THE SALMON-TROUT 251 



abandoned, and they remain still in undisputed possession of 

 the Coquet.* Now, it is to be noted that both the Coquet 

 and the Aln possess a very large stock of common yellow trout 

 {Salmo fario). The late Sir Alexander Gibson-Maitland, who 

 had opportunities, unrivalled in this country, of studying 

 the phases of salmonoid fish in his extensive hatcheries at 

 Howietown, held very strongly the belief that Salmo eriox 

 and Salmo fario were different forms of the same species, one 

 migratory, the other stationary. He told me that spawn 

 taken from bull-trout produced fish which passed through the 

 ordinary stages of parr and " orange-fin." Under normal 

 circumstances, these would have passed to the sea and returned 

 as bull-trout ; but, when prevented from migration, they 

 developed the ordinary character, coloration, and habits of 

 fresh-water trout. I offer no opinion upon this startling 

 statement ; but if it should prove well founded (and the ex- 

 periment is surely worth repeating), it follows that fresh-water 

 trout and bull-trout are interchangeable, and that any attempt 

 to extirpate the latter must include measures for the suppression 

 ■of the former. 



The Salmon^Trout, or White Trout {Salmo trutta) 



Fins. 

 As in the salmon. 



Teeth. 

 As in the sahiion. 



There is the utmost conflict of authority as to the nomen- 

 clature and number of species among the anadromous or 



* It has been stated, but I am unable to vouch for its accuracy, that 

 there existed until the year 1900 a weir across the Coquet up to which 

 the tide flowed, and that salmon would not attempt to surmount such 

 an obstacle until they were clear of the estuary. The statement proceeds 

 further to the effect that this weir has now been removed, and that true 

 salmon have at last found their way into the Coquet. Seeing that the 

 tide flows up to Teddington Weir, it seems desirable that those who are 

 concerned in the attempt to restore salmon to the Thames should satisfy 

 themselves as to the accuracy of this report. 



