Grayling in Trout- Rivers. 241 



about." It is not, -however, on the plea that the 

 "lady" is a scold that I found my case for a 

 separation, nor even on the more than doubtful 

 statement of Mr Francis that she devours the 

 spawn of the trout, but simply on the undoubted 

 and perfectly comprehensible fact that a river will 

 support only a certain number of fish in good size 

 and condition. An influx of grayling into a trout- 

 stream will therefore result in a corresponding 

 diminution of the number of the trout, as well as 

 in a deterioration of their quality. Moreover, this 

 struggle for existence is unequal, the grayling al- 

 ways getting the best of it. Their ova are much 

 smaller and far more numerous than those of trout, 

 and in their feeding, grayling not only burrow at 

 the bottom to a much greater extent than trout do, 

 but they can rise from below through many feet of 

 water to seize their surface-food. So that, even if 

 trout did not habitually devour their own fry 

 which they do the tendency would be for gray- 

 ling to preponderate in numbers, and outstrip them 

 in the race for life. This they are now doing in 

 the Clyde. Above Lanark grayling are to be seen 

 at present swarming in thousands, especially during 

 the autumn months; while trout, which in those 

 reaches were wont to yield great sport before the 

 advent of the alien, are yearly becoming fewer in 

 number and poorer in quality. When grayling 

 Q 



