MONSTER TEOUT FROM ALRESFORD. 315 



port, Monmouth, a monster trout. The Eev. Mr. 

 Morgan wrote : — 



" Sir, — I have by this day's tram sent you, as a New 

 Year's gift, one of the finest specimens of river trout it 

 has ever been by good fortune to meet with; you will see 

 it is partly full of spawn. It was taken in the act of 

 sxmwning on the gravel in the little stream which flows 

 through the shrubberies at Alresford, after it has crossed 

 the road by the water-dam leading from a large piece of 

 water, the property of the Dowager Lady Kodney, and 

 well known as ' The Alresford Pond,' adjoining the 

 town of Ah-esford, Hants. It was said to have weighed, 

 when first taken, 141bs., but as it had evidently de- 

 posited a large portion of its spawn, it doubtless 

 exceeded that weight previously to the operation. As 

 this piece of water has no direct communication with 

 the sea, I consider it to be a true specimen of the river 

 trout. — Augustus Morgan." 



I was indeed most grateful to Lady Eodney and the 

 Rev. A. Morgan, for their kindness in allowmg this 

 marvellous fish to pass through my hands. It is a trea- 

 sure that is not trove every day : a sort of " Wandering 

 Jew," that comes once in a hundred years. With the 

 greatest care, I handled this queen of trout ; she weighed 

 141bs. exactly. The measurements were — length, 30^in. ; 

 girth behind shoulders, lO^in. ; middle of abdomen, 

 19in.; wrist of tail, 7im.; expanse of tail, S^-in. I cleaned 

 the slime off her great prize-pig-like back, and then cast 

 her, and I am happy to say I never- made a better 

 model of a fish in my life. This model is now in my 

 fish museum in South Kensington. I have heard of 

 enormous trout being fatted for the table by Mr. Popham, 



