THE COMMON TROUT. 2J 3 



itself pellucid as diamond, and formed in many 

 places into the most enticing pools, which one would 

 naturally imagine were the resort of large and well 

 fed fish ; on the contrary, however, a few tiny indi- 

 viduals are all that inhabit them."* Having ex- 

 plained the prejudicial nature of a rocky channel in 

 relation to the growth of trout, Mr. Stoddart next 

 refers to the effect of a slower stream and muddier 

 bed in producing a great increase of size. Of this 

 nature are many of the southern rivers of England, 

 where fish are large, but by no means numerous. 

 There are fewer places adapted for spawning beds, 

 and Mr. S. thinks the fish themselves grow " fat 

 and lazy.' 1 Then the absence of loose stones and 

 gravel deprives the fry of their accustomed shelter- 

 ing places, and thus exposes them to the indis- 

 criminate voracity of cruel uncles, who unfailingly 

 fleece their unsuspecting kindred. 



On a general view of this branch of hydrography, 

 it may be said that piscatorial streams are divisible 

 into three principal classes, unless the moor burn 

 may be regarded as a fourth, in which, through 

 waving broom, bent grass, or blooming heather, the 

 angler often sees, or thinks he sees, black inky forms 

 darting beneath the banks, fearing the light as if 

 their deeds were evil. N.B. Although the regular 

 inhabitants of these burns are weak, and their size 

 contemptible, it often happens that towards the 

 spawning season large-sized fish occur in tiny 

 waters, tenants at will, but regular " ten-pound- 



* The Art of Angling t as practised in Scotland, p. 2. 



