68 PHYSOSTOMI. 



forwards to the lateral-line. The skin on the back of old males both during and 

 subsequent to the spawning season becomes thickened and spongy, causing the 

 scales to be imbedded. Ccecal appendages varying from about 50 to 80. 

 Colours. — In adults superiorly of a steel blue, becoming lighter on the sides 

 and beneath. Mostly a few rounded or x-shaped spots scattered over the body 

 above the lateral-line and upper half of the head, being more numerous in the 

 female than in the male. Dorsal, caudal, and pectoral fins dusky black : ventral 

 and anal white, the former grayish internally. Prior to entering fresh waters 

 these fish are of a brilliant steel blue along the back which becomes changed to a 

 muddy tinge when they enter rivers. After these fish have passed into fresh waters 

 for the purpose of breeding, numerous orange streaks appear in the cheeks of the 

 male, and also spots, or even marks of the same, and likewise of a red colour on the 

 body. It is now termed a " red-fish." The female, however, is dark in colour 

 and known as a " black-fish." Smolts are bluish along the upper half of the body, 

 silvery along ,the sides, due to a layer of silvery scales being formed over the 

 trout-like colours, while they have darker fins than the yearling pink but similar 

 lateral bands and spots (see pi. ex. fig. 2) which can be seen (as in the parr) 

 if the example is held in certain positions of light. Parr have two or three black 

 spots only on the opercle, and black spots, also orange ones along the upper half of 

 the body and no dark ones below the lateral-line, although there may be orange 

 ones which are seen along its course. Along the side of the body are a series 

 (12 to 15) of transverse bluish bands wider than the ground colour and crossing 

 the lateral-line, while in the upper half of the body the darker silvery colour of 

 the back forms an arch over each of these bands. A row of spots along the 

 middle of the rayed dorsal fin, and the adipose orange tipped. 



Varieties.— Although among the British Salmonidce, when not kept in any 

 unnatural condition, the salmon is perhaps the species in which the fewest 

 variations are seen, still some, affecting either its form or its colour, are 

 sometimes present. 



In form. — Are more commonly perceived among the young artificially 

 hatched, two or even more heads may be found, one with three heads was born 

 in the spring of 1879, but as soon as the yolk sac was absorbed the fish died 

 (Anglers' Note Book, p. 79). Arrests of development, as of the upper or under 

 jaw, of one or more fins, or other portions of the body, or spinal curvatures are 

 occasionally observed. It may be mentioned that fish salesmen and some 

 fishermen believe they can tell from external appearances the river the various 

 salmon have come from. Salmo argenteus, Gunther,* is a kelt-like form, its 

 elongated condition being due to disease or starvation, probably the latter as 

 it had been kept in a fresh water pond. It is another form of Salmo gracilis, 

 Couch. Degeneration in size when present may be quite distinct from degenera- 

 tion in structure or function. 



In colour. — Occasionally quite brown salmon are captured in fresh waters, 

 especially towards the close of the season, which would appear to be due to a 

 prolonged fresh water residence. Mr. Ffennel recorded having captured them of 

 a copper colour in the early lakes having the ova not very far advanced. 



Names. — Speaking genei-ally this fish in its full-grown condition is known as 

 the salmon ; one on its second return from the sea is often termed a gerling 

 in the Severn, or a hotelier on its first return when under 51b. weight ; although, 

 the more general designation is grilse; when under 21b. weight it is usually 

 termed salmon-peal by fishmongers. From one to two years old, before it has 

 gone to the sea it is known as a parr, fink, smolt, smelt, salmon-fry, sprag, 

 or salmon-spring (Northumberland), samlet, brandling, fingerling, black-fin, blue-fin, 

 shed, skegger, gravelling, liepper, laspring, gravel laspring, skerling, or sparling in 

 Wales. A third year salmon is known as a pug (Halliwell). In Northumberland 

 a " milter " or spawning male is known as a summer-cock or gib-fish, and a salmon 



* The spots on the head, dorsal fin, and body are more what is generally seen on Salmo trutta, 

 otherwise the fish is identical with 8. solar, but reliable characters would scarcely be expected to be 

 well marked in a fish either ill or nearly starved, anyhow as lean and lanky as a kelt (pi. cxi, 

 fig. i). 



