236 ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT FISHERIES 



ditions, when the fish have absolutely no means of 

 escape. For even in these situations yearling trout 

 will be found, and a yearling trout grows and 

 flourishes on nothing so well as the fry of its own 

 species. It may be mentioned that fry begin to 

 tell on rod-fishing between twenty-four and thirty 

 months after transplanting. 



Putting aside trout-fry, then, we come to year- 

 lings trout of from ten to fourteen months old. 

 These can be purchased at 10 a thousand 

 (S . fontinalis are 25 per cent., and 5. irideus 100 

 per cent., higher). 



When sent out, these are about 3 inches in length. 

 They have many advantages. They travel well ; 

 they are much less delicate than fry ; they are 

 able to look after themselves ; they easily accom- 

 modate themselves to new water ; and, given 

 favourable conditions 5 they grow rapidly. In 

 short, yearlings are par excellence the best size for 

 re-stocking for general purposes. Yearlings are 

 usually turned down in the spring months, and 

 have many fewer enemies than fry. When turned 

 down in autumn, they will, in an open winter, 

 double their length between October and May. 



We now come to the question of two-year-olds, 

 i.e., trout from twenty-two to twenty-six months 

 old. They cost 2$ per thousand. There can 

 be no question that this is the most effective 

 method of stocking deep lakes, reservoirs, &c., 

 except for the great cost which it entails. 

 The cost of transit has been already remarked 

 upon. Two-year-olds are from 6 to 8 inches in 

 length, and if turned down in early spring often 

 attain to half a pound by the end of the ensu- 

 ing summer. In this connection it must not be 



