36 THE FRESH-WATER TROUT. 



told, half a stone heavier. In the spawning season, 

 when numbers of these fish push down to the outlet of 

 the loch, they may be tempted to rise at the salmon 

 lures ordinarily used on the river Awe; but, at other 

 times, they are only to be captured by trolling for them 

 from a boat, at a considerable depth and with strong 

 tackle, the bait employed consisting of a trout of five 

 ounces in weight, fortified with hooks in all directions. 

 The ferox is a more powerful fish than the Salmo salar, 

 but not quite so active ; still, it often manages to make 

 its escape when hooked, and will ensconce itself securely 

 among weeds, leaving to the angler no remedy but to 

 break and part company. 



THE SWALLOW-SMOLT OF TWEED. Allied in some 

 respects to the ferox, is what, in the lower districts 

 of Tweedside, has been designated a Swallow-smolt. 

 It forms, I am inclined to think, not a mere variety 

 of the common fario, but a distinct species of trout. 

 I am not, indeed, aware that the swallow-smolt, or 

 any breed of river trouts at all resembling it, is to 

 be found, except in Tweed itself. This fish is of 

 highly predatory habits, and will seldom, if ever, rise at 

 the common trouting-fly. It is caught generally by 

 means of the parr-tail tackle, about the latter end of 

 May and beginning of June, when the last of the smolts 

 are on their way seaward. Its appearance resembles, 

 in some respects, that of the bull-trout ; the head is 

 large, the teeth particularly strong, the maculce irregu- 

 larly but profusely distributed, the whole formation that 

 of a powerful and rapacious fish. As regards its edible 

 qualities, it is, at all times, coarse and rank-flavoured. 

 The swallow-smolt, when on the outlook for prey, fre- 

 quents the hings or breaks, at the head of strong, rough 

 water, and is frequently taken, by rod and cairn net, 



