THE SALMON-TROUT. 173 



Considerable size Quality of emitting light. 



the greater or less degree of purity of the streams 

 in which the fish are taken ; their colour and 

 spots vary extremely from the same cause. They 

 die soon after they are taken out of the water. 

 They are also known by the name of whitlings, 

 and many have supposed them to be young sal- 

 mon, which opinion has been proved to be ill 

 founded. 



Salmon-trouts attain a considerable size ; 

 weighing sometimes eight or ten pounds. Dr. 

 Bloch describes one that was twenty-inches in 

 length, an inch and a half thick, and which weigh- 

 ed five pounds and three quarters. This gentle- 

 man discovered, that this fish, like several kinds 

 of sea fish, possesses the quality of emitting 

 light in a dark place, and that the palate, tongue, 

 gills and eyes, were endowed with that property 

 in an eminent degree. When touched with the 

 finger those parts cast a considerable light, and 

 when any other part was rubbed with the same 

 finger, that quality was likewise communicated 

 to it. The luminous matter, the Doctor imagines 

 is contained in the slimy substance which covers 

 those parts, for the flesh does not afford the 

 smallest appearance of light. He kept the 

 fish eight days, and this luminous property 

 diminished in proportion as the viscous matter 

 was dried up. 



The salmon-trout is preserved by salting, pick- 

 ling, and smoking. It is an excellent dish, its 



