2.3S THE GWINIAD. 



dies when taken out of the water. In length, it is near-- 

 ly a foot, laterally compreffed, has two fins upon the 

 back; the firfl about three inches from the fnout, and 

 fnpported by thirteen rays ; the fecond, which is placed 

 near the tail, is thick, fat, and altogether without 

 rays. It is this fpurious fin which Wilhi/ghhy alTumes 

 as the generic mark of all the fifiies of the trout kind *. 



This fifii, like the charr, is of an alpine nature, and 

 inhabits the lakes of the mountainous parts of Europe ; 

 fuch as, Switzerland, Savoy, Norway, Sweden, Zapland^ 

 r.nd Scotland: Into the laft mentioned country, it is faid to 

 have been introduced from i^>Y/?zr^ by the unfortunate ^/^f/z 

 Mary ; a circumftance rendered probable by the French 

 name vangis, given it by the inhabitants in the vicinity 

 of Lochmahen. The BritiJIj name of gwiniad is bellowed 

 upon it from the whitenefs of its fcales f. The gwiniad 

 is a gregarious fifli ; and approaches the fhores in vafl: 

 ihoals in fummer and fpring, which are the feafons in 

 which it is taken : In fome of the German lakes it is 

 caught in vail abundance, and falted up for fale in the 

 neithbouring towns. The flefli is infipid, and will not 

 preferve for any time without fait. 



There are twenty-nine different fpecies of fillies belong- 

 ing to this genus, of which nine fpecies, with their va- 

 rieties, are all that is known in Britain. 



* Vide Ichthyol. p. 18^; •)• Er::. Zpcl. 



