1 8 BRITISH SPORTING FISHES. 



stage, preferring as they pass up the shallow 

 streams the abundant fresh-water crayfish. 



At this stage of their growth troutlings are 

 exceedingly interesting ; and probably every angler 

 has watched them in early summer, when myriads 

 of black gnats revolve just over the water, gam- 

 bolling in the most frolicsome fashion. At the 

 end of two seasons the young trout have increased 

 to six or eight inches, and at this stage the angler 

 first becomes acquainted with them. Like smelt, 

 they are exceedingly troublesome. The progres- 

 sion from troutlet to trout may be said to take 

 place from the second spring to the end of 

 summer. The fish, which has now attained to 

 half-a-pound in weight, feeds on the various 

 members of the Ephemerae, grows rapidly, and 

 shakes off its enemies. And now having followed 

 the troutlet from egg to fuller life, we must go- 

 back for a moment to the fish that produced it. 

 When trout are spawning but little food is taken, 

 and that from the bottom. As the fish leave the 

 "redds" they are lean and lank, more nearly 

 resembling a pike than a trout. In an ordinary 

 season the fish are all off the redds by December. 



It is not until March that trout leave their 

 dark retreats and begin to feed on the surface 

 flies that the first fine days find upon the stream. 

 If the season is open food is abundant, though 



