152 ANIMAL LIFE UNDER WATER 



he has to fight many a battle to retain possession 

 of the trout of his selection. She, on her part, 

 is indifferent, and should her lord be defeated, 

 immediately accommodates herself to his suc- 

 cessor. A stroll along the upper waters of a trout 

 stream during the months of October or 

 November will certainly give the observer an 

 opportunity to witness a combat between two 

 males. As a rule, the battle is not one decisive 

 fight, but a series of skirmishes which continue 

 throughout the day. On one occasion I was 

 walking up a small stream when I heard violent 

 splashing in the pool above; the sound was so 

 loud that I thought a vigorous water-fowl was 

 having a bath. But as I crept round the corner 

 I came upon a trout fight. The fish were well 

 matched, and it was one of the most determined 

 struggles that I have ever witnessed. When 

 first I saw them both fish were locked together 

 and the surface of the water was covered with 

 froth; after a time the exhausted combatants 

 broke away, but it was not long before the 

 aggressor had sufficiently recovered to renew the 

 attack, This battle, with intervals of a few 

 minutes, lasted for over an hour. 



At one time a female and two male fish were 



