PISCICULTURE AND NATURAL HISTORY 99 



against the trout reared under such conditions. For one 

 thing, I am confident that trout reared under these con- 

 ditions and accustomed to be hand fed, do not, when they 

 are taken to stock other waters, rise to the fly as freely as 

 they would had they been accustomed to depend more on 

 natural food during their early life. 



For another thing, the trout do not grow so quickly, 

 and again, they are not accustomed to the natural food 

 on which they will have to live when they are liberated. 

 The best food for trout, as long as a plentiful supply is 

 available, is undoubtedly water insect life in its varying 

 stages. Small fish, such as minnows, gudgeon, etc., are 

 the next best food although trout, when fed on this latter 

 class of food, frequently develop cannibalistic tendencies 

 while probably the food least beneficial, in an all-round 

 sense, is the animal food on which hand-fed trout have 

 frequently to depend. 



The effort which is demanded from the ale vin in order to 

 resist the natural movement of the running water creates 

 a more developed and more powerful fish. 



Taking the stock fish of the ordinary trout-breeding 

 establishment, the length of time which it takes them to 

 recover from their breeding operations is the greater owing 

 to this artificial and restricted flow of water. Fungus is not 

 so easily shaken off, neither are the wounds and abrasions 

 of the breeding-time so quickly healed. It may be accepted 

 as a fact that trout should have plenty of water, plenty of 

 space, and plenty of food, and the more natural the con- 

 ditions of these three factors the better the results in trout 

 breeding. 



To those, therefore, who may be inclined to devote 

 their attention to trout breeding, I would strongly 

 recommend the adoption of breeding pounds situated, 

 when possible and where safe, directly in the by-paths 



