FISHES OF THE DISTRICT 171 



a fish which must have weighed up to 30 Ibs. 

 when in condition. For some reason the mortality 

 of kelts in Windermere is unusually high, much 

 higher than in any of the rivers of the district, and 

 as many as fourteen dead fish have been counted 

 over a comparatively small area of the lake bottom. 

 It is asserted that most of the "salmon " which are 

 seen or caught in Windermere and its tributaries 

 (especially the Troutbeck) are bull-trout (Salnw 

 eriox). With this opinion I do not for a moment 

 agree. 



The result, however, of opening up Windermere 

 to salmon is seen in the immense numbers of 

 salmon-fry which now annually pass down the lake 

 to the sea. 



Salmon spawn in Rydal, Grasmere, 1 in the 

 Troutbeck, and on the banks of the lake itself. 



THE SALMON TROUT (Salmo trutta) 



" In the Kent a little below Kendai I have had 

 fine diversion with the salmon-trout which run up 

 the river from the sea." This is how Samuel 

 Taylor writes in 1800, and if he were here to-day he 

 might have his "fine diversion" still. Salmon- 

 trout still make up the rivers of the district from 

 June to October, and are known by several local 

 names, the most common of these being " mort." 

 The first flood in July brings the fish in quantity, 

 and when freshly run they afford splendid sport, 



1 " In the first week of November, many years ago, the 

 lake was alive with big fish, which he believed to have been 

 salmon.'' Sir Robert Farquhar's evidence. 



