IV eight and Length of Brook-Trout. 609 



pound trout. In applying his formula to the trout of Maine, it 



should read : /■* 



zu= .• 



2744 



Sir Humphrey Davy's statement, that an English trout ( Salmo 

 fario) 17 inches long weighs 2 lbs., agrees to % lb. with the weight 

 of an American brook-trout ( Salvelinus fontinalis) 17 inches in 

 length, as given in Mr. Ellis's table. If we take the weight of this 

 sized trout as given by the theoretic curve of Mr. Ellis's diagram, it 

 will differ only 2 oz. from the weight of Sir Humphrey Davy's 17- 

 inch fish. 



If a stick be notched at distances from one of its ends equal 

 to those corresponding to the lengths of trout of from % lb. to 5 lbs. 

 in weight, it might serve the double purpose of a club wherewith 

 mercifully to kill the trout as soon as caught by giving him a blow 

 back of the head, and to serve as a standard of measures wherewith 

 our "brother of the angle" may obtain the weight of his fish, and 

 thereby put a bridle on his imagination, and make of himself a 

 truthful man when he speaketh of the great weights of fish caught in 

 certain waters. — [Editor.] 



• This law will not hold good for Maine trout over five or six pounds in weight, 

 for after they have reached that weight they do not grow symmetrically, but become 

 obese. In a letter from Mr. Ellis, referring to the trout whose weight and length are 

 given in the above table, he says : " Our trout were beautiful, symmetrical fellows, and 

 in capital condition." 



39 



