LOCH LEVEN TROUT 



least excusable, and should be frowned down by 

 every right-minded citizen. Who can forget old 

 Jack FalstafFs disparaging allusion to " the shotten 

 herring " that had cast her spawn ? The killing of 

 spawning fish in the inlets of Loch Leven with 

 torch and spear at night depopulated the lake 

 to so alarming an extent as to compel the passage 

 of various acts imposing the severest penalties, and 

 to-day the practice has been virtually discontinued, 

 together with poaching and netting of all kinds. 

 As a consequence, Loch Leven literally swarms 

 with trout ; 20,000 have been taken with the fly 

 alone in a single summer. Be it remembered that 

 three or four dozen good spawning fish, under 

 proper protection, would contribute this number. 

 If we estimate 1,250 eggs to every pound of net 

 weight, the enormous injury to the fishing re- 

 sulting from the slaughter of even a very few 

 spawning trout may be approximated. Moreover, 

 so many enemies have the fry, that a noted Eng- 

 lish authority, Mr. Andrews of Guildford, reckons 

 the loss at ninety per cent, when fry are turned 

 into the lake with larger fish ; hence the impor- 

 tance of protecting them in the streams, from which 

 they will not venture into open water until, as year- 

 lings four or five inches in length, they are capable 

 of caring for themselves. In two years after 



VOL. I. 13 I^J 



