,<KVF:XTH DAY.] HABITS OF GRAYLING. 187 



PHYS. As we are walking through these meadows, 

 pray give us some information as to the habits of the 

 grayling, and its localities in England : I have been 

 so much pleased with my sport, that I shall become, 

 with St. Ambrose, a patron of the fish. 



HAL. The habits of the grayling, like those of 

 most other fish, are very simple. He is, I believe, to 

 a certain extent, gregarious more so than the trout, 

 and less so than the perch, and the usual varieties of 

 the carp species known in England. His form and 

 appearance you have seen. He is as yet scarcely in 

 his highest or most perfect season, which is in the 

 end of November or beginning of December, when his 

 back is very dark, almost black, and his belly and lower 

 fins are nearly gold-coloured ; but his brightness, like 

 that of most other fishes, depends a good deal upon the 

 nature of the water ; and on the continent I have seen 

 fishes far more brilliantly coloured than in England 

 the lower part almost a bright orange, and the back fin 

 approaching to the colour of the damask rose, or 

 rather of an anemone. The grayling spawns in April, 

 and sometimes as late as the beginning of May : the 

 female is generally then followed by two or three 

 males. She deposits her ova in the tails of sharp 

 streams, and the males, rubbing against her, shed 

 upon the ova the milt or spermatic fluid. I do not 

 know how long a time is required for the exclusion 



