52 SALMONID.E. 



insects, ami tlieir various larvre, upon which they feed with 

 eagerness. The young Trout fry may be seen throughout 

 tlie day sporting on the shallow gravelly scours of the 

 stream, where the want of sufficient depth of water, or the 

 gi'eater caution of larger and older fish, prevent their appear- 

 ance. 



Though vigilant and cautious in the extreme, the Trout 

 is also bold and active. A Pike and a Trout put into a 

 confined place together had several battles for a particular 

 spot, but the Trout was eventually the master. 



The season of spawning mill the Trout is generally in 

 the month of October, at which period the adult fish 

 make their way up the stream ; and the under jaw of the 

 old male exhibits in a smaller degree the elongation and 

 curvature observed to obtain in the male Salmon, of which 

 an instance will be shown. 



The Trout varies considerably in appearance in different 

 localities ; so much so, as to have induced the belief that 

 several species exist. It is, indeed, probable that more 

 than one species of river Trout may exist in this country ; 

 but when we consider geologically the various strata tra- 

 versed by rivers in their course, the effect these variations 

 of soil must produce upon the water, and the influence 

 which the constant operation of the water is likely to pro- 

 duce upon the fish that inhabit it ; — when we reflect also 

 on the great variety and quality of the food afforded by 

 different rivers, depending also on soil and situation, and the 

 additional effect which these combined causes in their various 

 degrees are likely to produce; — we shall not be much sur- 

 prised at the variations both in size and colour which 

 are found to occur. That two Trout of very different 

 appearance and quality should be found within a limited 

 locality in the same lake or river, is not so easily explained ; 



