4712 Fishes. 



village in buckets of water : it is by no means a very delicate fish, 

 and could easily be transplanted to other lakes ; but it is not a high- 

 seasoned fish, and in this respect also what has been said of its singu- 

 larly good qualities is a pure exaggeration. The object of science is 

 to destroy mystery and popular delusions. 



Mr. Harkness, of Lochmaben, who assisted me greatly in these 

 inquiries, had the kindness to have the vendace caught for me in the 

 depth of winter, that is, on the 16th of December. The rivers Annan 

 and M w r ere fished for me on the same day for parr, and specimens 

 of both were sent me. There w r ere twenty-four vendace ; of these 

 twenty-two were females and two males ; they were taken in the 

 Castle Loch of Lochmaben, as usual with the net. In nineteen of the 

 female vendace the ovaries were small, very soft, and the ova mere 

 points; but the fish themselves were in good condition: in three 

 females the ova were very large, and the fish just about to spawn ; in 

 the two males the milts were progressing in size, but not much 

 enlarged. 



The vendace is found in two of the system of lakes'near Loch- 

 maben, namely, the Castle Loch, so called from the ruined castle of 

 the Brus on its banks, and the Mill Loch : this latter is a deeper 

 loch, but not so extensive. As it seemed to me that the vendace of 

 the two lakes differed somewhat from each other, my brother, at my 

 request, examined them very carefully ; the result of that inquiry is 

 as follows : — 



Examination of the Vendace of the Castle Loch and Mill Loch, 

 February 26, 1837. 



" The mouth being fully closed, and the specimen laid on a flat 

 board, the following dimensions were taken : — 



Castle Loch. 



Snout to centre of tail 6f inches. 



„ dorsal fin 3 „ 



„ mort fin 5% „ 



„ pelvic fin 3 „ 



„ anal fin 4| „ 



„ extremity of gill-covers . . . If „ 



Breadth of eye £ „ 



Length of head, dorsal line . . . . 1 7 ' 8 „ 



Greatest depth of body If „ 



oz. drs. grs. 

 Weight 1 5 40 



Mill Loch. 



6f inches. 



3 „ 



6* 



> 



3 



> 



4f 



> 



n 



> 



3 





8 



i 



n 



> 



u , 



» 



oz. drs. grs. 



I 9 



40 



