HOT-BLOODED TROUT 



months. Some people who dislike shooting and 

 hunting, through sympathy with the shot and hunted 

 thing, will tolerate angling. This is the "blame- 

 less " sport of Wordsworth. But is it really safe 

 to conclude that fish do not surfer, that they are 

 " cold-blooded " ? Perhaps there are safer and wiser 

 arguments than this in favour of angling. The 

 brilliancy and the high spirit of many fish in the 

 pairing and spawning season point to heat rather 

 than chill. The splendour which the sticklebacks 

 take on at this time, and their pugnacity, are not 

 singular among fish. The trout, now spawning, 

 are animated with an intense ardour and energy. 

 It often happens that a suitable spot in the river 

 bed is used as spawning ground by more than one 

 pair of fish, and, where the space is limited, bitter 

 rivalry exists among the male, if not the female, 

 trout. They will often charge and butt each other 

 with force that may inflict pain, if not actual injury. 

 The blow seems to be struck with the head. It 

 is no light cuff of frolic, but one of savage intent ; 

 and the haste with which the struck trout darts 

 off shows the earnestness of it. The attacker is 

 always successful. He never seems to meet with 

 a spirited defence. To attack is to drive off. But I 

 believe the attacker is nearly always the larger fish. 



In spite of these furious fights, three or four 

 pairs of trout will prepare the same bed, four or 

 five square yards in extent. To-day the rivers are 

 in order for spawn. The current is flowing at the 

 right strength ; when it is too impetuous in the 



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