THE TROUT'S 



when feeding or lying on the light-colored sand 

 at the mouth of the rivulets, they assume a silvery 

 tint which pervades the entire body, the red spots 

 becoming dimmer and the worm-like markings 

 on the back less defined and more diffused. 



The change of coloration is certainly involun- 

 tary, and is, doubtless, a safeguard that nature has 

 provided against the king-fisher, the fishhawks, 

 and other enemies. We have sometimes thought 

 the change in coloration takes place or is adjusted 

 through the organ of sight, for nature has so or- 

 dained that when a trout becomes blind he turns 

 black, or nearly so, and his color remains the 

 same on light or dark bottoms. 



Trout spawn in a similar manner to other fishes 

 of the salmon family. The two sexes mate, and 

 the male is then on the watch for intruders. The 

 female uses her tail in making the nest, whipping 

 the gravel until a hole is made about two inches 

 in depth, and then cleans the bottom for a foot or 

 more around the bed. When she is ready to 

 spawn, the male becomes aware of the fact by 

 some language of their own, and approaches her. 

 The ova are then dropped, and the milt deposited 

 upon the eggs, the male being within a few 

 inches of his consort. Many of the eggs, how- 

 ever, fail to become fertilized, dropping down 



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