284 THE SORT OF WATER GRAYLING LIKE. 



require water of a milder temperature than trout 

 do : water of the mean temperature of the atmo- 

 sphere. They do not thrive in mountainous 

 streams, and could never stem their rapid torrents 

 or surmount their natural obstacles as salmon do. 

 They cannot bound out of the water, and never 

 jump at a bait after the manner of 'trout. 6 The 

 grayling rises, however,' says Mr. Ronalds, c with 

 great velocity, and almost perpendicularly to 

 seize his prey, at the top of the water, and de- 

 scends as quickly after making a summerset, for 

 the performance of which feat, the figure of his 

 body, and the great dorsal fin, seem well adapted. 

 The following just remarks of Sir Humphrey Davy 

 should be attended to by the angler : ( Besides 

 temperature,' he says, ' grayling require a pecu- 

 liar character in the disposition of the water of 

 rivers. They do not dwell, like trout, in rapid 

 shallow torrents ; nor, like char or chub, in deep 

 pools or lakes. They require a combination of 

 stream and pool ; they like a deep and still pool 

 for rest, and a rapid stream above, and gradually 

 declining shallow below, and a bottom where marl 

 and loam are mixed with gravel ; and they are 

 not found abundant except in rivers that have 

 these characteristics.' The largest grayling I have 

 ever caught I found in the somewhat deep, rapid, 

 and smoothly running tails of pools just before 

 the formation of some rough stream, and in swift 



