348 THE ANGLER-NATURALIST. 



the constitutional vigour of the individual fish, as wit- 

 nessed in the periodical assumption of peculiar tints in other 

 animals. Case Charr, Red Charr, Gilt Charr, and Silver 

 Charr are all names which have at different times been 

 applied to the Charr of the British lakes in consequence 

 of the varying intensity of their colouring. Dr. Davy 

 says that the ' ' Silver Charr " of Windermere spawns chiefly 

 in November and avoids the deep portions of the lake, 

 whilst the " Gilt Charr " inhabits only the deepest waters 

 and does not spawn till the beginning of February. It 

 seems a fair presumption, therefore, that some of these 

 variations in colour indicate specific differences, whilst in 

 other cases they are merely local, or dependent on sex or 

 condition. 



From 9 to 12 inches is the usual length of the Charr of 

 the Cumberland and Westmoreland lakes ; but specimens 

 have been occasionally taken as long as from 18 to 24 

 inches. 



Dr. Giinther gives the following as the general charac- 

 teristics of the Windermere Charr : 



Body compressed, slightly elevated, its greatest depth being equal 

 to one-fourth of the distance between the snout and the end of the 

 middle tail -fin rays ; length of head equal to a little more than one- 

 half of distance between snout and origin of back-fin. Head com- 

 pressed ; interorbital space convex, in width being less than twice dia- 

 meter of eye. Jaws of male of equal length in front. Teeth of mode- 

 rate strength, 4 in each intermaxillary, 20 in each maxillary bone. 

 Length of pectoral fin less than that of head, but much more in 

 length than half the distance between its root and the root of the 

 ventral fin. Back-fin rays 12. 165 transverse series of scales above 



