266 GAME FISH OF NORTH AMERICA. 



The sea trout are distinguished instantly by their lustrous silvery 

 color, their broad shoulders, small heads, and general fullness of 

 condition. When closely examined their scales are found to be 

 much larger than those of salmo fontinalis which are scarcely 

 perceptible, and their crimson and blue spots are fainter. Their 

 flesh, too, is always pink, never adopting that white, cream color, 

 or deep red of the common trout. When taken on the hook with 

 fly, they afford much better sport than their congeners of the 

 brook, which are invariably taken at the same time, in the same 

 places, with the same flies. 



Now, as it is well known that all brook trout go into salt water 

 to feed, whenever they can get access to it, it is plausibly argued that 

 these sea trout are merely a clan or detachment of the brook trout 

 which have temporarily left their fresh water haunts for the sea, 

 and are now returning, much improved in quality, beauty of color 

 strength and activity. But if we must accept this as a postulate, 

 we must be permitted to ask why the same peculiarities do not at- 

 tach to the trout of Maine, Cape Cod, and Long Island ? Why do 

 we not discover here this periodical mid-summer advent and " run " 

 of six weeks' duration ; and why are only isolated individuals taken 

 in the salt water pound nets and fykes of Long Island, et cetera, 

 instead of thousands, as in Canada ? Moreover, the Canadian sea 

 trout are never taken in the small streams, but only in rivers of 

 considerable size, and the same trout uniformly return to the same 

 river, just as salmon do — at least, we infer so from the fact that 

 six pounders are invariably found in the Nouvelle, and varying 

 sizes elsewhere. Besides, we must be able to answer why a 

 portion only of the trout in a given stream should periodically visit 

 the sea at a specified tinie, while an equal or greater number elect 

 to remain behind in fresh water ; for we may suppose that, having 

 equal opportunities, all have the same instincts and desires. 



On the coast of Labrador, the melting snows upon the rocky 

 islands that girt the coast form small rivulets that tumble into the 

 sea after a half mile run, and we have found the sea trout plenty 

 around their mouths, but no fish life whatever in the fresh water ; 

 but on the main land where the streams were larger and spring- 

 fed, the sea trout entered. Again, in many localities, the stream J 

 fall over a perpendicular rock from a plateau above. Into these 



