THE SALMON FAMILY 55 
Tn another year’s time the trout has grown so that 
he is now from five to twelve inches in length, and is 
known as a “ two-year-old.” 
In the autumn of her third year, the female trout 
goes up to the spawning ground to deposit her eggs. 
Here she will receive the attentions of a male fish, many 
of whom are already on the ground. Sometimes quite 
a small male will mate with the female, but if the trout 
are present in any numbers a larger fish is sure to drive 
him away, and then the smaller fish will have to try 
his luck with another mate. Should, however, the two 
cock fish be about the same size, a lively battle will 
ensue, and often the scales are torn off their backs as 
they viciously bite each other. ; 
As a young fish, the trout at the spawning season 
becomes of a dark shade, but the colours are very 
intense and the red spots on his body more than usually 
briliant. Later in life the trout ceases to put on this 
intense coloration, and instead the skin becomes spongy 
and partially overlaps the scales. 
In consequence of his numerous enemies, a trout 
seldom reaches old age, but when he does so, he loses 
his symmetry of form, for the body wastes and the 
fish appears to be all head, while the lower jaw is pro- 
longed upwards as an ugly hook. 
We next turn our attention to the salmon. There 
are many reasons why this fish excites such general 
interest. He appeals to the fisherman because he is the 
prince of sporting fishes. His elegance of shape and 
