52 Bigelow’s Observations on Salmo Fontinalis. 
catching them is by means of a large hook attached to a short 
pole and line. This is carried under the fish, and secured in 
the body by a sudden jerk, which lands the fish on shore. Four 
hooks are sometimes used, bound together by the shanks in such 
a manner that the points are presented at right angles to each , 
other. If these are dropped among a number there is a chance 
of securing more than one ; and if a single fish is the object, his 
chance of escape is made less. These are both easy methods. 
At this time they do not seize the bait with the suddenness of 
the common brook trout; they take it calmly and retire delib- 
erately, like the perch. They vary in size from one quarter 
of a pound to five pounds; but those taken are seldom less 
than one quarter or more than three pounds. The larger 
ones are taken almost exclusively in the deep water, through 
the ice.. The males are of a very brilliant and shining dark 
brown or olive color on the back. The sides are brilliant and 
silvery, and are traversed by a longitudinal line, and covered 
with very bright red and yellow spots. The belly is perfectly 
white. There are some spots on the fins, but I cannot say 
on which, nor if all are spotted; nor do I know the precise 
number of spets. The females are less brilliant than the 
males; the back is lighter and more dingy, the sides are less 
silvery, and the spots are fewer and less bright. Several 
females which 1 took were of a yellow brown color, darker on 
the back than on the sides, with a yellowish white belly. They 
* were mottled and looked as if water-soaked. These trout, 
, as a whole, were much more silvery and brilliant, and had 
more and brighter spots than most brook trout. Their flesh 
is red, but not so dark as that of the salmon. There is but 
one other kind of fish found in this pond, viz.,the perch. "They 
live in an entirely distinct part from that occupied by the 
trout, and I think they are never seen or taken together. 
The perch are only about the north-east shore, which is quite 
rocky. The trout have been taken in this pond, as far as I 
could learn, from time immemorial, and formerly in so great 
numbers, to use the language of the old fisherman, as to` 
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