inches, being then entitled to the name of Salmo trutta.

This view of the case, we think, accounts, in a reasonable way, for a fact well known to all anglers of sea-trout, and which has puzzled many thoughtful enquirers viz. that late in spring, and early in summer, the prevailing sea-trout are of larger size than the numerous hordes which seek to enter our river waters during the mid-summer season. Were they all fish of the same year, of course the latest to arrive would be the largest in dimensions; but as the fact is otherwise, we can only infer, that the more advanced in age are the first to make their appearance: for we cannot reconcile ourselves to the belief, that there are two species of the kind in question. At the same time, it is important to bear in mind, that the young of the true salmon in its adolescent state, with numerous promising cadets of the bull-trout family, may occasionally congregate with large travelling parties of sea-trout, properly so called, and thus tend to throw a net of complexity over the precise determination of the subject, which it is by no means easy to unravel. Yet we have met with hundreds of people who declared they understood it well in all it bearings, and could explain it perfectly in five minutes. We looked our watch one fine morning about thirty years ago, our cloud of witnesses, in spite of electricity, never came to the point, and we have greatly doubted the perfection of any branch of knowledge ever since. We agree with our friend Lord Melbourne that your cut and dry gentlemen, who understand all things, are good for nothing.

So far then, as we can at present perceive, we think that there are nourished in the streams, rivers, estuaries, and ocean waters, of this our blessed country, three distinct species of migratory or anadromous salmonidæ,-viz. the salmon (Salmo salar), the bull-trout (Salmo eriox), and the salmontrout (Salmo trutta); that the young of these are frequently confounded with each other both by unskilful and scientific observers; and that many most important points in their earlier, or rather intermediate history, are still obscure as night. We think that the adolescent salmon will be found distinguished by a decided tendency to blackness on the terminal portion of its pectoral fins,—that the youthful bull-trout will be recognised by the duller dusky hue of that same portion, while the aspiring sea-trout, when in proper order, will be naturally characterised by pectorals of a warmer or more orange Claude-Lorraine-like hue.

All these migratory species are distinguished after a certain period, when in good condition, from such as inhabit the fresh waters only, by the clear but deep greenish or greyish blue of the upper surface of their bodies, and the brilliant silvery white of the under portions. The more minute or macular markings can scarcely be insisted on, because our finny friends, though they resemble leopards in activity, differ from these fair creatures in this,that they can change their spots.

We used the freedom to ask the enthusiastic angler sometime ago if he were fast asleep. We regret to say that we have since ascertained the fact of his having been so ever since we named the name

of Parr,-which, however, so far from being a watch-word in our own family, is rather an assured signal for somnolescence, and therefore we in no way take amiss, that a respected stranger should gently repose himself over a subject, which we have seen so often veil in dim suffusion far brighter eyes than his. Not that we mean to say there is anything defective in his vision, quite the reverse, for we rather like odd looking eyes,-but are simply desirous to mention that we forgive his yielding thus to nature's "soft restorer." He may now uplift his lids, and look about him for a moment.

When an angler finds himself standing a few hundred yards, or it may be even several miles, from the mouth of a beautiful and sparkling river,— haply not on golden sands, nor yet on grassy bank, but half way up between the knees and haunches in the water-when every other cast of his far stretching gossamer causes a sudden "bright uprising" into the sunny air of some quick springing fish, with deep cerulean back, and breast like that of Leper" white as snow,"-what matters it to him by what specific name it once was known to Ray, Artedi, Pennant, or Linnæus? It is a sea trout, and let him thank his stars, and think no more of albus or of trutta. It may weigh only three quarters of a pound, or it may weigh a pound and a half, or two pounds, seldom any less, and still more seldom more,—but if he kills a couple of dozen, let him therewith be content, for better anglers, many a time and oft, have fished farther and fared worse. Large and rather gaudy flies, dressed much upon

the same principle as those used for salmon, but of smaller size, are best adapted for the capture of sea-trout. A mallard wing, with red hackle, a twist of gold, and an orange tuft at the tail, will be found very toothy. So also will a large Green Mantle or a red or yellow Professor of considerable size, and rather roughly hackled.* A salmon fly already described (see Plate II. fig. 6), when somewhat reduced in size and fulness, is greatly to their taste. The same indeed may be said of fig. 3, Plate I.

This beautiful and well-known fish is very generally distributed over the whole of the northern and temperate parts of Europe,-being found in

* We distinctly hear one of our readers somewhat angrily exclaiming, that we now refer to flies, possibly invented by ourself or family, of which he knows nothing, and which we have not yet described. "We own the soft impeachment," but let him just wait patiently, patience is an angler's virtue, and we shall satisfy him in a few minutes. We happen to be more than usually occupied this morning, having many matters of great moment to attend to. + Salmo fario, Linn.

every burn and tarn, in every lake and river. It may also be described as one of the most pleasing in its external aspect, for when newly drawn in "golden glory" from some translucent stream, it is a creature of exquisite beauty. The more is the pity it should so often fall a prey to the insidious arts of all-engrossing man. The variation of its tints, according to season and locality, is so great and multiform, that we need not here seek to make these colours known, their general character being no doubt already familiar to all our readers.

This species varies greatly in size as well as colour,—in accordance probably with the nature and abundance of its food, the strength and depth of the river in which it occurs, and the physical properties of soil and climate. Fish indeed seem, more than most animals, to depend on peculiar and unappreciable circumstances for the full and characteristic development of their attributes; and they consequently exhibit great contrariety of aspect among individuals of the same species. If a canal or reservoir, or any other great accumulation of water, is formed by the hand of man, where the hand of nature had from time immemorial recognised only some small and solitary streamlet, the lapse of a very few years produces large and heavy fish, where none but trouts of the most trifling size had ever been seen before. The writer of these observations kept a minnow little more than half an inch long in a glass tumbler for a period of two years, during which time there was no perceptible increase in its dimensions. Had it con