TROUT. 23 



and at that time gets among the roots of trees, 

 and under large stones, in order to deposit its 

 eggs, which are far less numerous than those of 

 other fish : yet the Trout admits of very con- 

 siderable increase, owing, no doubt, to the cir- 

 cumstance of most of the voracious kind of 

 fishes avoiding waters of so cold a nature as 

 those which Trout delight to inhabit ; and their 

 increase would be still greater, were they not 

 themselves of a voracious disposition, frequent- 

 ly preying upon each other. 



The merit of the Trout, as an article of food, 

 is too well known to require particular notice : 

 in this respect however those are most esteemed 

 which are natives of the clearest waters : the 

 flesh of some is white, some red, and some yel- 

 lowish ; the two last are accounted the best, yet 

 all three sorts are sometimes found in the same 

 river, and in places but a short distance from 

 each other. 



The Trout is of a more sudden growth than 

 any lish except the Salmon, but it does not live 

 to a great age ; when full grown, it shortly af- 

 terwards diminishes in body, and its head in- 

 creases in size, until its death. It is best in 

 season in the months of May and June, but is 

 considered good from the end of February until 

 August, when Greyling fishing commences. In 

 October the Trout retires to the deep parts of 



