103 



is generally sharper jawed than the female at any season 

 of the year, and lines drawn from his shoulders to his tail 

 would be straight without any bulge in the middle, while 

 the female has a rounder jaw, and even in summer is 

 more protuberant in the middle. These are general 

 signs, and by no means universal. It is only in the spawn- 

 ing season that difference of the sexes can be told with any 

 certainty. As this season approaches the distinctions be- 

 come more marked. The difference in size is one peculi- 

 arity, as the eggs grow large and fill the belly of the 

 female. It will not do to mistake food for eggs. A 

 trout recently gorged with food looks just like a female 

 full of eggs ; but the food soon disappears, as a trout is an 

 animal of quick digestion, while the swelling caused by 

 the maturing eggs get& larger as the spawning season 

 approaches. The colors of the fish, also, are at that time 

 a guide. The female turns to a dark and sombre hue, 

 while the colors of the males grow very brilliant, a line 

 of brilliant scarlet red often developing itself along his 

 sides on the edge of the belly. 



Natural Spawning. — As the spawning season ap- 

 proaches, the trout seek places in the creek adapted to 

 the purpose. These places have a pebbly bottom in 

 shallow water close to the spring or head waters of the 

 creek. Trout will work their way up over the shallows 

 of a stream clear to the source ; but if there are springs in 

 the bottom which is the case with almost all creeks they 

 will invariably spawn there, without going up farther, or 

 if they find a shallow place with gentle current and gravel 

 bottom anywhere in the creek, they will use it. Yery 

 fewx)f the eggs laid in snch a place will come to maturity 

 unless there happens to be a spring. The males some- 

 times go up the stream first. At this season the males 

 engage in fierce contests for the possession of the females. 



