FOOD AND HABITS. 13 



appeared, during the greater part of this period, as if it 

 would ultimately supplant them altogether. This breed 

 however, and its after-crosses, have nearly disappeared, 

 and the original trout are resuming, in point of num- 

 bers, their old position.* 



Again, in the case of Yarrow, in Selkirkshire, where, 

 owing to an excess of trout having descended during 

 the spawning season of 1832 from St. Mary's Loch, the 

 stream in question, its sole drainer, became in a manner 

 over-run with the Loch variety, so that the real ' ' yallow 

 fin," as the Ettrick shepherd used to term them, was, 

 for a space of some years, a fish of rare occurrence. 

 Crosses betwixt it and the Loch trout occupied com- 

 pletely the upper part of the river, as far down as 

 Yarrow Feus, and extended themselves from thence, in 

 thinner distribution, to the vale of Ettrick. I am 

 happy to state, however, from recent experience, that 

 the original stock once more prevails in Yarrow. 



The trout is unquestionably a voracious feeder. It 

 consumes, in proportion to its size, a greater quantity 

 of sustenance than other fresh-water fish ; nor, in re- 

 spect to the quality of its food, is it quite so scrupulous 

 as is generally imagined. Look, for instance, at the 

 variety it indulges in, according as the seasons, hours 

 of the day, and state of the water or atmosphere prompt 

 and direct it. In this variety are embraced the whole 

 of the insect tribes, winged or otherwise; frogs, leeches, 

 worms, slugs, snails, maggots, cad-bait, every sort and 

 size of fly, beetle, and moth, the water-spider, &c. 

 Then there are fish the smaller ones of its own species, 



* I cannot add in point of size. In this respect there is a marked 

 falling off, attributable, no doubt, to drainage and various agricultural 

 improvements, which have been carried on at the sources and along the 

 banks of the stream. 



