SEA-TROUT IN THE MORAY FIRTH. 177 



my recollection, is of date 10th June, 1836, and occurred 

 not far from the mouth of Nairn water which discharges 

 itself at the town of Nairn into the Moray frith. The 

 northern coasts of Scotland, both on the west and east 

 sides, are, at the period of the year I refer to, frequented 

 by immense shoals of young herring, smaller even than 

 those known by the denomination of garvies ; many of 

 them not measuring above an inch and a half in length. 

 It is worthy too of remark, that at this season, the friths 

 and bays abound, seemingly more than usual, with differ- 

 ent varieties of the salmon tribe, such especially as are 

 recognised under the somewhat general title of sea- trout. 

 Whether or no, these fish are in reality more plentiful 

 in such localities, during the summer months, crowding 

 shorewards from the deep and distant haunts, to which 

 some suppose they betake themselves on descending 

 from their parent streams in spring, I shall not stop at 

 present to enquire. One thing, however, is certain, 

 that be their transit like that of the woodcock or cuckoo, 

 from some clime remote, or be it only the passage of a 

 minute from the channel to the surface from such 

 retreats as rocks and tangles afford them, to the upper 

 layer, if I may so express it, of waters; in whatever 

 way this point of controversy remains to be settled, 

 there is no doubt that we have the most frequent oppor- 

 tunities, during the warm months, of acquainting our- 

 selves with several of their marine habits, and among 

 others, though perhaps in a somewhat limited degree, 

 their manner of feeding. 



It is at the season alluded to, that our friths and 

 estuaries, nay, our whole range of coast waters, display, 

 plunging and disporting themselves on the surface, 

 immense numbers of the smaller species of salmonidce, 

 such as the sea-trout, whitling, &c., enlivening the 



i 3 



