VARIETIES OF TROUT. 130- 



of the other, not only will a marked difference often be 

 observed, but that difference will hardly ever be found to- 

 be absent. This point is one which it is difficult to ac- 

 count for, and we can but speculate upon it. The mark- 

 ings also vary greatly. Some trout are almost without 

 the red spots, others are as distinctly parr marked as any 

 salmon fry, while their brothers in the same water will be 

 destitute of such markings altogether. In fact, the varie- 

 ties are endless, for every stream has its particular breed 

 of trout, and hardly ever will any two be found to agree 

 in all points. 



I am, however, writing rather upon angling than natural 

 history, and therefore I recur at once to the legitimate 

 purpose of my work, merely throwing out a hint which 

 may often find amusement for the speculative naturalist,, 

 who may be an angler also. But if trout are various in 

 their forms and shapes, no less various are the means 

 employed to take them, there being hardly any of the 

 numerous plans adopted for wiling fish from their watery 

 domains which may not be successfully applied to the 

 capture of trout (for the trout feeds equally at the top, in 

 the middle, and at the bottom of the water), while the- 

 baits and lines employed to take him are far more numer- 

 ous than those used for any other fish fly-fishing with 

 live and artificial fly, spinning with every kind of real and 

 artificial bait, and bottom-fishing in many and various, 

 ways, being all more or less in vogue with the adepts in 

 trout-fishing. 



The salmon-fisher rejoices in the vigour and size of his 

 <ju;irry, and exercises his patience and skill in the capture 

 of the noble twenty-pounder, which gives him half an 

 hour's wild excitement and pleasure ; but his skill and 

 patience will be taxed to the uttermost, and vainly, many 

 a time and oft, in the attempt to hook some wily old four 

 or five pound brook trout, who may be feeding rapidly and 



