NORTH AMERICA* SOJ 
canoe, and with a fudden upright jerk brings him 
into it. 
The head of this fifh makes about one -third of 
his length, and confequently 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 caft 
of red or brick colour. The fins, with the tail* 
which is large and beautifully formed, are of a light 
reddifh purple, or fiefh 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 ; and 
the opening and extending of the branchioftega, at 
the moment he rifes to the furface to feize his prey, 
difcovering his bright red gills through the tranf- 
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 fifh is nearly cuneiform, the body ta- 
pering gradually from the breaft to the tail, and 
lightly comprefted on each fide. They frequently 
weigh fifteen, twenty, and thirty pounds, and arc 
delicious food. 
My companion, the trader, being defirous of 
crofting the river to the oppofite fhore, in hopes of 
getting a turkey, I chofe to accompany him, as it 
offered a good opportunity to obferve the natural 
productions of thole rich fwamps and iflands of 
the river. Having crofied the river 3 which is here 
five 
