EXPERIMENTS IN STOCKING 243 



shallows, but the fry having no sanctuary have 

 no doubt been devoured by the large fish. One 

 and three-quarter pounds is the weight attained 

 by the largest trout killed hitherto, and one and 

 a half pounds is a common weight. 



An experiment was also made with Salmo 

 fontinalis in the same place, and seventy-five two 

 year olds were put into the water in February 

 1890. In July 1891 the weight of these ranged 

 from half a pound to three-quarters of a pound, 

 but their condition seemed much better in April 

 than at anytime afterwards. In June 1892 these 

 fontinalis averaged from three-quarters of a pound 

 to one pound, but they had deteriorated in shape 

 and condition. On the other hand, they had 

 evidently bred successfully, for several very fat 

 little fontinalis of a quarter of a pound appeared. 

 Up to the end of 1892 eleven of the original 

 fontinalis had been killed, and since then I have 

 never seen another in the water. Their dis- 

 appearance is most mysterious. They cannot 

 have escaped, for there is no outlet nor inlet 

 above ground. It may be suggested that the 

 water has been poached : if so, why should the 

 fontinalis alone have been exterminated, while the 



