GRAYLING. 



179 



in the temperature of the water. Above all, 

 they must have an abundant supply of suitable 

 food, in the form of shrimps, snails, caddis, 

 larvae of Ephemeridse, et hoc genus omne. The 

 presence of a fair quantity of weed is necessary, 

 alike for their protection as for the successful 

 development of those forms of animal life on 

 which they subsist. 



All authorities on the subject have from time 

 immemorial laid it down as an axiom that the 

 invariable tendency of grayling in a river is to 

 drop gradually down stream. Although there 

 are undoubtedly grounds for supporting this 

 theory, it must not be considered as a fixed 

 and immutable law of nature. I propose de- 

 voting some space to the consideration of two 

 rivers in which I have had the opportunity of 

 collecting reliable information. 



The first grayling introduced into the Test 

 are said to have been turned in at Leckford. 

 This was many years ago, and in 1877, at which 

 date my experience of that charming river com- 

 menced, there were few, if any, grayling above 

 the Sheepbridge shallow at Houghton, but from 

 that point to the salmon water, at Broadlands, 

 and possibly even lower down than that, they 

 were plentiful. Evidently, if the statement 

 as to the first introduction of grayling is 

 accurate — and there is no reason to doubt it — 



N 2 



Tendency of 

 grayling to 

 work down- 

 stream. 



Grayling in 

 the Test. 



