HABITS AND HISTORY OF THE BROWN TROUT 



(Salmo fario] 



To the angler the common yellow trout is by far the most im- 

 portant fish that swims, for more people capture it than any other 

 living thing. The pleasure derived from its capture, too, surpasses 

 that of any other sport, while interest in the study of the trout seems 

 to be inexhaustible. Its shape and colour are so beautiful that no 

 artist can reproduce them. Many naturalists maintain that there are 

 different species of trout in the British Islands Loch Leven trout, 

 Gillaroo trout, tidal trout, and many others ; but from a close study 

 of all these trout for the last forty years, I have come to the conclusion 

 that there is only one species of trout in Great Britain, and that in 

 the different varieties the differences are caused by the nature of the 

 water in which they are found and by the food they eat. I therefore 

 hope that what I have to say will help to solve some of the mysteries 

 connected with this wonderful trout. 



The spawning time of trout depends on the locality, and begins 

 about the i5th of October and continues till March. The spawn is 

 generally deposited in places where the gravel is fairly fine, and remains 

 there for a period according to the temperature of the water. If the 

 temperature averages 54 it remains thirty-two days ; if 50, forty-seven 

 days ; if 43, eighty-nine days. The fry when hatched come up through 

 the gravel, and like the salmon fry have a sack attached to their bodies. 

 This sack contains enough nourishment to sustain them for several 

 weeks before they are able to feed. On their beginning to do so they 



grow so rapidly that if hatched on the ist of March and food is 



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