HOT-BLOODED TROUT 



dangerous jagged edges. Thus, from time to time 

 the fish injures itself fatally in the work of scooping 

 out the nest in the gravel. A spawning trout, 

 picked up dead on the stream, had a long cruel cut 

 almost from head to tail, caused by a sharp stone. 

 Possibly the trout, in digging, had run itself on 

 this edge ; or, attacked by a rival, had darted from 

 the bed, and, doing so, torn itself along the stone. 

 Often, after spawning, the trout are seen on the 

 shallows with lesser injuries about their sides and 

 bellies. 



The smaller fish soon recover flesh, and beauty 

 of shape and colour, after spawning. One might 

 take plenty of troutlets from the Barle or Exe on 

 the moors in good condition before the end of the 

 month. The larger trout of the chalk streams take 

 longer to recover from the exhaustion of spawning. 

 Many have not filled out by May. Yet winter 

 does not reduce the stock of food so much as might 

 be supposed. All the winter water flies are hatching 

 into their winged state, and sailing down-stream. 

 The winter gnat scarcely comes out for its strange 

 dance in column save on mild or brilliant days ; but 

 some of the water flies ephemeridae will hatch 

 and appear at the surface of the stream in the 

 stinging wind and snow-storm. What can be 

 imagined, except it be this winter gnat, more fragile 

 than the iron blue fly or the olive dun fly of the 

 trout stream ? We can scarcely take it lightly 

 between the fingers and not crush the life out. 

 Yet it is proof against bitter cold. 



