22 THE HABITS AND HAUNTS OF FISH. 



They spawn in December and January, and afford 

 good sport during the genial months to the angler. 



THE GRAYLING (Thymallus Vulgaris). This is a 

 much more fastidious and delicate fish than the trout ; 

 and, although it abounds to profusion in some streams, 

 yet it is very local when compared with the trout. 

 Both Scotland (excluding the Tweed, Clyde, and the 

 Orkneys) and Ireland are graylingless ; neither do 

 they occur in Wales, except in the border streams. 

 They require a peculiar combination of favourable 

 surroundings to enable them to flourish and locate 

 permanently, when introduced into strange streams. 

 A moderate temperature of water is requisite for their 

 well-being, and a succession of stream and still deeps. 

 They generally frequent the lower portions of trout 

 streams in hilly districts ; a fair volume of water, too, 

 is essential, as, when there flows less than two tons or 

 thereabouts per minute, grayling descend to a lower 

 point, where their needs in this respect are satisfied. 

 The bottoms of our best grayling rivers usually 

 consist of an alternate mixture of loam, marl, sand, 

 and gravel. The brown trout, in his habits of 

 migration, penetrates still further up stream to more 

 rapid water. The grayling, on the other hand? 

 more generally descends to slower running waters ; 

 still, there is little doubt that this fish would thrive in 

 many waters in which it is at present unknown. 

 Grayling are, to a certain extent, gregarious, generally 

 frequenting the stills, even when surface feeding. It 

 is owing to this fact that they are given to rise nearer 

 the rodster than the trout, ascending often from the 



