86 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



Nor do we wonder much at Mr Pennant's statement,, 

 since we have known observing and scientific crafts- 

 men fall into a similar error, and hold out to be the par, 

 what a little examination has proved to be the common 

 river trout. 



What, then, it may be asked, are the points which 

 distinguish this fish ? And first, let it be noted, how 

 the par, with very few, if any exceptions, hath only 

 one row of scarlet spots or stars extended on either side 

 from the gills to the tail ; whereas, the common trout 

 has always two or more of such rows, more varied in 

 colour, and less equalised in their dimensions. Again, 

 the pectoral fin of the par is broader, and contains a 

 greater quantity of spines, than that of the common 

 trout. Thirdly, the gills are more silvery and clear of 

 marks, being at no time impressed with more than one 

 or two ; while, in the trout, they have a yellowish ap- 

 pearance, and are studded over with a larger number of 

 dark spots. The tail of the one, also, is more nicely forked 

 than that of the other. In fact, there is in the whole 

 aspect of the par, when narrowly examined, a singular 

 difference from that of the trout. It is, besides, a 

 nimbler and less cunning fish, and never seems to in- 

 crease beyond a certain size, although well known to at- 

 tain that maximum in the course of two or three months, 

 from its first appearance during the angling season. And 

 this is a fact to which we beg attention, as it will shortly 

 go some way to support our theory concerning the par, 

 that it is the young of the salmon in a certain state. 



In order to prove this, it will be granted to us, or 

 we shall boldly assume, that Pennant's assertion is er- 

 roneous, and that this fish is only found in waters vi- 

 sited by the salmon that, in point of fact, it has some 

 sort of connection, whether direct or indirect, with the 

 sea. This postulate has been allowed by almost every 



