HISTORICAL 145 



pressed upon his readers the claims of the art he had 

 made so pre-eminently his own, saying that he 

 regarded that book ' not merely as a book on 

 ichthyology, but as an introductory guide to the 

 great and important science of" fish culture.' 

 'Throughout the country,' he says, 'there are 

 streams as well as lakes and ponds suited for trout 

 which are now troutless. Trout are becoming so 

 important, not only as food, but also for trout fishing, 

 that, wherever it is possible, I earnestly recommend 

 that they should be bred artificially, and the waters 

 thereby stocked.' 



Since these words were written a change has' 

 come over the public mind. It is no longer necessary 

 to urge the importance of pisciculture, and to explain 

 the advantages of artificial stocking. This change is 

 well illustrated by the words of the late Sir James 

 Maitland, than whom there was no higher authority 

 on trout culture in this, or perhaps any other country. 

 Writing in 1892 he says, in the fourth edition of his 

 valuable ' Pamphlet on Stocking,' ' The public, at 

 least the angling portion thereof, is already very much 

 up to date on the subject. The size and colour of 

 eggs, the length and shape of yearlings or two-year- 

 olds, are questions on which it holds a very decided 

 opinion ; nor is it any longer necessary to point out 



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