and mention of another Fish, S\l 



quantities are caught during the spawning time, by the netters, 

 for potting, and some are sent up fresh for the London mar- 

 ket; but those only who have eaten char in summer, on 

 the spot, when they are in season, can tell how superior they 

 are to those eaten in London in the winter. About the be- 

 ginning of April, when the warm weather comes in, they retire 

 into the deep parts of the lake ; where their principal food 

 is the minnow (Cyprinus Phoxinus Z.), of which they are 

 very fond. At this time, they are angled for by spinning a 

 minnow ; but, in a general way, the sport is indifferent, and 

 the persevering angler is well rewarded if he succeed in kill- 

 ing two brace a day. A more successful mode of taking them 

 is by fastening a long and heavily leaded line, and hook baited 

 with a minnow, to the stern of a boat, which is slowly and 

 silently rowed along : in this way they are taken during the 

 early summer months ; but when the hot weather comes in, 

 they are seldom seen. They feed, probably, at night ; and 

 although they never leave the lake, except during the period 

 of spawning, nothing is more uncommon than taking a char 

 in July and August. When in season, they are strong and 

 vigorous fish, and afford the angler excellent sport. They differ 

 little in size, three fish generally weighing about 2 lbs. : occa- 

 sionally, one is caught larger, but they seldom vary more than 

 an ounce. The char, as it is well known, is a singularly beauti- 

 ful fish, and is accurately described by Pennant. The fisher- 

 men about the lakes speak of two sorts, the case char and the 

 gilt char ; the latter being a fish that has not s[)awned in the 

 preceding season, and on that account said to be of a more 

 delicate flavour, but in other respects there is no difference. 



Whilst speaking of the char, 1 cannot forbear adding a few 

 words about another fish, which is found both in Windermere 

 and Uls water, and called, by those residing on the spot, the 

 gray trout. Its habits, as to the time of spawning, and living 

 only in the deep rocky lakes, resemble those of the char ; but 

 it grows to a very large size, and is sometimes caught in Uls- 

 water weighing 15 or 20 lbs. I have endeavoured in vain to 

 find some account of this fish : it bears some resemblance to 

 the gwiniad, the schelly of Ulswater ; but this fish. Pennant 

 says, never weighs more than 3 or 4 lbs. It is most like the 



for spawning, the sexes, in November, December, and January, unite in 

 making furrows in the gravelly shallows of the rivers to receive their spawn. 

 From eight to twelve days are required before this process is completed. 

 The spawn is afterwards covered with loose gravel, and remains till the 

 suitable warmth of spring brings forth the fry." 



Contributions towards a farther history of the salmon will be found in 

 this Magazine, Vol. I. p. 170., and Vol. III. p. 94. 196. 480. —J". Z>. 



