160 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



the Wiltshire border. I have been informed, on very good authority, 

 that two Snow Geese (Chen hyperboreus) were observed last January 

 for a fortnight or more on the Holkham estate. Both birds escaped, 

 although repeated efforts were made to shoot them. — Collingwood 

 Ingram (The Close, Tetbury, Glos.). 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



Life-history and Habits of the Salmon, Sea-trout, Trout, and other 

 Freshivater Fish. By P. D. Malloch. Adam & Charles Black. 



This beautifully illustrated book is one of the best contributions 

 to the life and habits of the Salmon that has yet appeared, and though 

 other fish are discussed it is the Salmon that holds the pride of place. 

 As Manager of the Tay Salmon Fisheries Company, Ltd., Mr. Malloch 

 has used his opportunities well, and has obtained much first-hand 

 and original information by the experimental method. As remarked in 

 the Preface : " Hitherto it was believed that Salmon smolts returned 

 as grilse the same year as they went down to the sea, but a study of 

 the smolt does not bear this out. Again, the writer shows that the 

 large Spring salmon, the small Spring salmon, and also the ' Summer 

 Bun,' are on their first return from the sea, and not from the kelt grilse 

 as many supposed. Evidence is also given that the so-called Salmon 

 bull-trout is not a Trout, but a true Salmon which has spawned, and 

 consequently has become altered in appearance and white in the flesh." 

 These facts alone would be sufficient to stamp the reputation of the 

 volume. Scale structure is fully treated and adequately illustrated, 

 and Mr. Malloch claims that by a study of the scales the age of a fish 

 can be arrived at. The Salmon disease, which first made its appear- 

 ance in the Biver Eden at Carlisle, and was noticed the following year 

 in the Tweed and the next year in the Tay, is fully described and illus- 

 trated, with all its repulsive details ; " during some seasons it is worse 

 than in others, and the colder the weather the worse it becomes." 



Mr. Malloch, writing on the Sea-trout (Sabno trutta), says that 

 after thirty years' careful study, and the collection of all available in- 

 formation, he has come to the conclusion that the Sea-trout "is the 

 same fish as that which is called White trout, Bull-trout, Gray trout, 

 Peel, Sewin, Brith-dail, Salmon-trout, and many other names." Of 

 the Brown trout (Salmo fario) he takes an equally synthetic view : 

 " Many naturalists maintain that there are different species of Trout 

 in the British Islands — Loch Leven trout, Gillaroo trout, tidal 

 trout, and many others ; but from a close study of all these trout for 

 the last forty years I have come to the conclusion that there is only 

 one species of Trout in Great Britain, and that in the different 

 varieties the differences are caused by the nature of the water in 

 which they are found and by the food they eat." 



This book is a real acquisition to the library of both the naturalist 

 and the angler. 



