82 WHENCE TJIE NAME TROUT? 



ignorant of its migratory habits. The passage 

 is this : " In Aquitania salmojluviatilis marinis 

 omnibus pr&fertur" 



AMICUS. Were not the Greeks acquainted 

 with it, and does not the searching Aristotle 

 make mention of it ? 



PISCATOR. Eemember it is a fish of cold waters, 

 and that it is unknown in the Mediterranean 

 and in all the rivers emptying themselves 

 into that sea, as well as into its branches, the 

 ^Egean and the Euxine, and you are answered. 

 Even the trout, it would appear, had not the 

 attention of Aristotle, though it might have 

 come under his notice, occurring as it does in 

 some of the rivers of ancient Macedonia. 



AMICUS. What of its name ? I hope you can 

 say something satisfactory concerning it. 



PISCATOR. I wish I could ; judge for yourself, 

 when I tell you that some naturalists have 

 given it up in despair, that some have referred 

 it to the base Latin of the middle ages, after 

 this manner, Trout, Trutta ; Trocta, Tpcw/nrrjs', 

 v orator i others to the German, Trutt, signify- 

 ing that which is pleasing, an object of desire ; 

 a derivation, I think you will agree with me, 

 we may at least highly approve of as anglers. 



