TROUT BREEDING. 97 



three to four rods wide, and from 18 inches to 6 feet deep, 

 according to the current. The bottom is covered with 

 small white shells and gravel. The water is clear, pure, 

 and perfectly transparent, so that any object can be seen 

 for three or four rods very distinctly. It is tinctured with 

 lime and sulphur. Its temperature at the springs is 48 

 the whole year round, but down the creek, three-quarters 

 of a mile, it rises in the hottest days in the summer to 58 

 by night, but it is down in the morning to 52. In winter 

 it settles at times to 43, but generally keeps up to 45 or 

 46. The temperature of the water to Allen's creek is 

 very even the year round, but very cold in summer, and 

 quite warm in the winter, never freezing in the coldest 

 weather. The water through the whole length of the 

 creek, as well as every stone, stick, weed, and blade of 

 grass, is alive, and literally covered with numerous insects 

 and larvae of flies, summer and winter, so that the trout, 

 however numerous they are, easily obtain all the food they 

 want all times of the year. 



" There is but very little surface water that makes into 

 the creek, hence the volume of the water is very even, and 

 seldom roily. The first settlers of the country found the 

 creek literally filled with trout of great size and beauty, 

 and it has remained so to this day, notwithstanding it has 

 been almost constantly fished, night as well as day, from 

 that time to this. The largest and- finest trout are taken 

 in the evening with a large artificial white or gray miller. 

 Dark nights, the banks of the creek in spring and summer 

 are often lined with fishermen, when they reel in the 

 9 G 



