150 MALACOFTERYGII. 



Above lateral line are a few X spots, as described in my other specimens, 

 but on opercle are several round spots, and a feAV, nearest to the eye, have 

 a tinge of brownish red. Contiguous to the lateral line, not more than 

 ^ an inch above it, and extending to an inch below it, are pale brick-red 

 spots, but these are few and widely separated in some places, whilst in 

 others several are clustered together. On dissection it proved to be a 

 male, and had the milt so developed that it would certainly have been shed 

 in the present season, I was pleased to perceive this in connexion with 

 the small hook on lower jaw ; it goes to prove what has been stated, that 

 the " hook " is not in any way used in excavating a hole for the ova of the 

 female, but that this operation is effected with the tail. 



January 2Wi, 1842. — Dr. M'Donnell sent me a trout about 16 inches 

 in length, which he had received from Mr. Crawford, Crawfordsburn, who 

 wished to know what it was : it was a Salmo Eriox ; on one side was a 

 circle of scarlet spots nearly the size of a half-penny, and on the other 

 were two such circles — the marking of the breeding season. I presume 

 it was a male, but the intestines, &c., had been taken out. 



On February \st, 1S42, I received another specimen, 2 feet in length, 

 from the same quarter ; a most characteristic 'S'. Eriox in form and colour 

 — long, narrow, and uniform in depth ; a grey colour with a few round 

 black spots only along the sides. 



Dr. M'D. says this fish appears about the river at Crawfordsburn in 

 winter only, when the stream is large : it is called " Salmon Trout " there. 

 The same gentleman sent me a specimen from the Nanny Water (County 

 Meath) in April, 184-1. 



February 21th, 1849. — In Belfast market I saw a S. Eriox to-day, 2^^ lbs. 

 weight, which, as it laid on the bench with several of S. Trutta, looked 

 different from them only in being more equable in breadth — having the 

 dorsal and ventral profile less arched. The caudal fin certainly was more 

 square at the end and of a coarser structure, but the specimen was as 

 silvery and had as many spots as the S. Trutta ; in both of which particu- 

 lars the other specimens that I obtained differed (see dates respecting 

 them). 



The considerably larger adipose fin, together with the graceless outline 

 and the coarse rays of the dorsal fin, proved the specimen to be «S'. Eriox. 

 The only difference in colour of body and fins between it and the S. Trutta 

 (of which there were several both larger and smaller than it) was the 

 mere extremity of its caudal fin being lightish coloured instead of dusky, 

 and its dorsal fin M'anting the many spots towards the base that S. Trutta 

 exhibited. Although wanting a specimen of 5. Eriox to send Mr. YarreU, 

 I did not purchase it, as it was the least decidedly marked of any speci- 

 men I had seen. It was taken in the sea. 



July 20th, 1848. — One 18^ lbs. weight, caught in the sea near Donag- 

 hadee, was brought to Belfast market. It was the largest Avhich the fish- 

 monger ever saw: he has seen two others of 18 lbs. He accurately de- 

 scribed to me the differences between S. Eriox and <S'. Trutta. 



Ifarch 16th, 1849. — Numbers of S. Trutta and two of S. Eriox in Belfast 

 market, from Ballyhalbert and Ballywalter ; a few »S'. Salar taken with 

 them from 5 lbs. down. 



S. Eriox. The larger weighed 9 lbs., and was 2 feet 4 inches in length : 

 it was not in high condition, as the weight implies. 



S. Eriox. One which I bought, 22 inches long, weighed 4 lbs. It is of 

 singular uniform breadth throughout, and of a greyish instead of a whitish 

 silvery hue, like S. Trutta. It proved to be a female, the ova being the 



