204 
PEAL. 
rising to proceed in the contrary direction. That these White 
Trout are not the same with those which hear the same name 
in Scottish rivers — the Sahno alius of naturalists — is certain; 
and in only one instance, where the example was of unusual 
size, have I ever seen a few grains of roe in them. The usual 
length is about six inches, the form closely like that of the 
Peal, and they are easily distinguished by the brilliant whiteness 
of the scales; on the back a slight tint of blue or green, with 
faint dots in some instances, and occasionally a tinge of pink 
on the adipose fin. 
It may be useful to be aware that the Peal is able to live 
in the confinement of a pond of fresh water. Four of these 
fish were taken in a river with a net, and presently conveyed 
to a newly-enclosed piece of water of no large dimensions; 
and after thirteen months they had not altered in any particular. 
The Peal under several names is known in considerable 
abundance through the whole extent of the British Islands, 
although perhaps with some variation of form and colour, as 
is the case with the Salmon and others of this family; but 
there appears much difficulty in assigning to this, and indeed 
most of the other species, the names given by the writers of 
the continent; the reason of which we suppose to be, that there 
exist several kinds of the Salmonidce which are not yet clearly 
defined; so that not a few which have hitherto been judged 
to be only varieties will at last be discovered to be distinct 
species. 
From communications received from several districts in the 
north of our island we have reason to believe that this, under 
a variety of names, is as widely distributed as any of the 
same family. An example has been obtained from Eobert 
Embleton, Esq., of Chathill, in Northumberland, under the 
name of Hirling, (' Sahno albellusj which measured eleven 
inches in length, and closely resembled the Peal of Cornwall; 
and I owe to the same gentleman, among other valuable 
communications, the substance of a paper by Sir William 
Jardine, Bart., which is contained in an early number of 
“The Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists’ Club.” 
This gentleman says, “This fish I consider to be the S. alius 
of Fleming, the Herling or Hirling of the Scotch side of 
the Solway Firth, the Whiting of the English side, and by 
