Salmonia or, Days of fly fishing in a series of conversations; with some account of the habits of fishes belonging to the genus salmo

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1851 edition. Excerpt: ...and woods, and gushing waters, of a character still more romantic. We will return to our inn by a shorter road; but tell me, have you caught a large fish amongst you, and preserved him for crimping? POIET---We have preserved two fishes in the barrel, but I fear they are much below your proposed size. HAL.--They are good fish, and of the average size of the large grayling in this stream--16 inches long, and about 1§lb.; they will make a good variety boiled and placed in the middle of the fried fish. And how many have you caught altogether? POIET---I have basketed (to coin a word) three trout and six grayling. PHYS.--And I have taken seven grayling. I caught trout likewise, but, not considering them in proper season, I returned them to the river: but Ornither has been the most successful; he has killed ten grayling. HAL.--The trout is rarely good in this river--at least I never saw one that cut red, and yet I have taken them in July, when their external appearance was perfect and beautiful; but they have, to my taste, always a flabby and soft character of flesh, and at all seasons here are inferior for the table to grayling; yet they often attain a considerable size. There are few small fish in these streams, and I suppose the grayling, which are most numerous, deprive the trout of their proper share of the food, depending upon larvae and flies. PHYS.--As we are walking through these meadows, pray give us some information as to the habits of the grayling, and its localities in England: I have been so much pleased with my sport, that I shall become, with St. Ambrose, a patron of the fish. HAL.--The habits of the grayling, like those of most other fish, are very simple. He is, I believe, to a certain extent, gregarious--more so than the...