1 82 WHAT IS A 'FEROX'? 



influenced and altered in outward appearance 

 by the varying conditions of its surroundings. 

 Hence, there have always existed the most 

 divergent views as to the question of the 

 number of species in this family. Thus, in 

 1836, Yarrell enumerates six separate species 

 of British Salmonidae, including not only the 

 Great Lake Trout or ferox, but also the par, 

 not at that date recognised as being merely 

 the early stage of the Salmon. So also Jar- 

 dine in 1839; while Agassiz 1 already in 1834 

 admitted only three species, the salmon, the 

 sea trout, and the common or brown trout. 

 But the passion for the sub-division of species 

 seems to have an extraordinary attraction for 

 some minds. In the British Museum Cata- 

 logue of Fishes, 1886, Dr. Giinther divided 

 the genus Salmo into no fewer than six migra- 

 tory or anadromous, and six non-migratory 

 or freshwater species, among which latter, of 

 course, the ferox figures. On the other hand, 

 Dr. Francis Day in British and Irish Fishes, 

 1880-4, a work which to this day holds its 

 position as the standard authority reduced the 

 number to three : the salmon ; the sea trout, 

 with its varieties, as the brown trout, Loch 

 Leven trout, etc. ; and the char ; thus showing 



1 Reports : British Association. 



