1862. } DR. A. GUNTHER ON THE BRITISH CHARRS. 41 
1776. Pennant knows that the Charr occurs not only in England 
and Wales, but also in Scotland, whilst he had not received any evi- 
dence of its existence in Ireland. He first mentions the fact, which is 
repeated i in all other works, that the Charrs of the Lake of Llanber- 
ris were entirely destroyed by noxious waters flowing from copper- 
mines in the neighbourhood*. He has examined the Red or Case- 
Charr and the Gilt Charr, but considers both as the same species, 
although the former spawns about Michaelmas, ascending the River 
Brathay, whilst the spawning-season of the latter extends from the 
month of January to that of March, the fishes remaining in the 
sandy parts of the lake. If this Gilt Charr (Pennant’s) is identical 
with that of Willoughby, and if the observations of both these natu- 
ralists really refer to the Gilt Charr of the present day, it is clear 
that it is not a variety of the common Charr, but a species widely 
different from it. 
1802. The knowledge of those fishes is considerably advanced by 
Donovan, who well perceives the differences between the Torgoch 
and Charr, but is unable to fix the distinctive characters in specific 
terms, resorting for the purpose of diagnosis to the differences in 
colour, which in his figures are much exaggerated and untrue. In 
his description, he is quite right in directing particular attention to 
the slender form of the Torgoch, and he might have added another 
important character which is indicated in the figures, namely, that 
whilst in the Charr the root of the pectoral is quite free, and not 
overlapped by a prolonged suboperculum, the latter is produced 
backwards and downwards in the Torgoch. The physiognomy of 
the fishes has lost much by representing the eye too small; whilst 
the differences in the structure of the nostrils apparently have been 
noticed by him. He employs for the Charr the Linnean name of S. 
alpinus (pl. 61), and for the Torgoch that of S. salvelinus (pl. 112). 
1807. Turton follows Donovan, and evidently has examined the 
Torgoch, as he gives the correct number of the dorsal rays, viz. 
thirteen. The statements of the different authors, especially of the 
earlier, with regard to the fin-rays, can be used only with great cau- 
tion,—first, because they had only partly recognized the value of that 
character ; and secondly, because they counted them in different 
ways, frequently omitting the small rays in front of the fins. 
1812. The first definite notice of the occurrence of a Charr-like fish 
in Ireland appears to be due to DuBourniEv, who, in his ‘ History 
* This fact is doubted by Mr. 8. P. W. Ellis, who writes, in answer to my inquiry 
on this subject, ‘‘ Llanberris Lake is three and a quarter or four miles long; the 
width varies, the greatest width being about three-fourths of a mile; the greatest 
depth is said to be 40 fathoms, The quantity of water coming from copper-works 
is not more than one-tenth part of the whole volume, and this portion flows about 
five miles before falling into the lake, and, besides, passes through a mountain 
lake after having left the mine. Below this mountain-pool the water is not poi- 
sonous to fish. The quantity of water from copper-mines has decreased in this 
valley, owing to the stoppage of works. I cannot think there ever were mines 
worked to any such extent as seriously to injure fishes. The chief works are 
slate-quarries.” J. Petherick, Esq., who has a thorough knowledge of these 
mines, a part of which are worked by himself, also is of the same opinion. 
