66 AMERICAN FISHES. 



of the different fish being unmistakable and evident — with the trans- 

 verse bare. The same distinguished naturalist has taken the Great 

 Lake Trout, or Mackinaw Salmon, Salmo Amethystus, and the Brook 

 Trout, Salmo Fontinalis, which abounds in all small streams, wherein 

 it is bred, in this same form. 



There only remain to be accounted for some two or three species, 

 the Great Gray Trout, of Britain, the Sea Trout, Salmo Trutta, and 

 the Silver Trout, Salms Lacustris, of Continental Europe, and on this 

 continent, the Siskawitz, Salmo Siskawitz, and the Lake Trout, Salmo 

 Confims, of Dekay. 



No especial search has been instituted for the fry of any of these 

 fish last named ; so that the non-discovery goes no way to prove their 

 non-existence ; on the contrary, all analogy goes to show that they 

 will be discovered in time. 



As it now stands, of fourteen, the most strongly-marked, Salmonidce, 

 nine have been clearly traced to this form ; and the five missing species 

 are either analogous, as the three European species, or closely con- 

 generous, as the two American LakeTrout, to one species Amethystus, 

 which is shown to be no exception to the rule. 



Every migratory species of Salmo is found in this stage ; and one 

 of the five or six, non-migratory. All analogy, therefore, goes to show 

 that these species will be found, on research, not to deviate from the 

 rule of their order. 



Mr. Shaw goes farther, and argues that no such perfect fish as the 

 Parr exists ; and that all the fish so named by different observers are 

 in truth the young of different species of the Salmon family. 



Against this fact, Mr. Yarrel reclaims ; and justly remarks that 

 " this is not conclusive evidence,of the non-existence of a distinct small 

 fish, to which the name of Parr ought to be exclusively applied ; it 

 rather shows the want of power among general observers to distinguish 

 between the young of closely-allied species, three or four of which are 

 indiscriminately called Parrs. '^ 



This is certainly true logic. 



The fact that all the young of all the Salmonida are what have 

 been called Parrs, is no proof that all Parrs are young and immature 

 fish. 



This matter, though, as it now stands, cleaved of all the absurd 



