ibs. I now return the papers, 

 and have no doubt of its being a Ferox. I may also add 

 that the gill-covers answered the description in The Field. 

 Yours truly, 



GEO. FOSTER BRAITHWAITE, 



