422 Reminiscences of 



activity has secured. Now will he forth for a season 

 in a more highly oxygenized element; he will hie for 

 the rushing waters, and promenade among the belles 

 of the high world. So dressing himself in his gayest 

 colors of red, white and orange, with many delicate 

 tinted shades and sheens, and touching up his car- 

 mine spots, he sallies forth on a rollicking tour, which 

 leads to speedy subjugation. No lover can be more 

 complacent and attentive than he, none more willing 

 to shoulder the matrimonial noose, or more fiercely 

 jealous of the intrusion of others. It is amusing when 

 mated to witness his torturing anxiety at the approach 

 of other trout, and his inhospitable reception of them, 

 which is indicated by his advance toward them with 

 open mouth. The small trout and chubs cause him 

 no end of trouble, and he has no rest night or day. No 

 sooner does his mate indicate her intention of de- 

 positing an egg, by her movements before the deposit, 

 than several active chubs and small trout appear on 

 each side eager for the delicate morsel, and while those 

 on one side are dispersed, another daring rogue from 

 the other side rushes in and secures the prize ; and thus 

 it goes on in particular instances throughout the 

 spawning season, and it may be doubted if a single egg 

 escapes to a hatching on some spawning beds. This 

 destruction of eggs by trout themselves is a very serious 

 evil, and is shared in by chubs and suckers, and the 

 attending male is often charged with a taste in that 

 direction, and often when caught about the spawn- 

 ing bed is found with spawn in its stomach. I 

 incline to doubt, however, if the full-charged and dis- 

 pensing milter is guilty of this action, and probably 

 not in the last stages of amatory play, as he is then 



