The SALMON TROUT (S. trutla, or Fat* argentees), also very commonly called t!re SEA TROUT, iS rather thicker in proportion to its length than a salmon of the same size, and has the hinder free margin of the gill-cover less rounded. The jaws are nearly equal, the teeth strong, sharp, and curved, a single row naming down the vomer, and pointing alternately in opposite directions. The colors are very similar to those of the salmon; the sides, chiefly above the lateral line, are marked with numerous X-shaped dusky spots, and there are several round dusky spots on the gill-covers. The salmon trout does not attain so ' large a size as the salmon, but has been known to reach 241 lbs. The flesh is pink, richly flavored, and much esteemed, although not equal to that of the salmon. Great quantities of salmon trout are brought to market in London and other British towns; this fish being found from the s. of England to the n. of Scotland, and plentiful in many rivers, particu larly those of Scotland. Its habits are generally similar to those of the salmon. Large shoals sometimes congregate near the mouth of a river which they are about to enter, and sometimes afford excellent sport to the angler in a bay or estuary, rising readily to the The young are not easily to be distinguished from parr. PhiA,ock, hirling, and tthit/ing are local names of the salmon trout on its first return froth the sea to fresh water, wham it has its most silvery appearance, in which state it has sowetimes been described ac a distinct species (S. tabus).
The GRAY TROUT or BULL TROUT (S. eriox), the only other British specials migrating like these, is already noticed in the article Bum. TROUT. The gill-cover in this species is more elongated backward at the lower angle than in the ether two. On the lianas of the Tweed and some other rivers, it is often called the sea trout, a name quite ao appro priate to it as the salmon trout. The seasons at which the gray trout ascends rivers are partly the same with those of the salmon and salmon trout, and partly different. Tke laws relative to the fishing of salmon apply equally to the bull_ trout.
Of other species of salmon our notice must be very brief. Cuvier has described as a distinct species a salmon with hooked lower jaw, known in France by the name of becard. Agassiz and Bloch regard it as merely the old male of the common salmon.
The hooked lower jaw of the male of the common salmon in the spawning season has been already noticed. But Valenciennes adheres to the opinion of Cuvier that the becard is a distinct species, and insists on the greater length of the intermaxill••y bones as a sure distinctive character; asserting also that the colors are always different from those of the common salmon; a general reddish-gray, the belly dull white, the back never blue, nor the belly silvery. The subject seems to require further investigation.—The Iluctio of the Danube, called reo in Galicia (S. hvelto), attains a weight of 30 lbs., and it is said even of 60 lbs. The body is longer and rounder, the head more elongated than in the common salmon. The color is grayish-black, tinged with violet on the back, the sides and belly silvery. The tail is forked. The hucho spawns in June, making holes for the purpose in gravelly bottoms; and these holes are so deep that the fish lying in them often escape the nets of the fishermen. The flesh is white, but very pleasant. The same, or a very similar species, is found in the Caspian sea, and in rivers which flow into it.—The rivers of North America which flow into the Arctic ocean, produce several species of salmon, of which perhaps that most nearly resembling the common salmon, in the quality of its flesh, is S. &wrath'. In these regions, Ross's Salmon (S. rOSii, Or fario rosii) is extremely It is of a more slender form than the salmon, with remark ably long lower jaw and truncated snout; the scales separated by naked skin; the hack greenish-brown, the sides pearl-gray, the belly orange or red. In the quality of its flesh it is very inferior to the salmon.-8 scouleri, or sakir scouleri ascends the Columbia and other rivers of the n.w. coast of North America in vast multitudes. In arms of the sea on that coast itis sometimes impossible for a stone to reach the bottoM without touching several; and the channel of a river or a brook is often densely crowded with them. The flesh is excellent. The same species seems to ascend the livers of Kamiehatka; but that country, the Kurile isles, and Siberia have also species of their own. Concerning many of the species, there is still great uncertainty. See PISCICULTURE.