332 HABITS,, ETC. OF THE GRAYLING. 



THE GRAYLING. Salmo Thymallus. 



THE grayling is one of the most gracefully-shaped 

 of the salmonidse. It is a favourite fish of mine, 

 takes a fly boldly, but does not show much bold- 

 ness after having taken it and been hooked. It 

 is a gamesome fish, but not a game one. The 

 grayling very rarely exceeds three pounds in weight, 

 and a greater number are caught under twelve 

 ounces in weight than above it. They are not, 

 like the trout, indigenous to this country; and 

 very probably, on account of their being in season 

 in the winter, when trout are not, and being an 

 excellent gastronomic substitute for that fish, 

 were brought from the continent to this country 

 by the monks or some other good judges of good 

 things, that they might not be without a fresh -water 

 delicacy during the most festive part of the year. 

 The rivers of the midland counties are more cele- 

 brated for grayling than those of any other part 

 of the empire. The grayling is not to be found 

 in Ireland or Scotland. Though some fancy 



