IRISH LOACH-TROLLING. 15 
ject is one which will be approached with greatest 
caution by those who are most deeply impressed by 
its extent and complexity. At a moment, indeed, 
when the very principles and methods to be pursued 
in the investigation are called in question, and keenly 
disputed by the ablest minds, the prudent observer 
will, pause ere he mingles in the conflict. Anato- 
mical research, which superseded the systems of 
classification by external characters alone, and which 
was long considered to rest on a firm basis, has failed 
in its turn to satisfy the objections of later discoveries. 
Either of these methods, or both combined, may be 
usefully employed in the discrimination of living 
beings one from the other, not because they meet 
the requirements of every case, but because we know 
no better at present. Till the exigencies of an exact 
science then are adequately worked out, it must 
suffice to assume here that there is such a being as 
the Great Lake trout, distinct from the other species 
and varieties of the genus. I would however, in 
limine, object to the very improper liberty taken with 
one of my earliest piscine acquaintances in giving 
him the inappropriate specific name of ferox; for 
I can safely aver, from long familiarity with him, 
that he is neither savage .nor ferocious, except 
indeed when he resents the prick of a fish-hook, 
or the too close proximity of a landing-net to his 
nose. We: swam the same waters together from 
