CLASS PISCES. 103
Order III. PHYSOSTOMI, Muller.
Family SALMONIDAE, Muller.
Genus Salmo, Artedi.
Salmo salar, Linn. Salmon.
Although we have no river in this county that may be
called a Salmon-river, the fact that an occasional fish is taken
on our coast entitles us to speak of the Salmon as being still
truly a member of our Fish Fauna. In former years, before
the Thames was poisoned with sewage, it is well-known that
Salmon regularly ascended the river. Yarrell says (British
Fishes, vol. ii., p. 30) the last Thames salmon of which he
had a note was taken in June, 1833. A Salmon was taken
at Southend, and another in Leigh Bay in 1875 (Land and
Water, Sept. 25th, 1875, p. 241). They occur now, however,
so rarely (and, as it were, so accidentally) that no fishery
for them is carried on. Farmer says (History of Waltham
Abbey, London, 1735, p. 3) that in his time the Lea afforded
plenty of fish, including "some salmon." Mr. Harting has
called attention (Essex Nat, vol. viii., p. 197) to records of
the capture of Salmon in the Lea in 1816, 1825, and 1833,
and a record of Salmon at Waltham Abbey in 1820 is
printed in the same magazine (vol. ix., p. 227). Another was
taken in the Crouch, near Battles Bridge (Land and Water,
December 10th, 1870, p. 427). One was taken in the mouth
of the Blackwater in 1882 (Field, July 1st, 1865), and a few
are still caught annually in that river.
Salmo trutta, Linn. Sea Trout or Bull Trout.
This is occasionally taken on the coast. Some few years
since, a fine specimen, weighing four and a half pounds, desig-
nated Salmo eriox, was captured by Mr. Marriage in the Colne,
on the shallows near East Mill, Colchester (Land and Water
March 30th, 1867, p. 235). The fish was identified by Buck-