Till: 'I'KOl 'I' 6l 



Various local names arc ^n'vcn to the Sea-trout, 

 and sometimes the same names are differently 

 afjplied on different rivers; the smolts are- often 

 termed Oran/fe-Jins, and fish 2!, years old, when 

 en1erin^( the rivers in the summer or autumn, are 

 sometimes called lUack- tails, from the colrjur (A the 

 caudal fin, which is darker at this stage than at any 

 rAhcr ; in iJevf^nshire these are called Peal. When 

 a yc;ir oUler and usually about I 8 to 20 inches lon^ 

 they are known as Wliilti 'J^rouL or White-fish, in the 

 north of J'^ngland as lVhitlin;^s, and in Scotland as 

 Jlerlinf!;s or Phinochs fGaelic Fionna^';, from fionn, 

 white; ; but all tlic:,e names may also be applied to 

 the /^lack-tails. The names Sea-trout, Salmon-trout, 

 Prujf fin Devonshire;, Scurf Ton the Tees), and 

 Sczvc7L fin Wales; seem applicable \.() any Trout 

 which has been to the sea, whilst large fish are 

 called Hull-trout, G?ry-trout, or Round-tails. On 

 the Tay the name /lull -trout is sometimes misapplied 

 to the Salmon. 



Sea-trout afford splendid sport to the angler, 

 readily taking a spinning bait in the sea and 

 rising to the fly in fresh water; as food they are 

 usually considered a delicacy, but the colour and 

 (juahty of the flesh varies enormously according to 

 the locality. 



We have already mentioned that Sea-trout smolts 

 are in no hurry to leave the estuaries for the sea, 

 atid it is probable that a good many of them never 

 do so, except perhaps for a few hours at a time, but 

 become estuarine or tidal Trout ; the.se are more or 

 less silvery in appearance, but often retain their red 

 spots throughout life. Some writers regard these 

 estuarine Trout as Brown Trout acclimatized to 



