HANDSOME FISH. 353 
authority I did not presume to differ; still, when he in- 
formed me that the Salmo fontinalis of American waters 
was identical with our home brook - trout, I thought that 
the lively game little beauty of our mountain streams had 
wonderfully changed in color and appearance from his trans- 
atlantic brother, or vicé versa. As the weather began to 
get warmer, the more brilliant-colored specimens became 
scarcer, and ultimately ceased to be taken in the river. 
This circumstance induced me further to think that there 
was some difference either in habits or choice of haunts 
which their more plain-clothed relatives did not affect, and 
that at least there were different varieties, if not species, 
among the inhabitants of this stream; and the more I 
think the subject over now, the more thoroughly do I feel 
convinced that the name of Salmo fontinalis has been fre- 
quently applied to what is, in reality, our red-bellied char. 
Memory is often not to be depended upon, but with the as- 
sistance of a few notes (the lapse of time not being more 
than a few years), I will endeavor to tell the differences 
that I most particularly observed. In outline of shape, 
what I suppose to be the red-bellied char much resembled 
a well-fed trout, except that the first dorsal fin is nearer the 
head, the caudal fin has a wider spread at its termination, 
and the junction of the caudal fin with the body is more 
tapered away. In coloring, the back was of a deep mack- 
erel green, interwoven with irregular darker waving lines, 
while the belly was as brilliant as burnished copper. Above, 
where the green of the back and red of the stomach ran 
into each other, there were three lateral lines of large brill- 
iant red spots, interspersed with minor straw-colored ones, 
and in some specimens the anal and pectoral fins had the 
* first two or three spines black. Altogether, in shape and 
coloring, a more game-looking, beautiful fish can not be im- 
agined ; moreover, their table qualities surpassed in deli- 
