THE HABITS OF THE TROUT 



Living thus in pure waters, the habits of the trout 

 naturally partake of the character of its environment, 

 if we except the fact that he seems to be somewhat 

 of a gormand. We have frequently taken them on 

 the fly when the head and shoulders of a half-swal- 

 lowed minnow was sticking from their mouths, which 

 would seem to indicate a tremendous gorging habit ; 

 but, on the other hand, even this trait would seem to 

 show their eagerness of pursuit for the most delicate 

 entree of their water memi^ the insects of the pools, 

 hence all anglers with whom to decry their brook 

 beauty is to blaspheme nature, would be disposed to 

 call him a gourmet rather than a glutton. 



But be this as it may, when a brook trout is hungry, 

 he is very much like all other creatures of the earth, 

 air, and water, including the human family — he will 

 eat what he can get, his own spawn-child, minnows of 

 all kinds, earthworms and grubs, crawfish and dobsons, 

 all living things of the water-bottoms, and insects of 

 the air that fall upon the surface of the pool. But he 

 is, without doubt, one of the most energetic and per- 

 sistent foragers for food that our waters contain. We 

 find him dashing over and through the shallows in 

 chase of frightened minnows ; breasting the wild 

 waters of the rapids while awaiting the drifting bug 

 or other surface-washed food, and then again we find 

 him leaping for hours into the air, particularly in the 

 gloaming, for the midges, the no-see-ums, or the mos- 

 quito fry, born and fledged by the rays of a single 



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