336 SLOW GROWTH OF GRAYLING. 



of April, sometimes a little earlier, at which 

 season they come on the fords, and are then easily 

 taken with the fly, though, of course, at such 

 time, they ought to be strictly protected. After 

 spawning they retire into the deeps, and the 

 angler sees very little of them for a long time, 

 and for this reason they are supposed to be a 

 considerable time recovering, though I have never 

 found them rendered so much out of season by 

 spawning as some other fish. The grayling does 

 not grow very fast. Those spawned in spring are 

 three or four inches long in autumn, and in the 

 following autumn about four or five ounces in 

 weight ; and in the autumn after that, when 

 about two and a half years old, they weigh from 

 eight to twelve ounces. Grayling have been 

 caught in the Teme, near Ludlow, weighing four 

 pounds a piece, though fc one half that weight is 

 rarely captured in this river now." 



Sir Humphrey Davy says grayling grow much 

 faster, stating that those hatched in May or June 

 become in the following September and October 

 nine or ten inches long, and weigh from five 

 ounces to half a pound. The next year he says 

 they arrive at from twelve to fifteen inches in 

 length, and weigh from three quarters to a pound. 

 I tliink Sir Humphrey wrong, and Mr. George 

 right. I should even think their growth is 

 slower than that stated by Mr. George. Gray- 



