HOW TROUT SPEND CHRISTMAS. 57 



scoured worm, and brave the risk of losing his nasal 

 appendage, as well as some of his toes, from frost-bite. 



On the other hand, where any downward migration 

 of the fish is barred by an insurmountable obstacle, such 

 as a waterfall ; or in some small swift streams where 

 the current is perpetually mingling and exposing the 

 whole body of its waters to the contact ot the cold air, 

 and where no such friendly deeps exist in the lower 

 parts of their course ; or when the fish have been 

 too late in spawning to recover before the severity of 

 winter sets in, the case is very different. And from my 

 own observations I am inclined to think that they retire, 

 in such cases, on the first occurrence of severe frost, to 

 the most secluded spots they can find in the immediate 

 neighbourhood, and insinuate themselves into holes in 

 the banks, underneath large stones, the roots of bushes, 

 the rubbish collected about piles and weirs, and other 

 places of refuge, from cold and the violence of floods, 

 embedding their bodies in the mud as much as possible, 

 as an additional protection from the severity of the 

 weather. In such retreats they usually pass the winter 

 in a semi-torpid state, lank, lean, and lousy, and seldom 

 or never venturing forth to feed, until the balmy breath 

 of early spring has swept the snowy mantle of winter 

 from the earth, and shedding her beneficent smile abroad 

 over the waters, awakes them from their slumbers to 

 breast again* the crystal streams, and rejoice with all 

 creatures in the dawning resurrection of nature. 



In corroboration of this, I have on several occasions 

 seen trout of various dimensions dug out of retired holes 



