4020 Fishes. 



Salmon Trout, Salmo Trutta. Abundant. 



Common Trout, Salmo Fario. Abundant. 



Charr, Salmo Salvelinus. Rare. Three specimens obtained in 

 Waas, in 1832, by J. E. Heddle, Esq. 



Argentine, Scopelus Humboldtii. Several specimens have been 

 procured during the last few years by Dr. Duguid and Mr. R. Heddle. 



ClupeidcB. 

 Herring, Clupea Harengus. Abundant. 



Sub-order. — Apodes. 



Muraenida. 



Sharp-nosed Eel, Anguilla acutirostris. Common. 

 Broad-nosed Eel, Anguilla latirostris. Less common : first iden- 

 tified in Orkney by Dr. Duguid. 



Conger, Conger vulgaris. Common. 



Order X. — Dermopteri. 



Sub-order. — Cyclostomi. 



Petromyzon tidce . 



Sea Lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. A specimen occurred several 

 years years ago at Stromness, and one has since been obtained by Dr. 

 Duguid. 



Wm. Balfour Baikie. 



Haslar Hospital, July 20, 1853. 



Note on Tench and Pike. — It is generally considered amongst keepers and fisher- 

 men that the tench is a fish which all others of a voracious nature, such as pike, perch, 

 trout, and eels, equally avoid feeding on ; and the reason given is, that the slime of 

 the former possesses a healing quality of which other kinds offish are aware, and that, 

 when wounded or ill, they resort to this physician of the waters, and, by rubbing them- 

 selves against the tench, extract a remedy for their ailments, for which, instead of pay- 

 ing any fee, they all agree in considering the former so great a benefactor that it ought 

 to go free, and be protected from all harm. How far it becomes one to doubt the 

 truth of this belief, is unnecessary to state ; but I may be excused in relating the fol- 

 lowing circumstance which I witnessed a few days since, and leave the conclusion to 

 be drawn from it to others, as to the sentiments imputed to the other kinds of fish in 

 abstaining from feeding on the tench. In a pit or small pool at the back of the house, 

 it is the custom to put such fish of different kinds as are likely to be wanted for the 



