THE RIVER-TROUT. 267 



Much has been written on the subject of restocking trout- 

 rivers. Of late years many of our trout-streams have 

 been suffering from a maximum of fish and a minimum of 

 food, and, as a natural consequence, deterioration in the 

 growth and in the quality of the trout. 



There are some very marked causes for this state : 



The result of overstocking, from the desire of many 

 owners of fisheries to have plenty of trout. 



The preservation of old fish, male and female. 



Too many trout in a stream, with only a certain quantity 

 of food-supply, naturally alters their condition and size. 

 They become long and flabby, lose their energy and bold- 

 ness, and are miserable objects to look at. 



The preservation of the old fish has the same tendency ; 

 fish after a certain age earlier, we believe, than is gene- 

 rally supposed lose their power of reproducing healthy 

 stock ; their progeny is weak and nothing like so strong 

 and healthy as those of parents in the prime of life. It is, 

 then, of importance to breed as much as possible from fish 

 in full vigour of life, which, we should think, would be 

 about the fourth or fifth year. 



Some think that female trout should not be killed towards 

 the close of the season. This is certainly a good rule if 

 it is confined to young females or those in their prime. 

 But old females, as well as old males, are better out of the 

 water. Trout are in a great degree polygamous, and, like 

 all polygamous vertebrates, their power of reproduction 

 is, to a certain extent, limited. If it is necessary to limit 

 the number of females to each male in all polygamous 

 mammalia and birds, if healthy and strong offspring are 

 to be produced, why should not the same rule apply 

 to fish ? 



A day with the trout on the spawning-beds is replete 

 with interest. We passed such a day on the 1/j.th of 

 January of this year. Although not very favourable for 

 observation, there being no sun, yet the water was so 

 shallow and so clear that all the movements could be 

 plainly seen. A great many rhedds had been already made, 

 and a large number of fish had already spawned ; yet in 



