142 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



Vaut L 



THK BROOK TROUT. 



tut; smelt. 



minute. Lateral line straight. First dor- 

 sal fin on the anterior half of the body; 

 adipose fin small, browni.sh yellow nitir- 

 gined with black, and behind the anal ; 

 pectorals .under the posterior part of tlie 

 operculum ; ventrals under the middle of 

 the first dorsal ; first ray of the anal, ven- 

 tral and pectoral fins white; the second 

 or third ray usually black, the rest of the 

 fin reddish. Tail slightly forked. 



Rays, Br. 11, P. 13, V. 8, A. 10, D. 10, 

 C. 1!). 



History. — The Brook Trout is more 

 generally diffused over the state than any 

 other species of fish ; there being scarcely 

 a brook, or rill of clear water, descending 

 from our hills and mountains in which it 

 is not found. Wlien the country was 

 new they also abounded in the larger 

 streams, where they often grew to the 

 weight of two or three pounds. But they 

 have been diminished by the causes al- 

 ready mentioned, and have been sought 

 after with such eagerness as the most de- 

 licious article of food of the fish kind, 

 that tliey arc now seldom taken in our 

 streams exceeding half a pound in weight, 

 and mucli the greater number of them 

 weich less than a quarter of a pound. In 

 many of the ponds tiiey are still taken of 

 ,of a larger size, but their flavor is thouglit 

 -to be less delicious than that of those ta- 

 ken in running water, especially in ponds 

 .■with muddy bottoms. The rapidity with 

 .which this and other species of fishes mul- 

 tiply under favorable circumstances was 

 exemjilified in an astonishing manner at 

 an early day, in Tinmouth, in this state. 

 ■'A stream wliich was about 20 feet wide, 

 and whicli, like other streams, contained 

 trout and suckers of the ordinary size and 

 number, had a dam built across it for the 

 purpose of supplying water for a saw mill. 

 This dam formed a pond, which covered, 

 by estimation, about JOflO acres, where 

 the trees were thick and the soil had nev- 

 er been cultivated. In two or three years, 

 the fish were multiplied in this pond to an 

 incredible number. At the up))er end, 

 where the brook fell in, the fish were to 

 be seen in the spring running over one 

 another, so embarrassed by their own 

 numbers as to be unable to escape from 

 any attempt made to take them. They 

 were taken by the hands at pleasure, and 

 swine caught them without dllficulty. 

 With a small net the fishermen would 

 take half a bushel at a draught, and re- 

 peat their labors with the same success. 

 Carts were loaded with them in as short 

 a time as people could gather them up 

 when thrown upon the banks; and it 

 was customary to sell them in the fishing 

 season for a shilling a bushel. While 



they thus increased in numbers they also 

 became more than double their former 

 size. This great increase of fishes is sup- 

 posed to have been occasioned by the 

 increased means of subsistence, in conse- 

 quence of carrying the water over a lar^e 

 tract of ricli and uncultivated land.' * 



The trout is usually taken with tiie 

 hook, and the bait universally used is the 

 red earth worm, every where known by 

 the name of Jingle Worm. Fishing for 

 trout is a favorite and common amuse- 

 ment, and parties frequently go 15 or 20 

 miles for the sake of indulging in it. 



Gknus Osmerus. — Artedi. 

 Generic Characters. — Body elongated, cov- 

 ered will) small scalfs ; two dorsal fins, the first 

 uiih rays, tlic second fleshy without rays ; ventral 

 fins under the front pari of the first dorsal; teeth 

 long on the jaws and tonane, two distinct rows on 

 the palatine hones, but none on the vomer, except 

 at llie most ant. rior part ; branchial rays e'lghu 



THE SMELT. 



Osmrrus eperlanas. — Arteri. 



Yarrells British Fishes, II — 75, tig. 

 Jdurnal Acad. Nat. Sci , I'hil., t— '230. 

 I'auiia Boreali Amer , Fishes, page 185. 

 Storet's Keporli Mass. Fishes, pagelOS. 



Description. — Semi-transparent, color 

 silvery, greenish above and white beneath; 

 top of the head and edges of the jaws 

 blackish; under jaw longest, with a keel- 

 shaped projection near its extremity ; 

 teeth on tiie tongue and palate, and two 

 rows on each jaw, mostly large and hook- 

 ino- inwards ; mouth large ; nostrils very 

 large and nearer to the snout than to the 

 eye. Eye rather large, iris silvery ; lat- 

 eral line straight. Scales of moderate 

 size, thin and transparent. Fins slender 

 and transparent ; the dorsal, caudal, and 

 upper edges of the pectoral brownish ; 

 all the rest white and delicate ; height of 

 the first dorsal twice its length ; ventrals 

 under the first rays of the dorsal ; tail 

 forked, with spreading, pointed lobes. 

 Leno-th of the longest of two specimens 

 before me 9 inches, greatest depth \^ 



Rays, B. 8, P. 11, V. 8, D. 11, A. 15, 

 C. 17. 



HisTORV. — The Smelt is one of those 

 miiTratory species of fishes, which pass a 

 part of the time in salt water and a part 



* Williams' History of Veimont, vol. 1, p. 149. 



