266 OTHEE FISH AND GAME 



forthcoming as to its suitability to British waters, if enclosed, nor as 

 to its value as an addition to our fresh-water flsb. Tlie sole cause, 

 and a ver}' grave cause it is, for its denunciation is that it escapes 

 from those places where it is turned in. B^ore finally discarding 

 this unique char, it behooves ua to question: more closely than we 

 have yet done its habits, instincts, and the nature of its native home, 

 in order to render it full justice. Probably ^he waters in which it 

 has been placed have not been suitable, and this assumption cer- 

 tainly seems justifiable by the fact of the fish wandering as it does. 

 The question naturally arises as to where it goes. Does it find suit- 

 able places in its wanderings ? Does it descqnd to the sea, or does 

 it pine and perish for lack of natural conditions ? If death explains 

 the mystery, which is hardly likely, we have at once a solution ; 

 but if not, it is difficult to say what has become of the thousands 

 turned out into our English streams. In America the brook-trout 

 is regarded as a home-loving fish, therefore it seems somewhat likely 

 that we have not yet provided the domestic comforts to which it is 

 habituated. The suggestion, at least, is worth studying, and the 

 association still has these flsh under culture, not being convinced of 

 their unsuitability for enclosed waters." 



The results already referred to as having been ob- 

 tained in the tarns upon the island of Mull go far to 

 prove the suitability olfontinalis for enclosed British 

 waters of the requisite temperature and purity. But 

 it is scarcely surprising to those acquainted with the 

 habits of the American brook-trout to learn that he 

 does not remain in waters having an easy and unin- 

 terrupted communication with the sea. I know of 

 no similarly situated Canadian waters in which he is 

 always to be found. But it has been shown that he 

 reascends, to spawn, the Labrador streams down which 

 he runs to sea. And it is perhaps strange that he 

 has departed, in English coastal streams, from his 

 Canadian practice. 



