20 OBSERVATIONS 



darker is the fish, especially upon the back and 

 head : " and you are to note," that the throat 

 has a long very dark brown patch upon it, 

 visible when the mouth is open, when he is in 

 high condition, but it is hardly to be seen other- 

 wise. He is, however, seldom or never found 

 in the miserable state so common to Salmon and 

 Trout after spawning. 



The Grayling is an excellent fish both for sport 

 and the table, and as his finest condition occurs 

 during the Autumn and Winter months, when 

 the Trout season ceases, the Angler finds great 

 pleasure and consolation in visiting the streams 

 in the autumn in search of him, or even on fine 

 days in winter. On this account, those who have 

 not the Grayling in their waters, would some- 

 times do well in trying to introduce him. 



The waters in which he thrives may be either 

 clear or discoloured, but a rather peculiar forma- 

 tion of the bed of the current seems to be re- 

 quired, his favourite streams having now some- 

 what shallow and rapid, then long, slow-running, 

 deep tracts ; in which latter places he poises him- 

 self about three or four feet below the chain of 

 insects, &c., as at H H (see plate 1). 



As he feeds principally on larvae and flies, he 

 should, according to Malthus, be populous (all 

 other things being equal), in proportion as these 

 insects are so. 



