282 AMERICAN FISH CULTUKE. 



and connect with the St. Croix, which river divides the 

 state of Maine from the British province of New Bruns- 

 wich. Agassiz says there is no doubt of there being land- 

 looked salmon, having all the specific characteristics of 

 Salmo solar. It is supposed that in past centuries, perhaps 

 ages ago, some obstruction was interposed, and, not being 

 able to go to sea, they eventually propagated their species, 

 and remained, producing dwarf salmon ; and, though having 

 free access to the ocean since, have been so modified as to 

 lose their anadromous instinct, and do not attempt to 

 migrate. They are much like grilse in the sport they 

 afford, leap often and high when hooked, and not less plucky 

 for their size, which averages about IJlb., though some- 

 times they attain 41b. or 51b., and in rare cases 71b. Great 

 catches are made every summer by anglers on both sides 

 of the border. Gapt. 0., R. A., stationed at Fredericktown, 

 N. B., is very successful in taking them. The sport is 

 only with the fly, of course, large trout flies being generally 

 used. This fish would do splendidly in your Scottish rivers 

 and lakes, particularly where the latter are connected by 

 the former. 



In reading your account of the introduction of Silurus 

 glanls into England, the thought occurred to me that the 

 smaller species of our catfish, of which there are two, the 

 white and yellow, would be a great acquisition to your slug- 

 gish and fat waters. They are exceeding fine pan fish, the 

 heads being taken off' when so cooked, and they make an 

 excellent stew with the heads on. lu the former case they 

 are skinned as eels ; in the latter only scraped and cleansed, 

 the skin and head remaining, contributing to the gluten, 

 which adds to the richness of the stew. There are some 

 gigantic species of this fish in streams of the Mississippi 

 valley, but they are coarse, tough, and distasteful. They 

 are exceedingly hardy, and occupy such habitat as eels 



