82 THE TROUT 



I do not propose to enter upon a disquisition 

 respecting the merits of one kind of trout over 

 another for river-stocking purposes, beyond saying 

 that for all general sporting qualifications the 

 ordinary trout (Salmo farid) seems to meet every 

 requirement. One curious thing which has been 

 noted a vast number of times is, that imported trout, 

 should they possess any small differences of mark- 

 ings from those fish which are 'home-bred' ones 

 natives of the river after a short time seem to adapt 

 themselves to a large degree to their new surround- 

 ings, even to the almost exact scheme of colour and 

 spots appertaining to the original inhabitants of the 

 stream. 



Trout take the prevailing hue of the water and 

 the immediate local characteristics in a remarkable 

 degree. Where the river runs over a muddy bottom, 

 there they will be dark of appearance, and somewhat 

 muddy of taste. Where the stream flows over a 

 clean gravelly soil, there they will be bright in colour, 

 and far pleasanter to eat. I know of a certain 

 length of water in a Derbyshire river where for 

 about 150 yards the bottom is all gravel and sand. 

 There the trout are quite brilliant in their colouring, 

 orange as to their bellies and sides. Immediately 

 above it comes a small piece of ' flat ' water. There 



