AMERICAN BROOK CHAR IN ENGLAND.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
SIR,—It may not be generally known that the American brook char, Salvelinus fontinalis, yields its ova some time previous to our own trout in this country. The fish at this establishment proved to be ripe in October, and from two-year- old examples a fair quantity of eggs were taken artificially, all of which are healthy. It is now an established fact that these fish breed freely in English waters, and that they thrive therein upon the same kind of food as that partaken of by indigenous trout. The mistaken ideas that have prevailed, and I fear still prevail, concerning their natural neces- sities, have led to errors in planting them, and in con- sequence of this some persons entertain doubts as to their adaptability to our waters. They are said to be migratory, a statement which has never been properly proved, and on this account they have been somewhat maligned. The founder of this establishment, the late Mr. William Burgess, went to considerable trouble to investigate the matter, and found upon several occasions that they remained permanently in ponds that had connection with open waters. Putting aside the question as to whether they do or do not migrate, it is always unadvisable to permit acclimatised or strange fish to enter our streams and rivers ; and on all occasions I recommend them to be planted in enclosed waters. For this purpose the S. fontinalis has proved itself to be eminently fitted, not only on account of its thriving capacity, but its gamesome qualities
Previous page
