ULLS WATER 93 



of Howtown remembered parties of men coming 

 to Patterdale in the autumn for the express 

 purpose of spearing this fish, one fish speared in 

 Goldrill Beck being 18 Ibs. weight. It is now 

 many years since I have seen a ferox from 

 Ullswater (I have taken the fish in Windermere), 

 and it is probable that the species has become 

 extinct within the past few years. 



Clarke calls this fish the Grey-trout, and the 

 following circumstantial account of it will prove 

 interesting. 



" A fish peculiar to this lake and Buttermere (where there 

 are very few) is called grey trout. These grey trouts in 

 form resemble the other trouts, but are much larger, weighing 

 from 30 to 40 pounds ; one was killed a few years ago which 

 weighed 56, but the ordinary weight is from 7 to 20 pounds 

 each. They are chiefly found in the deep water below House 

 Holm island ; they are, however, sometimes taken in all 

 parts of the lake, though but seldom, except in October, 

 which is their spawning time. During that month the King 

 of Patterdale usually sets a net across the foot of Goldrill 

 beck, where most of them go up to spawn ; a few, indeed, 

 attempt getting up at Glenridding beck, but not one has 

 been known to enter any other of the streams. Some of the 

 trouts, however, escape the nets, but are generally taken by 

 the neighbouring farmers, who strike them at night time with 

 spears by the light of a torch. 



" These unlawful practices the gentlemen of the neighbour- 

 hood have not been able to prevent. It is indeed impossible 

 they should, for the farmers of the fisheries connived at them, 

 because the grey trout prey upon the small trouts and char, 

 upon which their profits depend, and so voracious are they 



which was 38 inches in length and 27 in girth, taken in 

 Hull'swater, a large lake in Westmorland, in which, I was 

 assured by Sir John and other persons of unquestionable 

 credit, trouts of that size (nay, larger), are frequently takeji." 

 -^-Captain Hatton to John Ray, October 25, 1692. 



