THE SALMON FAMILY 89 



ing, but rainbow possibly differ from other trout in this 

 respect, for when these fish were resting during their 

 spawning operations, they were always ready to feed, 

 and on one occasion I threw in fifty meal-worms one 

 after another, not one of which was allowed to reach the 

 bottom, and the last was taken as keenly as the first. 



During the spawning, no fish were permitted to come 

 near the redd, but in addition to driving them off, the 

 male rainbow constantly made excursions over the pond 

 with the deliberate intention of biting and chasing the 

 other fish, and there was hardly a roach in the pond 

 that had not been marked by him. 



The observation of various trouts as seen from below 

 the surface of the water also enables one to appreciate 

 their agility, and the perfect control that they have over 

 their movements. When a trout lying near the bottom 

 rises to a fly on the surface, he comes like a flash of 

 lightning, and so rapid are his movements that even 

 with an exposure of ^j of a second, it is impossible to 

 get more than a blurred image. But should a trout take 

 up a position a foot or so under the surface of the water, 

 it is possible to watch closely his movements as he rises 

 to a fly, and also obtain fair photographs with a quick 

 exposure. 



When the fly is almost above him, the trout suddenly 

 comes up at an angle of about forty-five degrees, and 

 sucks it down, and then as he again descends, he breaks 

 the surface of the water with his tail. The trout is now 

 about two feet in front of his original position, but he 



