PEEFACE. 



So MANY publications upon the subject of the British Salmonidas, 

 treated by Fishery Inspectors, Zoologists, Field Naturalists and 

 Fish-culturists, have been published during recent years that it 

 appears almost presumptuous adding another to their number. 

 But owing to the opportunities so freely given me by Sir James 

 Maitland, Bart., for collecting information at his unrivalled 

 Howietoun fish-farm, and his kindness in instituting many and 

 costly experiments among this class of fishes when he deemed them 

 likely to obtain valuable results, I have considered it might not be 

 inappropriate to lay those results along with other investigations 

 before the public, in the hope that they may conduce to further 

 research. 



It has been increasingly evident to me for some years that one 

 of the main reasons militating against the successful cultivation of 

 trout (and possibly char) in this kingdom by riparian proprietors, 

 has been the confusion into which these forms have been thrown by 

 naturalists, who, in order to give greater accuracy to their descriptive 

 treatises on Museum specimens, have subdivided them into many 

 species. The consequence of this has been, that fish-culturists who 

 have accepted the statements made, have been constantly attempt- 

 ing to introduce new species into their waters in order to improve 

 the native race. For the zoologists who have been most active in 

 raising local varieties to specific rank have been compelled to admit 



