132 AMERICAN FISHES. 



of which I am speaking. The allusion to Captain Back, then a mid- 

 shipman, is founded on the fact, that midshipmpn in the British navy, 

 . rank as ensigns in the army, and that French officers of the same 

 grade, are styled enseigne de vaisseoM, in consequence of the same 

 analogy. 



Dr. Richardson proceeds to observe that " it is found only in clear 

 waters, and seems to delight in the most rapid part of mountain 

 streams. In the autumn of 1820, we obtained many by angling in 

 a rapid of the Winter river, opposite to Fort Enterprise. The sport 

 was excellent, for this Grayling generally springs entirely out of water 

 when first struck by the hook, and tugs strongly at the line, requiring 

 as much dexterity to land it safely as it would to secure a Trout of six 

 tiipes the size. 



And this latter would be no small feat, since I find elsewhere that 

 the fish grows to five or six pounds weight, greatly exceeding his Eu- 

 ropean congener in size, as he does also in vigor and brillitacy of 

 coloring. 



" The characters by which the Graylings are distinguished from the 

 Trouts," continues Dr. Richardson, " in the regne animal, are the 

 smallness of the mouth, the fineness of the, teeth, the great size of the 

 dorsal fin, and the largeness of the scales. The stomach is a very 

 thick sac ; the gill-rays are seven or eight in number." 



The color of this beautiful fish, is stated by the same author to be 

 as follows : " Back dark ; sides of a hue intermediate between lavender 

 purple and bluish gray ; belly blackish ffa,j with several irregular 

 whitish blotches. There are several quadrangular spots of Prussian 

 blue, on the anterior part of the body, -each tinging the margin of four 

 adjoining scales. The head is hair brown above, the cheeks and gill- 

 covers the same, combined with purplish tints, and there is a blue 

 mark on each side of the lower jaw. The dSrsal fin has a blackish 

 gray color, with some lighter blotches, and is crossed by rows of beau- 

 tiful Berlin-blue spots ; it is edged with light lake-red.- The ventr.als 

 are streaked with reddish, and whitish lines in the direction of their 

 rays. 



" The scales are covered with a thickish epidermis, consequently 

 having little lustre. 



" The body is compressed with an elliptical profile, the head, when 



