HANDSOME FISH. 353 



authority I did not presume to differ; still, when he in- 

 formed me that the Salmo fontinalis of American waters 

 was identical with our home brook -trout, I thought that 

 the lively game little beauty of our mountain streams had 

 wonderfully changed in color and appearance from his trans- 

 atlantic brother, cr vied versa. As the weather began to 

 get warmer, the more brilliant -colored specimens became 

 scarcer, and ultimately ceased to be taken in the river. 

 This circumstance induced me further to think that there 

 was some difference either in habits or choice of haunts 

 which their more plain-clothed relatives did not affect, and 

 that at least there were different varieties, if not species, 

 among the inhabitants of this stream ; and the more I 

 think the subject over now, the more thoroughly do I feel 

 convinced that the name of /Salmo fontinalis has been fre- 

 quently applied to what is, in reality, our red-bellied char. 

 Memory is often not to be depended upon, but with the as- 

 sistance of a few notes (the lapse of time not being more 

 than a few years), I will endeavor to tell the differences 

 that I most particularly observed. In outline of shape, 

 what I suppose to be the red-bellied char much resembled 

 a well-fed trout, except that the first dorsal fin is nearer the 

 head, the caudal fin has a wider spread at its termination, 

 and the junction of the caudal fin with the body is more 

 tapered away. In coloring, the back was of a deep mack- 

 erel green, interwoven with irregular darker waving lines, 

 while the belly was as brilliant as burnished copper. Above, 

 where the green of the back and red of the stomach ran 

 into each other, there were three lateral lines of large brill- 

 iant red spots, interspersed with minor straw-colored ones, 

 and in some specimens the anal and pectoral fins had the 

 first two or three spines black. Altogether, in shape and 

 coloring, a more game-looking, beautiful fish can not be im- 

 agined ; moreover, their table qualities surpassed in deli- 



