Sea Troicts generally. 22"] 



wondered at seeing that sea trouts are abundant on the eastern 

 Atlantic shore from Maine to Newfoundland, and I regret I 

 cannot in any way, from personal observation, clear up this 

 strange hiatus in the natural history of a common fish. Mr. 

 Perley, not only a fisherman of much practical experience, but 

 also an observer of the appearances of fishes, considered the 

 sea trout of Canada as being identical with the Salmo trutta 

 of Europe ;* but I doubt very much if he looked deeper than 

 a few external appearances ; at the same time it will not sur- 

 prise me should his opinion be confirmed ; indeed, as far as 

 written descriptions and accounts of the habits of the fish ex- 

 tend, there is a very decided resemblance between the Old and 

 New World species. Dr. Gilpin f gives a minute account of 

 the Sea Trout found in the rivers and salt waters of Nova 

 Scotia. I perceive, moreover, in comparing Dr. Gilpin's 

 description of Salmo Canadensis with S. Rossii of Richard- 

 son, J that there is again a decided resemblance. I shall 

 point out again presently how the sea-run brook trout is often 

 mistaken for this species ; indeed, in some of the rivers on the 

 north-eastern shore of New Brunswick, to wit, Tabucintac, 

 incredible numbers are captured by the settlers, who consider 

 they are taking the BROOK TROUT. But the important question 

 comes to be, is there any connection between it and the silvery 

 salmon trout just described ? Is the latter a land-locked 

 variety of the former ? Mr. Wheelright§ observes that the sea 

 trout of north-western Europe gets land-locked, and individuals 

 in consequence never visit the sea. It would be exceedingly 

 curious and instructive to show whether or not the changes in 

 Salmo Gloveri admit of contrast with Salmo Canadensis, so far 

 that by natural selection we could safely allow it to be a variety 

 of the other, more especially as I have pointed out that the 

 anatomical characters common to both as established by one of 

 the most competent of living ichthyologists, indicate that a very 



* Op. cit., p. 197. X '' Faun. Bor. Amer.," p. 163. 



t Op. cit., p. 84. 1866. § " Spring and Summer in Lapland." 



Q 2 



