30 THE FRESH- WATER TROUT. 



ounces. & considerable proportion of the trout of this, 

 the second year's growth, are in spawning trim during 

 September, and others part with their milt a few weeks 

 later, but a great number there are among them which 

 do not arrive at breeding condition until the autumn 

 and winter following. The trout of the third year's 

 growth form the generality of those captured by the 

 angler with fly about the end of April and beginning 

 of May, averaging, as they do, from seven to nine 

 ounces each, and occupying at that period, to the ex- 

 clusion of smaller fry (which still hold to the pools and 

 deeper portions of the river), the main streams and 

 currents. 



During the first showers of March-browns, these, the 

 trout of the third year's growth, are generally foremost 

 on the feed, interspersed, however, with a few of their 

 seniors the survivors of a former generation. Of this 

 latter description, are those approaching to or upwards 

 of a pound in weight a stage of growth, on reaching 

 which, I believe that many of our river-trout cease pro- 

 gressing. Others, however, which have taken up a 

 convenient haunt or post of attack, and instinctively 

 prefer coarse and abundant feeding, attain to a much 

 larger size. A few individuals also, the inhabitants of 

 the rivers I speak of, owing, in the same manner, to 

 the advantages they possess in acquiring food of a finer 

 quality, locating themselves, for instance, under a range 

 of alders, or at the mouth of a feeder, reach, without 

 any loss of proportion, more than the average weight 

 of full-grown trout. These latter subsist, almost en- 

 tirely, upon ground and surface food, and only occasion- 

 ally, as a change, and when the other is scarce, resort 

 to the minnow or parr. 



The above remarks bear reference, as I have already 



