﻿Aethue. 
  — 
  On 
  the 
  Brown 
  Trout 
  introduced 
  into 
  Oiaijo. 
  279 
  

  

  numerous, 
  and 
  a 
  few 
  red 
  ones 
  as 
  usual. 
  The 
  third 
  fish 
  differed 
  in 
  a 
  marked 
  

   degree 
  from 
  these, 
  though 
  all 
  three 
  were 
  fat 
  and 
  in 
  good 
  condition. 
  Its 
  back 
  

   was 
  olive 
  colour 
  like 
  the 
  others, 
  but 
  its 
  sides 
  were 
  of 
  that 
  rich 
  golden 
  hue, 
  

   so 
  pleasing 
  in 
  an 
  angler's 
  eyes, 
  while 
  the 
  black 
  spots 
  were 
  exceedingly 
  

   numerous, 
  only 
  about 
  an 
  eighth 
  of 
  an 
  inch 
  apart. 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  in 
  New 
  

   Zealand 
  seen 
  another 
  case 
  of 
  such 
  a 
  difference 
  in 
  external 
  colour 
  and 
  

   markings 
  in 
  trout 
  of 
  the 
  same 
  sex 
  taken 
  under 
  such 
  exactly 
  similar 
  

   conditions. 
  In 
  waters 
  I 
  have 
  fished 
  in 
  Scotland, 
  however, 
  I 
  must 
  admit 
  I 
  

   have 
  seen 
  more 
  remarkable 
  differences, 
  and 
  where 
  least 
  to 
  be 
  expected. 
  

   The 
  character 
  of 
  the 
  bed 
  of 
  this 
  stream 
  is 
  generally 
  rocky, 
  but 
  it 
  has 
  many 
  

   more 
  gravel-beds 
  than 
  the 
  Lee, 
  particularly 
  for 
  two 
  miles 
  above 
  and 
  below 
  

   Walsh's 
  Accommodation 
  House, 
  where 
  anglers 
  usually 
  put 
  up. 
  The 
  banks 
  

   of 
  the 
  stream, 
  like 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  Lee, 
  are 
  all 
  in 
  a 
  state 
  of 
  nature 
  — 
  all 
  native 
  

   tussocks 
  and 
  rushes, 
  with 
  a 
  few 
  veronicas 
  in 
  places 
  — 
  the 
  feed 
  also 
  is 
  

   the 
  same. 
  In 
  its 
  course 
  from 
  the 
  Lammerlaws 
  to 
  the 
  Taieri, 
  it 
  will 
  cover 
  a 
  

   distance 
  of 
  30 
  or 
  40 
  miles, 
  and, 
  being 
  snow-fed 
  in 
  early 
  summer, 
  is 
  rather 
  

   later 
  as 
  an 
  angling 
  stream 
  than 
  the 
  Lee. 
  

  

  As 
  regards 
  the 
  Upper 
  Taieri, 
  the 
  fish, 
  so 
  far 
  as 
  I 
  have 
  seen 
  them, 
  are 
  

   similar 
  to 
  those 
  of 
  the 
  two 
  last 
  streams 
  described 
  ; 
  but 
  my 
  acquaintance 
  

   is 
  as 
  yet 
  too 
  limited 
  with 
  the 
  trout 
  there, 
  to 
  warrant 
  me 
  saying 
  more 
  about 
  

   them 
  as 
  to 
  appearance. 
  The 
  capabilities 
  of 
  this 
  river 
  for 
  producing 
  large 
  

   well-conditioned 
  trout, 
  consist 
  in 
  the 
  immense 
  ranges 
  of 
  water, 
  or 
  reaches, 
  

   free 
  from 
  any 
  obstructions 
  which 
  characterise 
  it, 
  and 
  a 
  considerable 
  supply 
  

   of 
  bottom 
  feed, 
  abundance 
  of 
  insect 
  life, 
  and 
  rich 
  loamy 
  banks. 
  The 
  

   course 
  of 
  the 
  stream 
  is 
  also 
  marked 
  by 
  abundance 
  of 
  gravel, 
  suited 
  for 
  

   spasming 
  beds. 
  

  

  In 
  no 
  stream 
  here 
  have 
  I 
  as 
  yet 
  seen 
  trout 
  of 
  mature 
  size, 
  marked 
  with 
  

   distinct 
  bands 
  of 
  dark 
  colour 
  transversely 
  to 
  the 
  length 
  of 
  their 
  bodies. 
  

   This 
  is 
  a 
  common 
  mark 
  in 
  British 
  streams, 
  but 
  the 
  colour 
  is 
  evanescent, 
  

   and 
  will 
  disappear 
  in 
  a 
  short 
  time 
  if 
  a 
  trout 
  goes 
  under 
  a 
  stone 
  or 
  bank. 
  

   When 
  fishing 
  clear 
  reaches 
  of 
  water 
  at 
  home, 
  I 
  have 
  frequently 
  noticed 
  

   this 
  pecuHarity. 
  These 
  bands 
  are 
  only 
  assumed 
  by 
  the 
  fish 
  when 
  the 
  river 
  

   is 
  clear. 
  I 
  have 
  never 
  seen 
  them 
  when 
  the 
  water 
  was 
  discoloured, 
  nor 
  in 
  

   lake 
  fish. 
  It 
  is 
  well 
  known 
  at 
  the 
  same 
  time 
  that 
  trout 
  can 
  alter 
  then' 
  

   colour 
  to 
  suit 
  that 
  of 
  the 
  water 
  for 
  the 
  time 
  bemg 
  ; 
  they 
  are 
  much 
  lighter 
  

   when 
  the 
  water 
  is 
  clear 
  than 
  during 
  floods. 
  

  

  3. 
  Habits 
  of 
  the 
  Trout, 
  as 
  observed 
  by 
  Anglers. 
  

   Undoubtedly 
  the 
  trout 
  here 
  are 
  more 
  bold, 
  when 
  feeding, 
  than 
  at 
  home, 
  

   possibly 
  because 
  as 
  yet 
  our 
  streams 
  are 
  not 
  so 
  much 
  fished.* 
  The 
  time 
  

  

  * 
  They 
  always 
  feed 
  with 
  their 
  heads 
  up 
  stream, 
  seize 
  their 
  prey 
  by 
  the 
  head, 
  and 
  

   bolt 
  a 
  or 
  suck 
  it 
  into 
  the 
  gullet. 
  

  

  