176 



of sufficient depth of water, or the greater cau- 

 tion of larger and older fish, prevent their 

 appearance. Though vigilant and cautious in 

 the extreme, the trout is also bold and active. 

 A pike and a trout put into a confined place 

 together, had several battles for a particular 

 spot, but the trout was eventually the master. 

 The season of spawning with the trout is gene- 

 rally in the month of October, at which period 

 the adult fish make their way up the stream ; 

 and the under jaw of the old male exhibits, in a 

 smaller degree, the elongation and curvature 

 observed to obtain in the male salmon. The 

 trout varies considerably in appearance in dif- 

 ferent localities ; so much so, as to have induced 

 the belief, that several species exist.* It is, 



* " Indeed, considering the sea trout as the type of the 

 species trout, it is, I think, probable, that all the other 

 trouts may be considered as varieties, where the differences 

 of food and of habits have occasioned, in a long course of 

 ages, differences of shape and colours, transmitted to off- 

 spring in the same manner as in the variety of dogs, which 

 may all be referred to one primitive type." Sir H. Davy. 



"There are a great number of varieties of trout, which 

 different naturalists have deemed to be distinct species ; 

 but Professor J urine of Geneva, who studied their changes 

 for many years, under very favourable circumstances, came 

 to the conclusion, that there is only one species the 

 Salmo Fario, or common trout." Rennie. 



" The variety in the shape and colour of trouts, which 

 are taken in different rivers and pools, has induced some 

 persons to imagine, that there are three distinct kinds of 

 this fish, namely, the red, the yellow, and the white, the 



