86 GILPIN ON THE TROUT AND SALMON. 



own door, is of opinion that they remain all winter in the fresh 

 water, leaving the tideway in August, that they rapidly change their 

 colour and shape in fresh water, approximate to the brook trout iu 

 both, but are always distinguishable. 



In classing this fish we must aclaiowledge it exceedingly closely 

 allied to Fontinalis, that it has the teeth, shape of fins, axillaiy 

 plate, tail, dapples, vermillion specks, spotted dorsal, alike ; that 

 when it runs to fresh water, it changes its colour, and in doing this 

 approximates to its red fin and dingy green, and more numerous 

 vermillion specks still more closely. Whilst on the other hand, we 

 find it living apart from Fontinalis, pursuing its o^vn laws, attaining 

 a greater size, and returning year after year to the sea. That Fonti- 

 nalis is often found unchanged under the same circumstances. That 

 it always preserves its more arched head, deeper and more com- 

 pressed body, and perhaps shorter fins. That this has been so for 

 certainly a hundred years, and most probably for thousands, nor 

 have we any evidence that it was at any time not so, except bv 

 analogy. In giving it a specific name therefore, and using the 

 appropriate one given it by Col. Hamilton Smith, so far as I can 

 discover, the first describer, I think I will be borne out by all 

 naturalists. 



Salmo Glovcrii — Girard. 



Under the misnomer of Grayling, a very handsome dark brown 

 trout has long been known to sportsmen as being killed ui the lakes 

 about Halifax. The largest M^ere about seventeen to twenty inches 

 long, and weighed two to four pounds. But it was more celebrated 

 for its courage and game qualities, one of half-pound weight giving 

 better sport than a salmon of six or eight pounds ; they arc often 

 known to spring six feet out of water, three or four times in succes- 

 sion, when struck ; they are taken by bait also, being greedy feeders. 

 That they approach the shallow water, and spawn in No^'ember, and 

 at other seasons, may be taken the whole year in the deep waters, 

 being lake trout, — and that their young arc taken dui-ing summer, 

 in the margins of our lakes, having the red spots and tendency to 



Note.— 5. Imaculata, of Storer, with large scales, very large axillary plate, 

 larger pre-operclc, is not to be confounded witli this species. It is a more Nortliorn 

 species, and not taker in our waters. The dorsal is concave instead of convex. I 

 have examined hundreds, but they were all i)ickled and from T>alirador. The very 

 lai-ge ones had no spots of vermil, hut tlie smaller ont's all had. In oiln'r respects 

 Storer is correct. His descri])tii)n is liasi'd on one specimen. 



