284 BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES 



the vendace was introduced into Scotland from the Continent 

 by Mary Queen of Scots. Rapidity was not a conspicuous 

 feature of transport in the sixteenth century, and we have 

 Sir William Jardine's assurance that the vendace is so delicate 

 a fish, with such a slender hold upon life, that it will not 

 endure a journey. Moreover, this species is unknown on the 

 Continent of Europe, and is to be found only in a group of 

 small lakes at Lochmaben, in Dumfriesshire, in Windermere, 

 Derwentwater, Bassenthwaite Lake, and the river Greta. 



In almost every respect the vendace resembles the other 

 two British species of Coregonus. Its habits are similar, save 

 that in Lochmaben there is no very deep water for it to 

 retire to ; it is gregarious and herring-like in its movements, 

 and spawns in autumn in the shallows. In appearance it is 

 distinguished from its near kin by rather larger scales (sixty- 

 eight to seventy-one along the lateral line, as against seventy- 

 three to ninety in the powan), by the slight projection of the 

 under-jaw, and by the possession of two fewer vertebras than 

 the powan (fifty-six instead of fifty-eight). 



The vendace was of old held in high repute as a delicacy, 

 and two local clubs were wont to hold an annual feast at 

 Lochmaben for the discussion of the same. These have ceased 

 to exist, and I am indebted to Mr. Service, of Maxwelltown, 

 an experienced naturalist, for the following report upon the 

 condition of what was once a somewhat famous institution : — 



"The Vendace Club was still in existence in 1869, but 

 was wound up in 1870 or 1871. No doubt the old minute 

 books and other papers are still in the possession of Messrs. 

 John Henderson and Sons (late Sir W. Brown and J. 

 Henderson), Dumfries, but buried amongst the debris of 

 this old legal firm, as their cellars are choke-full of papers. 

 The St, Magdalene Vendace Club, an organisation of a very 

 decided democratic kind, ceased shortly before the more 

 aristocratic society. After fishing the lochs for vendace in 

 the usual way, they held a meeting for Border games, etc.. 



