popular JDtrttflmcrM ol gmmatclr $ature. 7Q5 



being remarked tli at those that inhabit clear, 

 swift, and shallow streams, and live mostly 

 on insect food, have the most brilliant red 

 spots on the sides, and their flesh is of the 

 finest quality j whilst those which are 

 obliged to live chiefly on nqnatic vegetables 

 are dull in colour, and their flesh is les* deli- 



TSIOTJT. (8ALMO FARJO.) 



cate. The Common River Trout is gene- 

 rally from twelve to fifteen inches long, and 

 from three quarters to a pound and a half in 

 weight ; sometimes, however, but not often, 

 considerably exceeding it : the form of the 

 head is blunt ; the eye large, the irides sil- 

 very, with a tinge of pink ; the teeth nume- 

 rous, strong, and curving inwards, extending 

 along the whole length of the vomer : the 

 convexity of the dorsal and ventral outline 

 nearly similar ; and the scales small. The 

 colour of the back and upper part of the sides 

 is made up of numerous dark reddish-brown 

 spots on a yellow-brown ground ; about a 

 dozen bright red spots along the lateral line, 

 with a few other red spots above and below 

 it ; the lower part of the sides golden yellow; 

 belly and under surface silvery white ; dorsal 

 fin and tail light brown, with numerous 

 darker brown spots ; the adipose fln brown, 

 frequently with one or two darker brown 

 spots, and edged with red ; the pectoral, 

 ventral, and anal fins uniform pale orange- 

 brown. The female fish is of a brighter and 

 more beautiful appearance than the male. 



In streams that flow rapidly over gravelly 

 or rocky bottoms, the Trout are generally 

 remarkable for the brilliancy and beauty of 

 their spots and colours : and they are finest 

 in appearance and flavour from the end of 

 May till towards the end of September ; an 

 effect produced by the greater quantity and 

 variety of nutritious food obtained during 

 that period. Dr. A. T. Thomson remarks 

 that "each species of Trout has its pecu- 

 liarities of colour : but the common Trout 

 is the most beautiful of its class : the varia- 

 tions of its tints and spots, from golden- 

 yellow to crimson and greenish-black, are 

 almost infinite, and depend, in a great mea- 

 sure, on the nature of its food ; for the co- 

 lours are always the most brilliant in those 

 fish that feed on the water-shrimp; and 

 those are, also, the most highly prized for 

 the table. It is a curious fact that the 

 brightness of the colours is not diminished 

 when the fish dies ; for, even after he has 

 been played with for an hour or longer by 

 the practised angler, and at length is brought 

 floating upon his side to the margin of the 

 stream, and thrown upon the bank flounder- 

 ing, till, gasping with distant and feeble 

 motions, he is either knocked on the head, or 

 dies from exhaustion, his scaly splendour is 

 as bright as before." 



It is observed that during the day the 

 larger-sized fish move but little from their 

 accustomed haunts ; but towards evening 

 and during the night they rove in search of 

 small fish, insects, and their various larvae, 

 upon which they feed with eagerness. With 

 no food, however, do they seem so delighted 

 as with the May-fly. The young Trout fry 

 may be seen throughout the day sporting on 

 the shallow gravelly scours of the stream, 

 where the want of sufficient depth of water, 

 or the greater caution of larger and o Ider 

 fish, prevents their appearance. The season 

 of spawning with the Trout is generally in 

 October, at which time the under jaw of the 

 old male exhibits in a smaller degree the 

 elongation and curvature observed in the 

 male Salmon. The stomach of this fish is 

 uncommonly thick and strong ; but this cir- 

 cumstance is observed to be nowhere to re- 

 markable as in those found in some of the 

 Irish lakes, and particularly in those of the 

 county of Galway. These are called Gil- 

 laroo T routs : on the most accurate ex- 

 amination, however, it does not appear that 

 they are specifically different from the 

 common Trout, but by living much on dif- 

 ferent kinds of Crustacea, and swallowing 

 small stones at the same time, their stomachi 

 acquire a much greater degree of thickness, 

 and a kind of muscular appearance, so as to 

 resemble a sort of gizzard. [See SALMOH- 

 TiiouT.] 



TRUMPET-FISH. (Centritctu scolopax.') 

 This is a singular looking small Acanthop- 

 terygious fish, sometimes called the Sea 

 Snipe. Its body ie of an oval shape, and it 

 is distinguished by its long tubular beak, 

 which seems well adapted for drawing from 

 among the sea-weed and mud the minute 

 Crustacea upon which it is supposed to feed. 

 On the back is a slight ridge ; and the first 

 dorsal fln is armed with a strong, pointed 

 spine, movable and serrated, constituting a 

 formidable weapon of defence. The colour 

 of the back is red, the sides lighter red ; the 

 sides of the head and belly silvery, tinged 

 with a golden hue ; the scales on the body 

 hard and rough ; and the fins of a grayish 

 white. The Trumpet-fish is found in the 

 Mediterranean, and the flesh is reckoned 

 good. [See AULOSTOMA.] 



TRUNK-FISH. [See OSTRACIOS.] 

 TRYGON. [See RAT : STING-RAT.] 



TUBICOL^. The name of an order of 

 Aneltufce, comprehending those which live 

 in tubes. One of the commonest of these is 

 the Serpula, the shell of which is formed of 

 calcareous matter, resembling that of the 

 shells of Mollusca, and apparently secreted 

 from the surface of the body in a similar 

 manner. They are generally found cluster- 

 ing in masses, attached to the surface of 

 stones, shells, or other bodies, which have 

 been for any length of time immersed in the 

 sea, and more or less contorted according to 

 the position in which they grow. The ani- 

 mal residing in this shell has its branchial 

 filaments or gill-tufts all assembled round 

 the head ; where they form a pair of fan- 

 like appendages, usually possessing very 



