plate lxxxviil 
Ihis fish spawns about the beginning of April, or sometimes so 
late as May, and it is at this season they leave the sea, and ascend 
rivers to drop their spawn among the stones and gravel in 
the deeper parts of the streams. They do not multiply fast, and 
are never found in any of our rivers in abundance, like the Trout 
and other prolific species. The Grayling is reputed an eager and 
voracious fish, perhaps without sufficient reason, for although it 
will sometimes rise to the fly, the minnow, or other baits of an 
expert angler, it is a cautious fish, lurking close under the shelter 
of the stones, or herbage on the steeper banks of the stream, where 
it seems to examine the bait at leisure, and, if disturbed, darts away 
with amazing swiftness, and hence it happens, the Grayling is 
more commonly taken by the net than the line. 
The Grayling ranks among the number of fishes that live to a great 
age ; it grows, in common, to the length of twelve or fourteen 
inches : Walton speaks of the largest being eighteen inches in length. 
Mr. Pennant mentions another, the most considerable in point of 
size he ever heard of, that was taken at Ludlow ; this was above 
half a yard long, and weighed four pounds six ounces. Upon the 
Continent they rarely ai rive at this size ; there are instances, indeed, 
of its attaining to the size of two feet, but those are rare. The word 
Grayling is corrupted from Grey-line, or Grey-lined, alluding to 
the numerous longitudinal lines upon the body of this fish, which 
distinguishes it in a particular manner from the rest of the Salmon 
tribe. The peculiar scent observeable at certain seasons in the 
Giayling, as in the Smelt, has obtained it the name of Thymus 
and ln\ indus *, the odour it exhales at those times being thought 
1 ■■ - 
* Salvian, Belon . Gcsnsvt 
V. 
