SEA-TROUT. 59 



depth. I have seen and measured several Rangeley 

 trout — two of seven pounds each, one of four and one- 

 half pounds, etc., and in all I think there was a similar 

 disproportion as compared with the other trout above 

 mentioned. 



As regards the number of rays in the fins of sea-trout 

 I can only say that while fishing for them I counted 

 the rays and found them to compare in number with 

 those of the brook-trout as given by Norris in the table 

 inserted ante. 



All the writers from whom I have quoted, and all 

 persons with whom I have conversed who have fished 

 for these sea- trout, concur in the opinion that soon after 

 the sea-tront enters fresh water, a change in color and 

 appearance begins, which ends in assimilating, as nearly 

 as may be, the fish in question to the brook trout. On 

 the first day's fishing, when my guide accompanied me, 

 he opened the mouth of a trout and called my attention 

 to small parasites — "Sea-lice," he called them — in the 

 mouth and throat of the fish. He said that the pres- 

 ence of these parasites was a sure indication that the 

 fish had just left the salt water ; that they would soon 

 disappear in fresh water. As a matter of curiosity I 

 examined the mouths of several fish, and invariably 

 found that if they presented the appearance described 

 by Norris and Scott, the parasites were present ; but if 

 they had assumed a gayer livery none were to be found. 

 The change in color, which begins with the trout's ad- 

 vent to fresh water, is progressive, and ceases only when 



