282 THE PIRAYA, OR FIRAI. 



Angling for it is pleasa.nt sport. Picturesque scenes are often noticed in Boston harbor, when 

 the water is frozen over solid. Holes are cut in the ice, and Smelts taken through them by 

 line and hook. Tents are spread, and the scene becomes exceedingly active and curious. 

 DeKay says this beautiful fish "dei'ives its name from the fact that its smell resembles 

 that of cucumbers." 



^EXT to the salmon, the bright-scaled carmine-speckled active Trout is perhaps the 

 greatest favorite of anglers, and fully deserves the eulogies of all lovers of the rod ; its 

 peculiarly delicate fiesh, its fastidious voracity, and the mixture of strength, agility, and 

 spirited courage with which it endeavors to free itself from the hook, forming a combination 

 of excellences rarely met with in any individual fish. 



The Trout is found in rapid and clear-running streams, but cares not for the open and 

 shallow parts of the river, preferring the shelter of some stone or hole in the bank, whence it 

 may watch for prey. Like the pike, it haunts some especial hiding-place, and, in a similar 

 manner, is sure to take possession of a favorable haunt that has been rendered vacant by the 

 demise of its predecessor or its promotion to superior quarters. Various baits are used in fishing 

 for Trout, such as the worm, the minnow, and the fly, both natural and artificial, the latter 

 being certainly the neatest and most artistic method. The arcana of angling are not within 

 the province of this work ; an<l for information on that subject, the reader is referred to 

 the many valuable works which have been wi-itten by accomjjlished masters of the art. 



There is a curious method of catching Trout, much in \'ogue among the juvenile fishers. 

 This process is called "tickling," and is managed as follows: The tickler gets quietly into 

 the stream, and walks slowly along the banks, feeling carefully for any depression or cavity. 

 One hand is then introduced very gently, while the other is placed over the entrance of the 

 hole, the fingers being spread so as to prevent the exit of any fish that may happen to be 

 resident in that locality. Several such cavities may be tried without success, but at last the 

 smooth side of a fish is felt by the finger-tips. 



The startled fish gives a great flounce on being touched, and tries to dash out of the hole, 

 but, being checked by the spread hand, i-etires to the recesses of its cavern. The finger-tips 

 are then gently brought against the abdomen of the fish, whifh soon endures the contact, and 

 permits the hand gradually to inclose it. As soon as that is the case, the fish is suddenly 

 grasped, snatched out of the hole, and flung ashore before it can find time to struggle from the 

 captor's hold. Some accomplished ticklers aver themselves to be capable of thrusting the 

 fore-finger into the gill and out at the mouth, and hooking out the fish in this singular 

 manner. 



The color of the Trout is yellowish-brown above, speckled with dark reddish-brown, and a 

 number of carmine spots are scattered along, each side of the lateral line. The al)domen is 

 silvery-white, and the lower part of the sides rich golden-yellow. There is, however, consid- 

 erable variation in the color of the Trout, the locality having considerable influence uj^on the 

 tints. 



One or two other species of this genus require still a passing notice. 



The Bull, or CtKAY Trout {Salmo eriox) is found i^lentiful. 



It often attains a very large size, but a specimen weighing more than fifteen j)ounds is not 

 very common. 



The SALJfON Trout {Salmo tridta) is another species, and in general habits is very like 

 the Salmon, migrating to the sea, and returning to the I'iveJ'S in a similar fashion. It is 

 illustrated with the Salmon on page 280. 



The Charr {Salmo salvelinus), the well-known and delicately flavored Smelt {Osmerus 

 eperlanus), called also the Spirling or Sparlixg, the Graylin^g {Thi/maUiis vulgaris), the 

 Vendace {Corpgonns willovg7/h/i), and the Argentine {Scopelus Jiumholdtli), so useful for 

 bait, all belong to the same family as the salmon and the trout. The accompanying illustra- 

 tion represents two of tliem. 



The PiRAYA, or Pirai, has been removed from the salmonidse and placed in another 

 family on account of certain structural differences. 





