AETIFICIAL, PROPAGATION OF TROUT. 



63 



BROWN TROUT (SALMO FARIO).'' 



The fish better known in tliis country as brown trout was first 

 introduced under the name of von Behr trout, after the man through 

 whose instnunentality the eggs were obtained from Germany. It 

 was later called German brown trout and finally just brown trout, 

 also having many other local names. In Germany it is the Bach- 

 forelle (brook trout), but it is not exclusivel)' a brook trout any 

 more than the eastern brook trout of the United States {Salvelinus 

 fontinalis) is such. 



RANGE, SIZE, AND FOOD. 



The brown trout also inhabits lakes, in some of which it reaches 

 a large size, even 50 pounds, if the British Salmo fcrox is the same 

 species. Day, in his "British and Irish Salmonidae,"' 1887, gives the 

 habitat of this trout as the colder and temperate portions of the 

 Xorthern Hemisphere, descending into Asia as far south as the 

 Hindu Kush, but not normally present in any portion of Hindustan. 



This trout has been introduced into many United States waters, 

 in some of which it has thrived. It is a good game fish, but Hen- 



FiG. 22. — Brown trout or von Behr trout (Salmo fario). 



shall says it is not as gamy in this country as the eastern trout 

 (Salmo fontinalis). It will endure warmer water than S. fontina- 

 lis and ma}' be suited to depleted trout streams which, owing to 

 change of conditions, are unsuited to the brook trout. Day says : 



The food which trout consume is of various descriptions. One of about 1^ 

 pounds weight, taken in June, 1882, in the Tweed, was found to contain 11 

 small trout and 1 minnow. They do not object to little fish, as the minnow, 

 loach, sticklebacks, etc., water rats, young birds, frogs, snails, slugs, worms, 

 leeches, maggots, flies, beetles, moths, water spiders, and even a lizard (Field, 

 October, 1885). They will swallow one of their own kind two-thirds as large 

 as themselves. In Mr. Buckland's museum was an example, the stomach of 

 which was distended by 2,470 eggs of apparently the salmon. 



BREEDING HABITS AND PROPAGATION. 



Regarding their breeding habits, Day continues : 



Trout commence breeding in their second year or prior to their attaining 

 24 months of age, and often later in the season than their parents. The 

 males are more forward than the females, but at this early period of their 



1* Fishes and Fishin? in Sunapee Lake. By William Converse KendaU. Report of the 

 Commissioner of 1-^sberies for 1912. Bureau of Fisheries Document 783, p. 45. 



6197G°— 23 5 



