1862.] DR. A. GXTNTHER ON THE BRITISH CHARRS. 51 



dorsal rays, its length being two-thirds of that of the pectoral, or of 

 the distance between the root of its outer ray and the vent. 



The scales are very thin and small, deeply imbedded in the skin ; 

 one taken from between the dorsal and the lateral line is ovate, two- 

 thirds as high as long. The perforated scales of the lateral line do 

 not correspond to the transverse series. Scales on the back minute. 



The back is dark sea-green, which colour becomes lighter on the 

 sides, assuming a yellowish shade and gradually passing into the 

 bright red of the lower parts ; sides with numerous reddish orange- 

 coloured dots. Pectoral greenish, passing into reddish posteriorly, 

 the upper margin being white; ventral and anal red, with white 

 anterior margins ; dorsal and caudal blackish, with broad lighter 

 margins. Cheeks and suboperculum with numerous black dots. 



Vertebrae : sixty-one. 



Young specimens, from 5 to 6 inches long, scarcely differ from 

 the adult specimens described. They are from Mr. Yarrell's col- 

 lection, who obtained them from a lake near Barmouth in Merioneth- 

 shire, called Coss-y-gedawl. In consequence of the young age the 

 eye is much larger, longer than the snout, two-sevenths of the length 

 of the head, the maxillary not extending to the posterior margin of 

 the orbit. The pectorals are comparatively a little shorter, the ven- 

 trals a little longer, than in the adult. Dorsal fin with fourteen rays 

 — that is, two rays more than in the Charr. The dark colour of the 

 back emits eight cross-bars on the sides, and the red dots are larger 

 and less in number — differences such as are usually observed between 

 old and young SalmonidcB. The specific characters (the flat head, 

 elongate body, rounded fins, peculiar nostrils, increased number of 

 dorsal rays, &c.) are very conspicuous. Yarrell has given a figure 

 of one of the specimens, in which the head is incorrect in nearly 

 every respect. 



The typical specimens were caught on the 26th and 29 th of No- 

 veifaber ; the time of spawning appeared to have been then begin- 

 ning. 



Salmo grayi (PI. Vll.). 



(The Freshwater Herring of Lough Melvin.) 



Body compressed, slightly elevated, its greatest depth being one- 

 fourth of the distance of the snout from the end of the middle caudal 

 rays ; the length of the head is scarcely more than one-half of the 

 distance of the snout and of the vertical from the origin of the dorsal. 

 Head compressed ; interorbital space convex, its width being less 

 than twice the diameter of the eye. Jaws of the male of equal 

 length anteriorly ; teeth very small, four in each intermaxillary, 

 sixteen in the maxillary. Length of the pectoral equal to, or rather 

 more than, that of the head, terminating at no great distance from 

 the ventral. Dorsal rays thirteen or fourteen. 125 transverse series 

 of scales above the lateral line. Sides with scattered light orange- 

 coloured dots ; belly uniform silvery whitish, or with a light-reddish 

 shade ; fins blackish. 



