158 Salmon at the Antipodes. 



many apparently new species have probably 

 been formed by accidental bybridization in tbe 

 first instance, and tbe new form bas been fixed 

 by breeding to tbe same type over a long 

 period ; tbe new race, from being exposed to 

 somewbat altered conditions, becoming ap- 

 parently a distinct species. 



In a preface to tbe sixtb volume of tbe 

 Catalogue of tbe fisbes in tbe British Museum, 

 Dr. Gunther, tbe great icbtbyologist, remarks : 

 — " Tbe salmonidse and tbe vast literature on 

 tbis family offer so many and so great diffi- 

 culties to tbe icbtbyologist, tbat as mucb 

 patience and time are required for tbe inves- 

 tigation of a single species, as in otber fisbes 

 for tbat of a wbole family. Tbe ordinary 

 metbod followed by naturabsts in distinguish- 

 ing and determining species is bere utterly 

 inadequate ; and I do not hesitate to assert 

 tbat no one, however experienced in the study 

 of otber famibes of fishes, will be able to find 

 bis way through this labyrinth of variations 

 without long preliminary study, and without 

 a good collection for constant comparison. 

 Sometimes forms are met with so peculiarly 

 and so constantly characterized, tbat no ich- 



