i8 THE SEA-TROUT 



matters may compare with it, say, the scheme of classification which the 

 late Mr. H. Cholmondeley-Pennell, in 1863, adopted and set forth in 

 his well-known book, " The Angler-NaturaHst." I hope I do not 

 misrepresent Mr. Regan's scheme, but I gather that of the great number 

 of British vertebrate fresh-water animals known as fishes there are two 

 classes, with the first of which, Marsifobranchn, having one order, and 

 one family (represented by the lampreys), we have nothing to do. Of 

 the other class, Pisces, there are two sub-classes, and with the first of 

 these, Chondrostei, which has one order, and one family (represented 

 by the sturgeons), we have also nothing to do. The other sub-class, 

 Teleostei, is our concern. In this sub-class Mr. Regan predicates 

 seven orders, each of which comprises one or more families; but it is 

 only the first of these orders, Isospondyli, which interests us here, for 

 in it are comprised three families, the important one for us being the 

 family SalmonidcB, of which the salmon and trout are more particularly 

 the representatives. Mr. Regan has courteously furnished me with the 

 reprint of a Paper, of which he is the author, on " The Systematic 

 Arrangement of the Fishes of the Family SalmonldcE^' which enables 

 us to carry the classification a step further. 



To the family of the Salniomda, then, in its universal aspect, Mr. 

 Regan is able to refer four genera : — (i) Salmo, Linn., which includes, 

 he says, " all the fish commonly known as Salmon and Trout." The 

 other three, though not to the purpose, may be stated : — (2) Salvelinus, 

 Nilss., including the char; (3) HncJio, Giinth., including the hucho of 

 the Danube, etc., and (4) Brachyviystax, Giinth., including a species of 

 Siberian hucho. In the .synopsis of the four genera given in this paper, 

 Mr. Regan states their general characteristics thus : — 



" Parietals not meeting in middle line. Teeth well developed 



in jaws, on vomer and palatines, and in a double series on tongue. 



Scales small, 19 or more in a tran.sverse series from origin of dorsal 



fin to lateral line. Dorsal fin short, with not more than 16 rays, 



12 or fewer branched"; 



