SALMONID^. 53 



Genus I — Salmo, Arteii- 



Fario and Salar, Cuvier : Trutta and Salvelini, Nilsson. 



BrancMostegals nine to thirteen : pseudobranchim ■present. Eyes lateral. Cleft 

 of mouth deep, the posterior extremity of the upper jaw reaching to beneath the hind 

 edge of the eye or even beyond. Teeth conical, present on jaws, vomer, palatine bones 

 and tongue, absent from the pterygoids. Anterior dorsal fin with a moderate 

 number of rays (10-15) : anal with rather few (10-13). Scales small and cycloid, 

 none on the head. Lateral-line straight. Oaeaal appendages numerous. A pancreas 

 present. 



Geographical distribution. — This family of pbysostomatons fishes is found in 

 Europe, Asia and America, and is most abundant in the Arctic or colder regions, in 

 contradistinction to the distribution of the carps and siluroids, which augment in 

 numbers the nearer we approach the tropics. The groups of salmon and trout are 

 so intimately connected one with another that a common origin to both would 

 scarcely be denied, and here arises the inquiry of whether their ancestors were 

 originally marine or inhabitants of the fresh waters. Several structural reasons 

 appear to point to the sea having originally been the place of their abode. If we 

 look at the salmon we observe that although it ascends into the fresh waters to 

 breed, so soon as it leaves the sea and enters rivers it begins to deteriorate in 

 condition, its flesh becomes softer in quality and paler in colour, while the silvery 

 lastre of the scales commences to change to a more muddy hue. 



The indigenous species belonging to this genus have been placed in three 

 sub-generic groups, and to a certain extent arbitrarily separated from one another 

 in the following manner : — 



A. Anadromous species, with deciduous vomerine teeth, which are usually 

 shed at an early age. Salmo. 



B. Non-migratory fresh water species, with deciduous vomerine teeth. Fario. 



C. Non-migratory fresh water species, in which the vomerine teeth are 

 restricted to near the head of that bone. Salvelini. 



The two first of these groups not being separated one from the other by any 

 impassable barrier, I propose in the following remarks to allude generally both to 

 the sub-genus Salmones or salmons, and trout, leaving observations upon the 

 Salvelini or charrs, until that group comes specially under consideration. 



During the present century much has been written in this country respecting 

 the salmon and the trout, their natural history and economic uses. Founded 

 possibly upon the views of sportsmen, naturalists, and fishermen, laws have been 

 enacted from which but insufficient benefits have accrued, making one reflect 

 whether our ancestors may not have been more practically acquainted with 

 the habits of these fish and the requirements of fisheries, than are the legislators 

 of the present century. 



It may not be waste of space, when referring to the important family of 

 Salmonidoe, first to ascertain what have been the views held by the best known of 

 our later naturalists concerning the species or varieties of true Salmonidce which 

 are found in or around these islands ; for the genus Salmo has been divided into 

 (1) Salmones, or true salmons, wherein the body of the vomer is toothed at 

 some period of their lives, and (2) the Salvelini or charrs, which have the vomerine 

 teeth restricted to near the head of that bone. 



Donovan, in his British Fishes (1802-1808), referred to the (1) sewen or 

 Salmo cambricus, of which he tells us, among other indications, that the head is 

 shorter than in the common salmon, and the tail more forked — this he considered 

 to be an anadromous form peculiar to Wales; (2) the common salmon, Salmo salar ; 

 (3) the trout, Salmo fario, which he observed to be subject to many variations. 

 He alluded to that from the Llynteifi, a lake of South Wales, termed Goch y dail, 

 and marked with black spots as large as sixpences ; to a crooked-tailed variety in 

 the Einion, a river not far from Machynllaeth, and also to a similar form being in 



