84 



MU. r. DAT ON THE LOCH-LEVEN TKOUT. 



with the result that there was merely a trace of orange visible in 

 some, but the black white-edged margin to the rayed dorsal and 

 anal fins was not uncommon. 



On July 5th, 1886, 1 examined the colour of the adipose dorsal 

 fin in many Lochlevens, from pond 9 ; the first was rising 2-years, 

 and was five inches long. It had two black spots on the adipose 

 dorsal but not a trace o£ orange, and no red spots on the body. 

 Several more subsequently looked at were the same. Three had a 

 slight orange tinge on the adipose fin, and likewise a few red spots 

 on the body ; in fact this fin was orange-tinted in all, wherein red 

 spots existed on the sides, but the presence of these red spots 

 was the exception, not the rule. Passing on to the nursery- 

 ponds, we examined a few undersized Lochlevens which had not 

 fed well ; all had their bodies red-spotted and also red on the 

 adipose dorsal fin, while the rayed dorsal had a more distinctly 

 black white-edged margin than was generally seen. Some of 

 the fish had 2, 3, or 4 black spots on this fin. These fish would 

 at once have the brook-trout livery and not pass through 

 the normal silvery stage — a stage, we have been erroneously 

 informed, which is an infallible test of a trout being migratory 

 and sea-going. 



Having paid a visit to Mr. Andrews's* well-known fish-cultural 

 establishment at Guildford, I was shown the yearling Lochlevens 

 which had red spots and red edges to the upper margin of the 

 adipose dorsal fin and on each lateral margin of the tail-fin. 



Here I must shortly digress to describe a hybrid specimen 

 raised at Howietoun, which possibly affords one of the most 

 convincing proofs that could be adduced of the identity or close 



been nearly black, while it was the largest fisli that has been seen. From the 

 fact that this pond lately had had very few fishes in it (they having been 

 removed), a more abundant supply of food was obtainable, and consequently 

 this trout had grown larger and taken on the Loch-Leven trout colours. 



* Mr. Andrews (MS., Nov. 1886) finds at Guildford that "eggs of the 

 Loch-Leven trout from Howietoun do very well with him ; they are hatched 

 in water coming from chalk, and reared where it comes from a gravelly soil. 

 The young grow more rapidly and are deeper in form than seen at the same 

 age in their native home. The yearlings have the edge of the adipose dorsal 

 fin and sides of the tail-fin red, and there are also some red spots on the 

 body, in common with young of the brook-trout and some reputed as S. ferox." 

 Mr, Andrews continues that he "knows of no unmistakable peculiarities ob- 

 servable in the foregoing three varieties of British ti'out ; " and I question if 

 any one else is able to point out their existence. 



