THE COMMON TROUT. 153 



veyed with all haste to the spring-dam. They were all in the highest 

 condition when taken, but a few days afterwards I noticed one of them 

 having about the gills and fins several white downy-looking excrescences 

 (not unlike the hard and pearly tubercles on the stickleback), some of them 

 larger than a marrowfat or the most gigantic pea. The general colour 

 too of the fish Avas paler, and its motion through the water dull and 

 sluggish ; in a few days it died, as well as two others which were simi- 

 larly affected. I have before observed this disease in trout, and in the 

 present instance have remarked that the growth of the execrescences is 

 very rapid, quite that of a mushroom. I recollect many years ago having 

 a little lime put undei the arch, between the two dams, and the very 

 moment the trout, fifteen to twenty, came to the top, they were plunged 

 into a large tub of spring water; yet every one died almost immediately.* 

 Note of October 15th, 1832. 



Salmo Fario of Dr. Ball's, with shortupper jaw, just as figured by Yarrell, 

 ii. 59. It is seven inches long, opercle very angular and spotted, dorsal 

 fin marked over with round black spots, first ray of fin white, as in the 

 char, immediately succeeded by a black line, remainder pale grey. The 

 upper jaw has a singular appearance, being doubled in with all the 

 teeth in it, as if it were perfect. This S2)ecimen was taken in a pond at 

 Sally Park, near Dublin ; the pond is sujiplied by a mountain-stream. 

 Dublin, note of 1838. 



Deformed trout, taken by R. Callwell, Esq., in a river flowing from 

 Loch Ruthen, half an English mile from the lake, one of three hundred 

 and twenty taken in three days, during the second week in September, 

 1839. 



Trout with malformed head, just as figured by Yarrell, brought to the 

 Museum, from a small stream near Doagh, County Antrim, where a second 

 one of lai'ger size was also taken. May, 1844. 



In the river at Glenlark, in the Munterloney mountains, County Derry, 

 Mr. Sinclaire states that the water and stones are deeply tinged with a 

 rust colour, of which the trout likewise partake. Their flesh is very bad, 

 and of a metallic flavour, as Mr. Sinclaire and his friends had evidence ; 

 so bad are they that the country people will not eat them, and as they 

 are not fished for, the river abounds in them. 



3Iarch 2lst, 1837, I purchased a beautifully marked trout, which was 

 taken with a fly in the river at Whiteabbey, on the northern shore of 

 Belfast Bay. 



Its length is fourteen and a half inches. Colour above lateral line, very 

 pale yellowish brown, glossed with silvery lilac between the spots, with 

 which it is densely covered; these are large, round (no X like figures), 

 and rich brown, three spots on posterior part of lateral line are dull red, 

 and two below it of this coloin- ; below the lateral line the spots do not 

 extend far, but are close together just beneath it. These spots are rich 

 dark brown in the centre, bordered with lighter brown, and each exhibit- 

 ing a white ring exterior to this, which gives every spot a beautifully 

 ocellated appearance; colour from lateral line to the belly is a pale yellow- 

 ish brown ; belly white, faintly glossed with silver anteriorly ; D. fin very 

 much spotted all over ; P. and F. marked with dusky grey and yellow ; 

 A. dusky or dark smoke grey, tipped with dull yellow ; C. olive brown ; 

 back, when viewed at a little distance, so dark as to apjjcar black. 



Eye, larger than I have seen it in any trout of similar size ; pupil, dark 



* Probably the spring-water was too cold. — R. Ball. 



