72 



THE TROUT. 



the fish were put into it, which was in July, when they were 

 about 15 months old, at which time they were 15 or 16 inches, 

 others not above 12. But when the pond was drained ten 

 months after, in March, when they were almost two years 

 old, some were 21 or 22 inches, and weighed three pounds 

 or more ; others were about 16 inches; and a fourth part not 

 above 12. I do not know to what we can attribute this dif- 

 ference; it could not be either in the food or the water, or 

 the weather, they faring all alike in these. But if 1 may be 

 allowed my opinion, perhaps some of the fry may have been 

 the spawn of those that were only 17 months old, which is 

 the soonest that any of them spawn ; others of parents 29 

 mouths, or two years and a half old ; and others a year older. 

 This difference in the age of the parent trout may, I believe, 

 occasion the difference in the size of their breed ; otherwise 

 I cannot account for it. Trout, in a good pond, will grow 

 much faster than in some rivers, because they do not range 

 so much in feeding. How long they live cannot be determined 

 in any other way so well as by observation on those in ponds, 

 which observation I never had an opportunity of making my- 

 self, and therefore shall only mention what a gentleman told 

 me. He assured me that at four or five years old they were 

 at their full growth, which was, in some, at about 30 inches, 

 and in many much less; that they continued about three 

 years pretty nearly the same in size and goodness ; two years 

 after they grew big headed and smaller bodied, and died in 

 the winter after that change ; but he thought the head did not 

 grow larger, but only seemed to be so, because the body 

 decayed; so that, according to this gentleman's computation, 

 nine or ten years is the term of their life ; and yet I think 

 they may live longer in some rivers, and grow to a much 

 greater size, when they have liberty to go into the tide-way 

 and salt water." 



The evidence of other writers goes to show that they live 



