NORTH AMERICA. 
IO7 
canoe, and with a fudden upright jerk biings him 
into it. 
The head of this fifli makes about one third of his 
length, and consequently the mouth is very large: 
birds, fifh, frogs, and even ferpents, are frequently 
found in its ftomach. 
The trout is of a lead colour, inclining to a deep 
blue, and marked with tranfverfe waved lifts, of a 
deep flate colour, and when fully grown, has a caff 
of red or brick colour. The fins, with the tail, 
which is large and beautifully formed, are of a light 
reddifh purple, or flefh colour ; the whole body is 
covered with large fcales. But what is moft fin- 
gular, this fifh is remarkably ravenous ; nothing 
living that he can feize upon efcapes his jaws 5 and 
the opening and extending of the branchioftega, at 
the moment he riles to the furface to feize his prey, 
discovering his bright red gills through the trans- 
parent waters, give him a very terrible appearance. 
Indeed it may be obferved that all fifh of prey have 
this opening and covering of the gills very large, in 
order to difcharge the great quantity of water which 
they take in at their mouth, when they ftrike at their 
prey. This fifli is nearly cuneiform, the body ta- 
pering gradually from the bread to the tail, and 
lightly compfefled on each fide. They frequently 
weigh fifteen, twenty, and thirty pounds, and are 
delicious food. 
My companion, the trader, being defirous of 
croffing the river to the oppofite fhore, in hopes of 
getting a turkey, I chofe to accompany him, as it 
offered a good opportunity to pbferve the natural 
productions of thofe rich fwamps and illands of 
the river. Having crofied the river, which is here 
five 
