Page:British Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fresh-water Fishes.djvu/90

BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISHES possible to do more than refer the enquirer desirous of following up the matter to a more elaborate work than this can hope to be. This is not the time or opportunity to discuss the merits, or demerits, of these different reputed species. Char belong to the Genus Salvelinus, and there are structural differences that mark them off from their relatives, the Salmon and Trout. Char, too, have smaller scales, red spots instead of black, brown, or red, and the name itself—Char—is indicative of the predominating colour below, as the word comes from the

Celtic cear meaning blood, or ceara, meaning red. Their distribution, and the reason for their presence in several isolated sheets of water situate at high altitudes, is as fascinating as a fairy tale, and will amply repay following up. We must not, however, be tempted to digress. Three pounds seems to be about the maximum weight attained in British waters. Spawning takes place from Autumn to Spring, a gravel bed being selected where the water is not deep. Perhaps the four most distinct species (if such they be) are the following:— 72