58 
KENDALL: NEW ENGLAND CHARRS. 
winter, the only bait used is the minnow ; but in October it is various, as the grasshopper, angle- 
worm and artificial fly. These are most used; but I found that when they passed all these, they 
would often take readily their own spawn, dried a little in the sun. Another means of taking 
them at this time, is by a slip-noose of strong wire attached to the end of a short pole. This 
is passed over the tail or head, it matters little wliich, they are so careless at this time, and 
carried to the centre of the body ; when a strong and sudden pull will bring them to the shore. 
Another mode of catching them is by means of a large hook attached to a short pole and line. 
This is carried under the fish, and secured in the body by a sudden jerk, which lands the fish 
on shore. Four hogks are sometimes used, bound together by the shanks in such a manner 
that the points are presented at right angles to each other. If these are dropped among a num- 
ber there is a chance of securing more than one; and if a single fish is the object, his chance of 
escape is made le.ss. These are both easy methods. At this time they do not seize the bait 
with the suddenness of the common brook trout; they take it calmly and retire deliberately, 
like the perch. They vary in size from one quarter of a pound to five pounds; but those 
taken are seldom less than one quarter or more than three pounds. The larger ones are taken 
almost exclusively in the deep water, through the ice. The males are of a very brilliant and 
shining dark brown or olive color on the back. The sides are brilliant and silvery, and are 
traversed by a longitudinal line, and covered with very bright red and yellow spots. The belly 
is perfectly white. There are some spots on the fins, but I cannot say on which, nor if all are 
spotted; nor do I know the precise number of spots. The females are less brilliant than the 
males ; the back is lighter and more dingy, the sides are less silvery, and the spots are fewer 
and less bright. Several females which I took were of a yellow brown color, darker on the 
back than on the sides, with a yellowish white belly. They were mottled and looked as if 
water-soaked. These trout, as a whole, were much more silvery and brilliant, and had more 
and brighter spots than most brook trout. Their flesh is red, but not so dark as that of the 
salmon. There is but one other kind of fish found in tliis pond, viz., the perch. They live in 
an entirely distinct part from that occupied by the trout, and I think they are never seen or 
taken together. The perch are only aBout the north-east shore, wliich is quite rocky. The 
trout have been taken in this pond, as far as I could learn, from time immemorial, and form- 
erly in so great numbers, to use the language of the old fisherman, as to ‘hav^e been fed by 
bushels to the hogs.’ This is by no means the case at the present day.” 
The next published reference to this fish consists of the letter of transmittal and Professor 
S. F. Baird’s conclusion regarding some specimens sent to him for identification. In his iden- 
tification, Professor Baird was misled by the slenderness, forked tail, and general silvery 
coloration of the fish (see synonymy). As will be seen later some local fishermen regarded 
it as a “lake trout” and a controversy arose between them and the fishwardens. This com- 
munication is quoted in full as follows: 
