226 THE SCIENTIFIC AtfGLEB. 



terous cry of "Salmon without any gammon!" is heard 

 whenever a fresh instalment arrives. In many cases 

 these people have been unwittingly "gammoned" them- 

 selves, their customers, nevertheless, being the ultimate 

 dupes. From the fisherman's point of view, the sea trout 

 is equal to the finest grilse that ever ascended the Tay or 

 Tweed, exceeding, as he does, for gameness and pertinac- 

 ity every other British fish. The bull trout ascend their 

 native rivers in April and May, their first appearance at 

 any distance from salt water being immediately after an 

 early spring flood. These are for the most part young 

 fish, ranging from three to five, and occasionally six 

 pounds. The oldest and best fish ascend in great num- 

 bers in November and December, ranging from six to 

 twenty pounds in weight. In some localities the term 

 bull trout is erroneously applied to the sea or white 

 trout ; nor is the error confined to the illiterate, some 

 authors of eminence having endorsed this inaccuracy. 

 Mr. Frank Buckland was convinced of the fallacy of this 

 when he penned the following: "It is supposed by 

 some that the sea trout and bull trout are identical. I 

 know the bull trout very well; indeed, I could pick him 

 out amongst a thousand other salmonidse. I am certain, 

 therefore, that there is a difference between the ordinary 

 sea trout and bull trout." * From our own observations 

 we are led to think that the bull species are hybrids be- 

 tween the salmon and sea trout (S. trutta). The ex- 

 ternal difference between the salmon and bull trout is 

 much less than between salmon and sea trout, both in 

 point of color and size, thirteen to fifteen pounds being 

 the average weight. The seaf or salmon trout, upon 



* Professor Gunther of the British Museum, one of the most prominent 

 ichthyologists in Europe, states that these fish are of the same species. 



t The sea trout of Canada (to which habitat those of America are 

 confined) will .average about two pounds. In certain localities, they, 

 however, maintain an average weight of five or six pounds. This is 

 especially the case in the river Nouvclle in Gaspe, Canada. 



