52 COMMON TROUT. 



admits of considerable variety as to the tinge both 

 of its ground-colour and spots. Its general length 

 is from twelve to fifteen or sixteen inches, and its 

 colour yellowish-grey, darker or browner on the 

 back, and marked, on the sides by several rather 

 distant, round, bright-red spots, each surrounded 

 by a tinge of pale blue-grey. Sometimes the 

 ground-colour of the body is a purplish grey ; the 

 red spots much larger, more or less mixed with 

 black, and the belly of a white or silvery cast : the 

 fins are of a pale purplish brown ; the dorsal fin 

 marked with several darker spots : the head is 

 rather large, the scales small, and the lateral line 

 strait. The female fish is of a brighter and more 

 beautiful appearance than the male. 



Mr. Pennant informs us that in the Lake Llyn- 

 divi in South- Wales are Trout s marked with red 

 and black spots as large as sixpences ; and others 

 unspotted and of a reddish hue, sometimes weigh- 

 ing near ten pounds ; but these latter are said to 

 be bad tasted. 



In general the Trout prefers clear, cold, and 

 briskly-running waters, with a stony or gravelly 

 bottom : it swims with rapidity, and, like the 

 Salmon, springs occasionally to a very consider- 

 able height in order to surmount any obstacle in its 

 course. It lives on worms, small fishes, shell-fish, 

 and aquatic insects, and is particularly delighted 

 with may-flies (Ephemerae), as well as with Phry- 

 ganeae. Gnats, and their larvae. It generally 

 spawns in September, or in the colder parts of 

 Europe, in October, and at those times gets among 



