164 MARINE AND FRESHWATER FISHES 



levenensis), No. 145, which has for many years past been 

 the subject of successful culture at Sir J. Gibson 

 Maitland's world-renowned fishery establishment at Howie- 

 town, N. B. The Alpine Char (S. alpinus\ No. 147, 

 confined to the deep elevated lakes of Great Britain and 

 Ireland, runs in like manner through innumerable variations, 

 which are figured and described in Couch's ' Fishes of the 

 British Islands ' under the several titles of the Willoughby's 

 Char of Windermere, the Torgoch of Llanberris, Gray's 

 Char from Lake Melvin, the Enniskillen, or Cole's Char 

 from Lough Esk and other Irish lakes, while the typical 

 Alpine Char, abundant throughout the Scandinavian penin- 

 sular, is reported from the Highlands of Scotland. The 

 male fish in many of these varieties is distinguished during 

 the breeding season for the brilliant vermilion hue of the 

 lower region of the body, and numerous spots that decorate 

 its sides. The American Brook Trout, or Char (S. 

 fontinalis), No. 148, has now become so thoroughly acclim- 

 atised in many of the rivers of this country as to claim 

 admittance to the British list. The marginal bands of a 

 creamy hue that decorate the pectoral fins serve to dis- 

 tinguish it readily from any of the many varieties of 5. 

 fario. Many interesting hybrid forms have been obtained 

 belonging to this species and the last-named type. The true 

 Smelt, Sparling, or " Cucumber-Smelt," as it is sometimes 

 called with reference to its delicious cucumber-like aroma 

 when freshly caught (Osmerus eperlanus\ No. 149, is 

 among the smallest of the British Salmonidae, rarely ex- 

 ceeding a length of nine or ten inches. It is of eminently 

 gregarious habits, being captured in abundance between 

 the autumn and early spring months on various parts of 

 our coasts, and during the latter season entering the 

 mouths of rivers to deposit their spawn. The several 



