164 SALMONID^ OF BRTTAHST. 



demonstrates ttat similar variations are perceived in the northern race, as no. 7 in 

 the same figure, where the cleft of this fin from a Sutherlandshire example (from 

 the Oykell), is as great as in any southern specimen of sewia. Although it 

 has been asserted that in Wales the difference in the tails of the sewin and 

 salmon, is that in the former it is not forked, whereas in the salmon it is ; I must 

 confess to having generally found the caudal fins forked in these fish, especially 

 among the females (see fig. 37). Gcecal appendages — these vary in number, and 

 in those fish personally obtained from Wales or along the south coast of England, 

 they have averaged from 39 to 42 ; in the example whose head is figured (no. 34, 

 p. 160), they were 40).* Colours — silvery, those from the sea generally with black 

 X - shaped spots, the fish, however, becomes of a darker tinge and more spotted 

 when in rivers.f Welsh examples are often more spotted than those taken from 

 Devonshire and Cornwall. The colour of the dead fin varies ; in most I have 

 examined, it has had one or two black spots, or a dark upper edge, and just 

 tinged with orange around its posterior margin, but a Tivy fish J 6'8 inches long, 

 sent me in March, 1886, by Mr. Bowen, had the last third of this fin of a 

 beautiful vermilion. But in that stream, trout are, as a rule, vividly marked. 



Habits. — In the Usk they are early, and the largest ascend about June, but 

 later on, as in the autumn, a nnmber of small sewin are seen; on April 29th, 1873, 

 one of f lb. was recorded as of unusual early occurrence in this river, while they 

 have much increased in numbers during the last twenty-five years. The earliest 

 date these fish have been stated to have been seen spawning in the Usk, was 

 September 27th, 1873. The sewin is occasionally found ascending higher up streams 

 than the salmon, but in rare instances, young salmon-par have been observed passing 

 up rivers above where any of their parents have been remarked making redds. 

 I have personally obtained sewin along the south coast from Exmouth to PenzancOj 

 all of which have been females, and which agreed in every respect with others 

 that I have taken from rivers flowing into Cardigan Bay. The same has been 

 recorded, not only from various portions of the British Isles§ and Ireland, but 

 likewise off the Scandinavian Peninsula. Mr. Douglas Ogilby, writing from 

 Ireland, says "the variety S. camhrious is alone found in our northern rivers, and 

 of this, we have a long-headed and a short-headed form ; a difference, however, 

 which will be found on dissection to be greatly attributable to sex, the short- 

 headed being, as a rule, females." 



1 

 1 Sphsarium corneum. 2 Physa. 



* In the British Museum Catalogue vi, this form is defined as possessing " Cseo. pylor. 39-47, 

 rarely more," while the following number of appendages are asserted to be present in specimens in 

 the collection. From examples along our south and west coasts, 5 males gave 34, 35, 89, 43, 47 ■ 

 3 females 38, 45, 47 ; and 11, of which the sex is not recorded, 33, 37, 38, 41, 41, 42, 42, 43, 43^ 

 48, 52 ; and 1 Irish male example 46, showing variations from 33 to 52. Mr. WiUis Bund, Salmon 

 Problems, p. 181, remarked on an example 49 inches long from the Usk, which had 48 ctecal 

 appendages. 



f In the Report of the Gommissioners in 1860, the sewin was said by one witness to be destitute 

 of spots, but the bull trout to be spotted. 



} " In this neighbourhood the brook trout are rather vividly coloured. Eapid streams and 

 rocky beds are the general rule in our brooks, which is against size, but the fish are beautifully 

 marked and of excellent flavour * * the season for the sewin is from June to July." 



§ Dr. Giinther does not include it among Scotch fishes, but two examples presented to the 

 National collection by Mr. Godman, and obtained from the Bi^ex Blkey, in Eoss-shire, are labelled 

 as Salmo camhricus. 



