THE TROUT. 
71 
Of the nature and habits of the trout, Walton says: “ And 
you are to noto that he continues many months out of season ; 
for it may be observed of the trout, that he is like the buck 
or the ox, that will not be fat in many months, though he go 
in the very same pastures that horses do, which will be fat in 
one month. And so you may observe, that most other fishes 
recover strength and grow sooner fat and in season than the 
trout doth. 
“ And next you are to note, that till the sun gets to such a 
height as to warm the earth and water, the trout is sick and 
lean, and lousy, and unwholesome ; for you shall in winter 
find him to have a big head, and then to be lank and thin, and 
lean ; at which time many of them having sticking to them 
sags, or trout-lice ; which is a kind of worm, iu shape like a 
clove, or pin with a big head, and sticks close to him and 
sucks his moisture; those I think the trout breeds himself; 
and never thrives till he frees himself from them, which is 
when warm weather comes ; and then as he grows stronger, 
he gets from the dead still water into the sharp stream and 
the gravel, and there rubs ofT these worms or lice ; and then 
as he grows stronger, so he gets him into swifter and swilter 
streams, and there lies at the watch for any Hy or minnow 
that comes near him." 
The North Country Angler, an English writer, says: “ The 
burn (or common) trout, grows fast if it has plenty of food 
and good water ; several experiments have been made in 
fish-pomls ; some fed by river water, some by clear fluent 
springs, into which the young have been put about live or six 
months old — that is, in September or October, reckoning 
from April, when they come out ot their spawning beds, at 
which time they will be six or Beveu inches long; and though 
there has been but little ditference in their age and size when 
put into the pond, yet in 18 months after there will be a sur- 
prising change. 1 have seen a pond drained ten mouths after 
