300 The Trout s of America 



fruition of game qualities. Cast a fly to him, 

 and when hooked he seems to know, unlike his 

 congener of larger waters, every rift, nook, rooted 

 hole, and protruding or shelving boulder of his 

 rock-ribbed environment ; and this knowledge of 

 his home waters is put to practical use, — roots, 

 rocks, holes, and shallows are frantically sought 

 as resources of protection or escape ; and when 

 you hold him, seemingly exhausted, hard and 

 fast in your hand, to take the hook from the 

 mouth, he will draw his muscles tense and 

 strong in a final effort for liberty, — no other 

 game fish, to my knowledge, make this powerful, 

 convulsive struggle after capture and apparent 

 exhaustion. 



It is in a stream like the one described above 

 that trout are compelled to forage vigorously 

 and industriously for food, often on restricted 

 pastures ; and the wear and tear of vitality when 

 living in precipitous waters is constantly at 

 work on the muscles and the arterial system ; 

 neither can find rest where no deep pools 

 abound to which the fish can retire for security, 

 repose, and digestion ; moreover, if a relatively 

 deep shelter from the boiling waters exist here 

 and there, it will doubtless be preempted by a 



