12 THE TROUT 



to the locality the fish inhabits, and not to any particular property 

 distinguishing the fish as a distinct class, or even as varieties of 

 each other. Jf any one, not deeply versed in the mysteries of 

 natural history, were to take a trout from the Test in Hampshire 

 in the month of June, and compare it with one of the same size 

 caught at the same time in one of the streams on the Dartmoor 

 forest, he would without hesitation pronounce them to be fishes of 

 a different kind ; but let him examine two fishes taken from the 

 same places in the month of December, he would scarcely detect 

 a difference between them, or if he did so the appearance would 

 in all probability be in favor of the trout of Dartmoor. 



There is also almost invariably a marked difference in the ap- 

 pearance of trout that have been taken in lakes from those caught 

 in the streams running into or out of them ; in the latter part of 

 which by far the greater portion of them are bred. This is strongly 

 exhibited in the Loo Pool, near Helstone, in Cornwall ; as also in 

 Lochleven before alluded to ; in the latter of which places it has 

 been before remarked, the trout seem to set the angler's skill at 

 defiance, though in the adjoining streams he may usually meet with 

 the greatest success. But even in the same rivers trout exhibit a 

 totally different aspect in some parts with those taken in others. 

 Thus in honest Izaak's own words, "I am certain if I catch a 

 trout in one meadow, he shall be white and faint, and very like to 

 be lousy ; and as certainly if I catch a trout in the next meadow, 

 he shall be strong and red and lusty, and much better meat :" and 

 he adds, that he has " caught many a trout in a particular meadow, 

 that the very shape and enamelled colour of him hath been such 

 as hath joyed me to look on him, and I have with much plea- 

 sure concluded with Solomon, ' every thing is beautiful in his 

 season/ 



One great peculiarity in the trout species is the great dispropor- 

 tion which fishes of this kind of the same age bear to each other. 

 This plainly appears by experiments that have been made of put- 

 ting fry of the same size into a pond to watch the progress of 

 their growth. One instance, however, which is mentioned by 

 Daniel in his Rural Sports, is as much as our present limits will 

 permit. He states that a number of small trout, six or seven 

 inches long, were put into ponds fed by river water, which being 

 drained off about ten months after, some of the trout were found 

 to have attained fifteen or sixteen inches ; others not more than 



