378 MODERN SEA FISHING 



appearance as to become indistinguishable from common brown 

 trout. Here, then, we have sea trout, if my first presumption 

 be correct, changing into rather remarkable loch trout and, 

 when bred in the fish culturists' ponds, developing into ordi- 

 nary fario. Assuming we are correct so far, the very interesting 

 question arises whether the sea trout is a river trout which has 

 left fresh water to seek the more abundant food supplies of 

 the ocean, or the river trout is a sea trout which has pushed 

 into fresh water to spawn and has taken up its abode in rivers ? 

 Brown trout, sea trout, and salmon are evidently closely 

 allied. 



In the Antipodes the statement has many times gone forth 

 that salmon have at last been acclimatised and been caught. 

 The fact so far seems to be that the Antipodean salmon are 

 ordinary brown trout which have left the rivers, taken to marine 

 habits, and put on the silvery coat of the salmon or sea trout. 

 A number of New Zealand trout recently were sent to Mr. 

 Bambridge, of Eton, in a frozen condition by Mr. A. H. 

 Strong, of Ashburton, New Zealand, with the following com- 

 munication : 



I have taken them in the salt water, and landed them in the 

 breakers. All the fish taken at the mouth of the river are as white 

 as silver, and the spots come out and show only after death. 

 Higher up the river the fish are freely spotted and darker. The 

 flesh varies from white to cream colour ; but I have had trout from 

 Lake Heron very deeply spotted, and with the flesh deep orange 

 not pink like char and salmon. There is no doubt that the trout 

 go to sea, as they are caught in nets outside, and miles from the 

 river. The strangest thing about these trout is that, although 

 several varieties have been put into the river, we never seem to 

 take any other variety than those I sent. I have put over 1 5,000 

 Salmo fontinalis in the main rivers ; but no one has ever taken one 

 out, though when put into a small stream by themselves, they do 

 well and grow to three or four pounds weight. They are then 

 splendid fish and very game. 



