THE GRAYLING. 



" OH, you beauty," I heard a gent once exclaim when I was 

 landing a Grayling about a pound and a half, " I wish I had 

 you fried nicely in butter." The gentleman had a good idea of 

 the excellence of the Grayling, and I think he is the most de- 

 licious of fresh water fish. He atfords choice sport to the 

 Angler, and when hooked requires great skill and care to land. 

 He is a pretty fish to look at, and very excellent when well 

 cooked, in flavour, indeed, he surpasses the Trout. 



The period when Grayling deposit their spawn is, I think, 

 known but to few fishers. On the 18th of March of this pre- 

 sent year (1857), I killed a brace of Grayling full of spawn 

 quite ripe. I also killed a brace on the 20th, and saw one 

 caught by another Angler on the same day, and all were full of 

 spawn. I was determined to ascertain the proper spawning 

 period, and went every day after to the water, when it was in 

 condition for fishing, but caught no more until the 17th of 

 April, when I got a brace and a half two female fish and one 

 male. I cut them all open and found the female fish had 

 parted with their spawn, but a portion of milt still remained in 

 the male. I also caught a brace on the 19th of the same 

 month, both female fish, and free of spawn. I had thus satisfac- 

 tory evidence that Grayling deposit their spawn at the latter 

 end of March, seeking for that purpose a gentle stream not 

 more than two feet deep, with a gravelly bottom, and a little 



