b OBSERVATIONS 



Observatory . 



With a view to obviate this difficuUy I built 

 a httle fishing Hut, or Observatoiy, of heath, 

 overhanging a part of tlie river Blythe, near 

 Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire, which seemed fa- 

 vourable for the purpose. Its form was octa- 

 gonal, and it had three windows, which benig 

 situated only four feet and a half above the 

 surface of the water, allowed a very close view of 

 it. The middle one commanded a Scour, each 

 of the two others a small Whirlpool or Eddy. 

 The curtains of the windows were provided with 

 peepholes, so that the fish could not see his 

 observer, and a bank was thrown up in order 

 to prevent a person approaching the entrance of 

 the hut from alarming the fish. 



The stream was regularly fished, and nothing 

 more was done to interfere with the natural state 

 of its finny occupants. 



The stationary position in which the Trout 

 is enabled to maintain himself in the most rapid 

 stream, poised like a hawk in the air, was the 

 first thing which struck us, in our observations. 

 Even the tail, which is known to be the principal 

 organ of propulsion, could scarcely be observed 

 to move, and the fins, which are used to balance 

 him, seemed quite useless, excepting when he 

 saw an insect ; then he would dart with tlie 

 greatest velocity through ihe opposing current 



