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Show 26 MR. F. DAY ON RACES AND [Jan- 15» Mr. Ramsay and myself procured them ; the proportions were as follows :- Male. Female. inches. inches. Total length of specimen 26*0 24*0 Length of head 48 4*5 Height of body 4*0 4*0 Distance between end of snout and "1 . ^.^ Q.Q commencement of dorsal fin f Length of caudal fin 3*0 3*5 Diameter of eye 0*8 0*5 Distance of eye from end of snout .. 1*5 1'5 These fish had from 118 to 120 rows of scales along the lateral line ; the male had 10 rows, and the female 11 between the posterior end of the base of the adipose dorsal fins, passing downwards and forwards to the lateral line. The male had 61, and the female 71 caecal appendages. The eggs in the female were about •£$ of an inch in diameter, hut there were many smaller ones. The milt in the male was appearing, while a small hook was apparent at the end of the lower jaw. Cooked, they were good fish, not so rich as Salmon from more northern rivers, and of a very slight pink tinge in the flesh. Under what conditions these fish are so elongated, whether from climatic causes or from food, are problems requiring solution. It has been asserted that along the south coast pollution of the river-water is the chief cause l. It has been generally accepted, that bad, insufficient, or unsuitable food, as well as prevention of descending to the sea at certain periods, will often eventuate in lanky fish, but I do not think that it is generally known that an elongated sea-going race of Salmo salar exists. The Lochleven variety of Trout is that with which Sir J. Gnbson- Maitland has had such marked success at Howietoun; and by keeping those bred in different years by themselves, some exceedingly interesting results have already been ascertained, the prelude possibly to many more. The first of these fish to which I propose adverting are those which are the elders of the fishery, and were hatched in 1 A correspondent in the 'Field ' (January 5, 1SS4, page K>) observes:-" I have conversed with several old Devonshire anglers, w ho sadly recall the days of their youth, when they could reckon with a moral certainty on catching two or three Salmon in the Teign with the artificial fly, on any fair fishing day, before the mines had poisoned the river, and who have since then seen a large tract of the stream, extending over three or four miles, so thickly fouled with mine-washings, as to become as lifeless as the Dead-Sea waters. Salmon could not swim or live in such waters for many years. During all this interval the river of course was utterly destroyed for Salmon-fishing, but, strange to say, since the mines have been worked out, some few straggling fish have begun to return in gradually increasing numbers during the last three or four years ; but the taint of the poison still lingers there, and this peculiarity remains, that the flesh of a Teign Salmon is hard and woolly, and utterly devoid of that curded richness which lies between the flakes of a well dressed fresh-run Severn Salmon." |