GROWING THE LARGE TROUT. 



219 



ury, to make it worth while to raise them. I will not 

 attempt any exhaustive description of these beautiful 

 fish here, as they are so well known, and have been so 

 thoroughly described in books on angling and on fish 

 in general, but will confine myself to the few general 

 remarks which follow. 



The vision of the trout is incredibly sensitive to 

 motion and to colors, but not to distinctions of form. 



As to their sensitiveness to motion, it may be safely 

 said that a company of soldiers standing motionless 

 on the bank of a trout brook would not frighten the 

 trout in it so much as the moving shadow of one of 

 them across the water. 



Their sensitiveness to colors is seen every week at 

 the ponds where trout are domesticated, especially 

 when their keeper changes a dark coat for a light one, 

 or leaves it off altogether. The appearance of the un- 

 accustomed light coat or white shirt will often frighten 

 well-tamed trout into a panic. 



Trout do not appear to see their food at any great 

 distance in clear water, I should say not over a rod, 

 and in roily water but a very short distance, some- 

 times not a foot. Trout can see somewhat in the 

 night, but I think not in as dark nights as some writ- 

 ers have stated. If the sky be clear, they will de- 

 tect an object on the surface of the water, projected 

 against the sky, better than in the water, projected 

 against the banks. A moving light above the water 

 in the night will frighten trout ; a stationary light in 

 the water will attract them, and apparently stupefy 

 them, for they are easily captured while staring at it 



