THE WING-FOOTED 



linus alipes : there are again who sug- 

 gest that further research will show the 

 two sub-species to be identical. Rich- 

 ardson in his " Fauna Boreali Ameri- 

 cana" (1835) pictures both, and on the 

 basis of a comparison of specimens with 

 these plates, the authorities of the 

 Smithsonian Institute give decision in 

 favour of nitidus. To the untrained eye, 

 attracted too much perhaps by form and 

 colour, they appear to resemble alipes, 

 a long and peculiarly graceful fish with- 

 out spots, rather than nitidus, which 

 is stockier and strikingly spotted. It is 

 fair to observe, however, that Richard- 

 son's observations were made upon 

 dried skins, and we all know how rapid- 

 ly the life-hues of the charrs change and 

 fade. One is almost open to form his 

 own opinion upon the question, for a 

 scientific description discloses as the 

 only evident differences the somewhat 

 longer dorsal and pectoral fins of alipes. 

 All are agreed that we have here a vari- 



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