274 The Trouts of America 



charr you will find no teeth on the front part of 

 the vomer. 



In the waters of the Eastern states the brown 

 trout grow very rapidly, averaging nearly a 

 pound increase in weight in a year, while in Eng- 

 land they are much slower in growth, hardly one- 

 third of a pound in the same period. In foreign 

 waters, particularly in Ireland, they reach a weight 

 of thirty pounds ; the largest growth in American 

 waters so far as I know is eleven pounds, and that 

 specimen was doubtless one of the original stock 

 hatched out in 1883, from eggs sent from Ger- 

 many in the late fall of 1882. They are reported 

 as growing faster and to a greater size and better 

 condition of flesh when foraging for and getting 

 regular meals of insects. This may account for 

 the rapidity of growth in American streams, where 

 insect life swarms below and above and around 

 the waters of the pools. 



The brown trout is in its prime for the rod 

 from about the first of May to the middle of Sep- 

 tember, during which period it rises freely to the 

 artificial fly ; and in our Eastern streams it appears 

 to be indifferent as to the color and form of the 

 feathers, rising to any dressing ; better, however, 

 in the gloaming than in the brighter hours of the 



