40 



THE SEA-TROUT 



distinct species of trout. Dr. Giinther, the great ichthyologist of the 

 British Museum — I quote the Rev. W. Houghton, who published a 

 book on "British Fresh-water Fishes" in 1879 — wrote thus: — "No 

 distinct species is designated by this name (Bull Trout); at all events 

 the name is applied to different species at different localities, and by 

 different persons. We have received numerous examples of ' Bull 

 Trout,' each of them of a peculiar aspect, but without any characters 

 by which the species could be determined. It would appear that many 

 examples somewhat differing in general aspect from 5. irutia are named 

 Bull Trout." 



In the year 1910 I had the honour of receiving a communication on 

 this subject from Mr. Boulenger, already quoted in a former work of 

 mine.' " I do not admit the ' bull trout ' even to the rank of a variety," 

 he wrote, " From a scientific view, the only one with which I have any 

 right to speak, the designation ' bull trout ' should be entirely dropped." 

 Dr. Day, in his " British and Irish Salmonidcs,'" had already negatived 

 the idea of any specific distinction. Mr. Calderwood, however, con- 

 cedes the distinction of being at least a " variety " to the bull trout. In 

 his book on " The Salmon Rivers and Lochs of Scotland," published 

 in 1909, he incidentally remarks : — "The sea-trout of the Tweed is now 

 almost exclusively the bull trout or round-tail, S. tmUa var. eriox, the 

 same fish as ascends the Coquet," and he had already, in a paper read 

 before the Royal Society of Edinburgh given a more particular account 

 of the fish.^ 



A great deal of confused and somewhat confusing " evidence " on 

 this subject was listened to by the Royal Commissioners of 1902, and 

 is to be found scattered throughout the volume of evidence appended 

 to their report. It is vague and contradictory in the extreme, and the 

 reader who is curious enough to examine it will find some entertainment 



1. "The (Jentle Art" (inil). Chap. XVI, " Ooncernins Definitions," p. 29.5. 



2. "The Bull Trout of tlie Tav and of Tweed " by W. I,. Calderwood. Reprint from Proeeed- 

 ings of the Royal Society of Ediiilmrgh, Session 1903-4, Vol. XXV, Part I (1904). 



