ITS MODE OF SPAWNING. 27 



more than the river sorts, are distinguished for this 

 venturesomeness, which resembles, in their case, that 

 of the salmon issuing from its marine abode. They, 

 the loch trout, have been known to ascend to a distance 

 of ten or twelve miles from the expanse of water they in- 

 habit, in order to spawn; while the latter, the river vari- 

 eties, often betake themselves to the nearest shallow, 

 the head or fordable parts of the stream they daily 

 disported in during summer. I ascertain this to be 

 the case from the fact, that, during the spawning and 

 covering seasons, the trout, whether milter or spawner, 

 taken from the lowest streams of Teviot, immediately 

 above its junction with the Tweed, are, generally speak- 

 ing, trout of the true Teviot variety ; and as regards 

 the loch trout, what I have stated is well-known, and 

 easily proved. 



In depositing her ova, the female fish does all the 

 work, without any assistance from the male. She 

 forms her own redd, or furrow, expels the secreted 

 particles by a process of self-exertion, and covers the 

 ova by the action of her tail, as they descend. The 

 milter, I hold, during these operations, yields her no 

 assistance whatever. It is possible he may be at hand 

 on the watch, waiting the completion of the process, 

 but he avoids, during its continuance, every show of 

 contact with the female; and his interference with 

 the operation can amount to nothing more than the 

 scaring away of small fry from the spawning bed; or 

 perhaps he may indulge his own voracious appetite, by 

 picking up the stray ova, as they roll towards him, a 

 propensity not to be wondered at, while it is of 

 common occurrence to capture large trout, with in- 

 dividuals of their own species projecting from their 

 mouths. 



