282 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 



The powan is a gregarious fish, inhabiting very deep water, 

 and abounds in Loch Lomond, in Ullswater and Haweswater, 

 as v/ell as in Bala Lake and a few other lakes in Wales. In 

 the English Lake District it is called the Schelly (generally 

 pronounced "Scheely"), a name also applied to chub in that 

 district. This has led to some confusion in regard to the 

 habits of this fish. Frank Buckland noted that it ascended 

 the streams flowing into Ullswater ; but, in fact, it is never 

 found above the lake, although there are chub in some of 

 the tributaries. In habits the powan closely resembles 

 the char, except that it feeds on smaller and weaker 

 organisms. Like the char, it leaves the deep water in 

 autumn to spawn in shallow bays. In calm, warm summer 

 weather it swims about the surface in shoals, taking small 

 flies ; and occasionally, but very seldom, it is taken on artificial 

 trout-flies. 



As I have never seen this fish I can only quote from those 

 who have examined it, and they are far from agreeing in 

 their description of the colour. Mr. Houghton wrote from 

 a small specimen netted for him in Bala Lake, and describes 

 the colour above the lateral line as " beautiful glossy brown, 

 slightly tinged with delicate pink ; iridescent and silvery below 

 the lateral line ; belly pure white ; gill-cover bright silvery ; 

 eye large, with white irides." Professor Seeley, on the other 

 hand, gives the colour of the back as " dark blue ; the sides 

 paler, often with a tinge of yellow ; the belly and under-side 

 silvery. All the fins are dull bluish-black, darkest at the 

 margin." 



Mr. John Watson, writing in 1898, says the powan, or 

 gwyniad, has become rare in Ullswater, but is as numerous 

 as ever in Haweswater. He records a single draught of 

 gwyniad taken in the last-named lake some years ago which 

 numbered fourteen hundred. 



The flesh is said to be palatable, but it must be eaten quite 

 fresh, being of a very perishable nature. 



