72 THE FLY FISHER'S GUIDE. 



THE GRAVEL FRY. 



The history of this little fish, which is also 

 distinguished by a great variety of other names, 

 as the Fingering, Pink, Gravling, Last-spring, 

 Skirling, Forktail, Brandling, Shedder, Sampson, 

 and Par, has not been hitherto explained in a 

 satisfactory manner. 



They are only to be found in rivers frequented 

 by salmon, and many are of opinion that they 

 are all males, and are the dwarf or unnatural 

 produce of the mixed spawn of the salmon and 

 the trout : others that they are produced from 

 the spawn of those salmon which, being pre- 

 vented from regaining the sea, become sick, and 

 incapable of the regular functions of nature. 



On the sides of this fish are dark marks or 

 streaks, such as would be left by the hand if im- 

 mersed in colour, whence it derives the name of 

 the "fingering." Some contend that they never 

 exceed in length eight inches, or in weight a 



