THE OBSERVER'S BOOK OF FRESHWATER FISHES. By A. Laurence Wells. Describing 82 species with 76 illustrations, 64 of which are in full colour.

(1941) ND (1956) reprint. 12mo. (90mm x 145mm). Pp153. 30 colour plates of fish (see note), b/w photos, ills. Green boards.

First published just prior to, and during, the Second World War, the early volumes in the Observer's Books series were classed as educational literature and therefore given partial excemption from rationing. This was the sixth title in this popular and long-running series". To compile Freshwater Fishes, Warne turned to A. Laurence Wells, who had written books for them about aquaria, microscopes and garden ponds. The excellent colour plates were taken, as usual, from the matching Wayside and Woodland volume - which had in turn recycled them from a long out-of-print European tome". (Marren and Carter). The Observer's Book Of Freshwater Fishes was one of the last books to ascribe different specific names to the many races and varieties of trout. Hence we have the Welsh black-finned trout, Salmo nigripinnis; the Orkney sea trout, Salmo orcadensis; the phinnock or Eastern sea trout, Salmo brachypoma; and many others. It was not until T.B. Bagenal's revised edition of 1970 that this was changed and the many races were grouped together as Salmo trutta. Although more accurate, the book loses much of its charm as a result. In either edition, this is still one of the most useful pocket references to freshwater and estuarine fish.