44 THE SEA-TROUT 



divorced from the laws concerning the migratory fish embodied in the 

 salmon fishery statutes; or, one might put it alternatively, whether the 

 laws concerning the sea-trout are not too exclusively restricted to the 

 region of salmon fishery legislation. I began with an examination of 

 the legal view of the sea-trout and I find myself inevitably led back 

 to it. The truth is that if any species of fish is to survive in these 

 modern days, legislation concerning it must be based upon reason and 

 a full understanding of the life-history and habits of the species. 



I have in this introduction made free use of the views of Mr. Regan 

 as set forth in his excellent book. I hope I have made it clear that I 

 have not been influenced, in discussing these views, by any spirit of 

 captious criticism. It will be quite apparent that I have no qualifica- 

 tions to criticise them beyond those which any thoughtful reader may 

 possess. His book is the most recent work with which I am acquainted 

 which can pretend to be of any scientific authority on the subject of 

 British fresh-water fishes, and such observations as he makes upon the 

 trout have been for me a convenient text upon which to discourse more 

 particularly concerning the sea-trout. 



To conclude — while one may very well accept the theories which 

 guide scientists to the systematic classification of a species, there is no 

 occasion to rest a description of that species on scientific classification 

 alone. The angler will not perhaps concern himself overmuch whether 

 the migratory and non-migratory trout constitute different species or 

 no. He will concern himself chiefly with the appearance and habits 

 of the sea-trout as a migratory fish so long as it retains such appearance 

 and habits. These are in any case sufficiently marked to warrant a 

 separate description being given of them. It is necessary to add that 

 the description which I shall endeavour to give in the following chapters 

 applies more particularly to the type of sea-trout which is commonly 

 found in our Western waters rather than to the type which, as the " bull 

 trout," has earned for itself a certain notoriety in our Eastern streams. 



