4 TROUT ON HILL. 



procreation than fish of older constitutions, and conse- 

 quently begin to spawn earlier in the season than the heavy 

 or matured fish. This will account, in some measure, for 

 the belief of many people that there are two spawning sea- 

 sons for certain kinds of fish, which is not the fact. Grilse 

 will run up to the head of their native river, preparatory 

 to spawning, in the month of August and September ; but 

 salmon do not make their appearance till October or later, 

 so that the grilse's egg is brought forward almost as early as 

 the true salmon's spawn is delivered on the hill. The full- 

 grown salmon egg is brought forth in March or April, ear- 

 lier or later, according to the altered temperature of the 

 water at that time of the year. This rule is applicable to 

 all fish bred in fresh water, and has been a riddle to our 

 best fishermen. As soon as fish have shot their spawn they 

 become sickly, and are, as the consequence of their ill 

 health and weakness, infested with insects, both externally 

 and internally, and so continue for some time, till they re- 

 cover their stamina, and shake them off or discharge them. 

 When again recovered and cleansed, Nature moves in its 

 usual course, and the fish is again called in season. 



I have known young or maiden trout go to hill, or to the 

 spawning ground, in November, whilst matured fish of four 

 or five pounds weight would not spawn till the February 

 following, the former depositing some forty or fifty eggs, 

 and are thus actually in good season when the latter begin 



