THE PAR. 85 



CHAPTER X. 

 THE PAR. 



FROM what has come under our personal notice, we 

 consider we may be able to throw some light upon a 

 matter as yet uncertain, namely, the true nature of the 

 par. This small fish abundantly frequents our Scot- 

 tish rivers, and, as is well known, is never found ex- 

 cept in streams accessible to the sea trout and salmon. 

 We are aware that Pennant and other writers have 

 disputed this fact, and attempt to prove upon their 

 own observation (certainly not the most accurate) that 

 par are to be caught in some waters which salmon 

 are unable to ascend. Pennant mentions a stream in 

 Inverness-shire in support of his assertion ; the upper 

 part of which is separated from the rest by an insur- 

 mountable waterfall, and yet contains par in consider- 

 able numbers. We have inquired into the truth of this 

 statement, and find that it must have originated in 

 some mistake of the learned tourist, who confuses with 

 this fish, a very small variety of trout, inhabiting ra- 

 pid and stony streams, and which, in external appear- 

 ance, somewhat resembles the par, without possessing 

 any of its fixed and characteristic developements. Like 

 it, .it is white and silvery, active for its size, and, in 

 many cases, marked on the side with those bluish im- 

 pressions, as of depending finger points, which are er- 

 roneously supposed to be the leading distinction of the 

 other ; we say erroneously, because anglers must have 

 observed, how even common and good-sized trout are 

 often set off with this peculiarity. 



