THE CHAR. 261 



we here follow our friend M. Agassiz in placing 

 the two supposed species of char under one deno- 

 mination, yet we not only admit, but particularly 

 desire our readers to remember, that the history of 

 this fish, whether single or distinctive, has not yet 

 been clearly made out. 



Char are abundant not only in several of the 

 English lakes, and a few of the Welsh ones, but 

 in the greater number of those of the north of Scot- 

 land, when of any considerable extent. In these 

 latter localities, however, they are more seldom 

 taken than elsewhere, from the absence of the prac- 

 tice of netting, and the general unwillingness of 

 this fish to take a fly or bait. The char is of great 

 repute in the Lake of Geneva, and is also found 

 in many of the mountain lakes of the north of 

 Europe. Hence the title of Salmo alpinus, by which 

 it is designated by several continental naturalists.* 

 It attains to a respectable, but not a large size, be- 

 ing in Britain sometimes taken above two pounds 

 in weight, although the more usual dimensions 

 are under three quarters of a pound. When in 

 full condition it is a fish of great beauty, colour 

 of a greyish green or greenish brown, shaded into 

 the most delicate white on the lower parts, and 

 suffused with a tender blush, which may be com- 

 pared to that so often seen on the breast of the gull 

 tribe when newly shot in spring. The body is 

 sprinkled over with pale spots of considerable size. 

 In this state they remain in the deeper parts of 



* Salmo alpinus of Bloch (Part iii. PI. 104,) is, however, regarded 

 only as a common trout. 



