226 Field and Forest Rambles. 



family salmonida, which at present contains several hundred 

 species. 



I have dwelt at length on the natural history of the silvery 

 salmon trout, not only on account of the scientific inte- 

 rest in connection with the appearance and habits of a rare 

 and very little known fish, but also with the view of attracting 

 more attention to its presence, in hopes that, through the efforts 

 of the pisciculturist, it may yet find its way into the lakes and 

 rivers of the Old World, as I am informed by Mr. Boardman it is 

 now flourishing in the New Hampshire waters, into which it was 

 introduced some years since. A lake fed or drained by rapid 

 rivers is its favourite resort at present, although I believe this 

 condition has resulted more or less from the pressure of circum- 

 stances, and that the fish originally pursued habits similar to 

 its close allies the Canadian and European sea trouts, from 

 which it differs in some characters, which entitle it to be con- 

 sidered a salmon trout distinct from any of the others. At the 

 same time it recommends itself to the notice of all followers 

 of Walton, for, indeed, any old fisherman's heart will beat 

 audibly on witnessing the spring of this fine fish when struck; 

 then I have seen it toss itself fully four feet out of water, and 

 at the Grand Lake Stream sluice I watched an individual stem 

 a powerful torrent for several minutes.* 



It is rather remarkable that no one has yet established spe- 

 cific distinctions between the so-called Sea Trouts of north- 

 east America and the well-known European fishes of the same 

 name. There is a very poor drawing and meagre description 

 in Cuvier's great work of a sea trout sent to him from 

 Canada by Colonel Hamilton Smith, and to which he has 

 given the name of Salmo Canadensis. This is the more to be 



* In the Madawaska, one of the rivers draining off the contents of the 

 great lakes near the sources of the St. John, I was told that there is a 

 " silvery sided pigmy salmon, or small grilse," which the French settlers 

 name the '■ pointeur," from its aptitude to jump at bait or fly, but whether 

 it be this fish or not, I do not know. 



