286 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



often immediately seize the bait again. It8 immense bnlk is of alder- 

 manic proportions, and it is an exceedingly good feeder. I have found on 

 several occasions on opening a fish that its stomach was packed with 

 food. It seldom roams far up or down the stream leading to or from 

 the lock it may have made its home, but with a fierceness and solitariness 

 it prowls singly, seeking what it may devour. It spawns in September, or 

 thereabouts, and at that time leaves the deeper water and penetrates a 

 little distance up stream returning very shortly, not, like the salmon, 

 making extensive journeys. 



The differences between the sexes is very marked, and in consequence 

 it is not a very hard task to determine the male or female. The teeth 

 are considerably stronger in the male, the distance from eye to snout 

 greater, and the configuration of the opercula is different, those of the 

 female resembling the roundness of the salmon. In some instances the 

 spot markings of the male have a pale circle of dull orange round them. 

 The following characteristics of a trout weighing 151b. are given by 

 Couch: " The length 2ft. 4in., the body stout and thick, carrying its 

 breadth and thickness back to the adipose fin. Head large, flat at the 

 top, snout projecting before the eyes, ending blunt. Jaws equal, gape 

 large, mystache considerably behind the eye. Teeth strong and sharp, 

 the points directed inwards, distant from each other, those on the 

 mystache continued through the whole length with an interruption in 

 front of the upper jaw ; strong recurved teeth round the palate, a single 

 row along the vomer, and a strong row across the front of the vomerine 

 row, but distinct from it, also appearing distinct from the side row of 

 the palate. Strong incurved teeth in the lower jaw, and within, on 

 each side near the front, a separate row. Tongue fleshy, with a double 

 row of not very large teeth. Being a male, there was the kipper 

 or turned- up process in front of the lower jaw, but not so high as 

 in the salmon, and it was received into a cavity in the upper jaw. 

 Nostrils above the level of the line from eye to snout ; scales on the body 

 round, those along the lateral line shining ; origin of the dorsal fin 1ft. 

 lin. from the snout ; adipose fin large, and not far from the tail ; its 

 upper part was widest. Width of tail 8in., and at its root 3iin. ; the 

 border might be called straight, except that there is a small point at the 

 corner above and below ; pectorals rather wide, the upper rays curved. 

 The colour along the back and upper part of the sides dark tinted with 

 blue, as are also the dorsal fin and tail ; cheeks yellow, covered, as is 

 the body, with round dots, rare on the belly ; pectoral and central fins 

 yellowish and dark ; a tinge of purple on the sides, where the scales shine 

 as if pearly. Fin rays : Dorsal 12 ; anal 10 ; pectoral 13 ; caudal 20." 

 The specimen from Yorkshire (Malbarn Tarn) presented rather 



