THE GILT CHAKK. 81 



only to be met with in that particular lake, 

 where it is called Roetet ; but it has since ap- 

 peared to be the same fish with our gilt charr, 

 which is bred in Winander-Me) e, in the county 

 of Westmoreland. It is proportionabiy broader 

 than the trout, and the belly is more prominent ; 

 but its length, when greatest, never exceeds 

 twelve inches : the scales are small, the colour 

 of the back is more lively than that of the trout, 

 and is beautified with black spots, the belly and 

 sides, beneath the lateral line, are of a bright 

 silver colour; the skull is transparent, and the 

 snout blueish : it has teeth in the lower jaw, on 

 the palate and the tongue; the swimming-blad- 

 der is extended the whole length of the back f 

 and the gall-bladder is large. The flesh of the 

 gilt charr is red, and is accounted so very deli- 

 cious amongst the Italians, that they say it ex- 

 cels all other pond and sea-fish whatever ; and 

 they esteem the nature of it so wholesome, that 

 they allow sick persons to eat it. 



Some have doubted \\hether the Weirh and 

 English fish are of the same, kind or not ; but 

 Mr. Ray thinks there is no room to make a 

 doubt of it. The Welch name Toigoch, signifies 

 a red belly, which distinguishes the Red Chair 

 properly enough ; the Gilt Charr i~, indeed, 

 quite a different species, and is about twicv as 

 small as the red : the belly of the former is red, 

 the flesh white, and the spv>ts on the back white 

 likewise; whereas the belly of the latter is of a 

 silver colour, the flesh red, and the back is 

 spotted with black. 



*' The charr and guinniad never change their shires* 

 " But live in Winander and Perable-Meers*'* 



