888 



SCANDINAVIAN FISHES. 



ill the central and southern parts of this gulf it is 

 rarer, occurring clown to Aland and the islands oft' 

 Al)ci. In Denmark, where tlie (Irayling is called Sfal- 

 liiijl. it iiccurs in a nuinher of rivers from tlu; south 

 to the middle tA' -lutland. According to Ficddkhsen, 

 however, its numbers are there rapidly decreasing, an 

 observation whicli has also been made in other coun- 

 tries, for example in North Germanv. 



In European IJussia, according to t.iRiMM", tlie 

 ( irayling is met with in the small rivers, and the up]ier 

 parts of the large rivers, that flow into the Arctic Ocean, 

 the White Sea, the Baltic, the Black Sea, and the Cas- 

 pian. In Central Europe, where the (iravling has the 

 centre of its geographical extension in the Alps, it oc- 

 curs, according to E. Sciiultze'', in the basins of the 

 Dannlie, Hliine, Weser, Elbe, (Jder, Vistula, and Pregel. 

 Westward its true range extends over Switzerland to 

 TJie mountainous tracts of Eastern and South-eastern 

 France. Ausonius (about 400 A. D.) knew the Gray- 

 ling from the Moselle"; and according to Selys-Lono- 

 CHAMPS'' it is common, at least in some of the small 

 streams, in the mountainous interior of Belgium. On 

 one or two occasions it is said td have been found in 

 Holland'". Southward the (irayling goes to Londiardy, 

 \'enetia. Piedmont, and Isti'ia (Canestrtni, 1. c.). In 

 England the (jrayling ])roiiablv lias its original home 

 to the west/ and nortii and in Wales; but at the pre- 

 sent time, according to 1»av, it is commonest in the 

 more southern rivers, tlie Avon, Itchen, and Test. It 

 has been introduced in recent times into several Scotch 

 waters. In Ireland it is wanting. 



Even old writei's, at least from Gesner's time, were 

 fairlv well acquainted with the habits of the Grayling, 

 and liad learnt to compare them to those (jf the Trout. 

 At most times it lies stationary and alone, in the shelter 

 of some jutting stone or in the shade of an overhanging 

 tree; but it darts off liki' an arrow, when friglitened, 

 and is as Sjieedy to seize aii\- \ictini that cumes its 

 way, often leaping out of tiie water to capture an in- 

 sect. But sometimes it shows sociable tendencies, and 

 in -luckasjiirvi, according to F.jellner, it assembles in 



" Fishing and Hunting on Russian Waters, p. \2. 



'' Geogr. Verbr. Hiissirasscr/scli. Mittrlmv., Slnllgarl 18'JO, p. 4 (sep.). 



"^ Moselia, 1. 90. 



■' Fimni; Beige, p. 22. 



' In ihu little river Geiil. accor.liiig lo v. ij. ExDE, Versl. Werkz. Vereenig. Becurd. Int. hldhijoL, Deel. I, p. ;oO. 



' "Tlie very best stream in tlie world for C4rnylint;- is the Teme" (a tributary of the Severn), according to Blli.ock. see Bicki.axd, 

 Nat. Hist. Brit. Fish., p. 3'M. 



'J Nordisk Aaraskrift for Fiskeri, l:ste .\arg. (1883), p. .'iOS. 



'' Accordins: to Day the frv arc excluHed in 12 — 25 days. 



siioals during June and duly. Small cascades it easily 

 surmounts by leaping, but it is deticient in the Salmons' 

 ])Ower of ])assing high falls. Lai-ge (iravling keep to tlie 

 deepest ])art of the water, the smaller ones stav nearer 

 shore. 



The spawning-season usually occurs soon after the 

 breaking up of the ice, and may thus vary in Sweden 

 between April and June. In tlie lakes of Lapland, how- 

 ever, it sometimes happens, according to Trybom'', that 

 the breeding Graylings repair to the mouths of brooks, 

 where there is open water some time before the ice 

 breaks n\). In southern countries the spawning liegiiis 

 earlier: in Italy, according to Canestrini, from January 

 to April. V. SiEBOLD describes in the breeding fish a 

 firm, but smooth, dermal eruption on the scales, whose 

 limits, ho\ve\er, remain distinct. This ernjition is want- 

 ing in the sterile individuals, which are further di- 

 stinguished by a paler coloration. The Grayling too 

 discards its ordinary caution during the spawning-season. 

 According to Heckei, and Kxer the fish swim in pairs 

 to the spawning-place, wiiere x\\c\ scoop a hollow for 

 the eggs with their caudal fin, the eggs being covered 

 after impregnation with gravel or pebbles; and where 

 the spawning lias taken place in March, the ova are 

 hatched in June''. According to F.tei.lner live roe is 

 found between the stones in the rapids of the Torne 

 Elf in July, and in August the fry swim about in the 

 river. The diameter of ripe eggs, lying loose in the 

 al)dominal cavity, ready to be deposited, we have found 

 to be 2' 4 — 2' ., mm. But Benk.cke assigns to theiu a 

 size of about 4 mm., iiresumalily when they have swell- 

 ed after impregnation. According to Xokback the living 

 female contains 5,000 — (i,000 ova to every pound of 

 her own weight. The frv grow rapidiv; in England, 

 according to Day, they are 4 or b inches long at the 

 end of July or the beginning of August. But the 

 (Ti-ayling, it is stated, does not attain maturity until 

 three or four years old. 



In sjiite of its feeble dentition the Grayling is di- 

 stinctly a fish-of-prey; and it is no dainty feeder. 

 Worms and the larviB of insects, inollusks, crustaceans, 



i 



