GRAYDON GRAYSON 181 E f of them. He was a botanist, a zoologist, an architect, and an antiquary. He had read all the Greek classics, and planned an edition of Strabo. He was familiar with history, was learned in art, had studied the schools of phi- " sophy, and wrote better Latin verse than y of his contemporaries. His "Elegy "is e culmination of his genius, almost every line ving fixed itself upon the popular mind, mong the best of the numerous editions of ay's poems are those by W. Mason, with his irs and a memoir (4 vols. 8vo, York, 1778) ; by the Rev. John Mitford, with notes and memoir (London, 1814), several times repub- " ed. An edition of his complete works, ith Mason's memoir, was issued by T. J. athias (2 vols. 4to, London, 1814). Mr. Mit- d also published in 1853 Gray's correspon- nce with Mason, showing that the poet's let- were mutilated by Mason in his edition. GRAYDON, Alexander, an American author, rn in Bristol, Pa., April 10, 1752, died in Philadelphia, May 2, 1818. He was educated in "hiladelphia, and in 1775 joined the colonial as captain. After carrying a supply of .ey to the troops under the command of Gen. uyler at Lake George, he joined the army at ew York, and was taken prisoner in the ac- n on Harlem heights. He was confined in New York and at Flatbush, was afterward liberated parole, and exchanged in 1778. He resided Harrisburg from 1785 to 1799, when he re- oved to a farm near that city, from which he returned to Philadelphia in 1816. He pub- lished in 1811 his "Memoirs of a Life, chiefly d in Pennsylvania, within the last Sixty ears," illustrative of revolutionary manners d history. It was republished in Edinburgh 822) and in Philadelphia (1846). GRAYLING, a soft-rayed fish, of the salmon ily, and genus thymallus (Cuv.), found in rivers of northern Europe, Asia, and Amer- The English grayling has the head and y elongated, the former pointed and flat- .eil on the top ; two dorsals, the first much ger than it is high and with numerous rays, second small, adipose, and rayless; the uth small; the teeth numerous, conical, all, in a single series on the jaws and ante- r part of the vomer, none on the tongue; scales rather large, and the lateral line not conspicuous ; the air bladder is capacious, d communicates with the gullet by a very .1 tube; the caudal is forked; branchios- _, 1 rays seven or eight. It is very handsome d lively, though less active than the trout ;
- e general color is light yellowish brown,
with reflections of golden, copper, green, and blue, and some dark spots; the head brown, and the tins darker than the body ; the dorsal fin is varied with square dusky spots ; the col- ors grow darker by age, and in dark waters ; the iris is golden yellow, and the pupil blue. This is probably the T. vulgaris (Nilss.), found in a few of the rivers of England, in restricted localities, in Sweden, Norway, and Lapland, but probably not in Ireland or Scotland. It prefers rivers with rocky and gravelly bottom, with alternate stream and pool; it swims deeper than the trout, and feeds on flies and aquatic larvae, especially on those which con- struct cases (like the May flies), and on small shells and crustaceans. It is excellent for the table, is in the finest condition in October and November, and should be dressed soon after being taken ; it rises to the fly, but less readily than the trout. From the size of its dorsal it cannot stem rapid currents nor leap falls. The generic name was given from an alleged re- semblance of the odor of its flesh to that of thyme ; from its color and odor St. Ambrose is said to have called it the "flower of fishes." Unlike other salmoriidm, it spawns in April or May; the average length is 10 or 12 in., with a weight of about 1 lb., but they have been taken weighing 4$ Ibs. For a full and inter- esting account of the habits and history of this fish, the reader is referred to the seventh " Conversation " in " Salmonia," by Sir Hum- phry Davy. Other species are the T. vexilli- fer (Ag.), from the rivers of France and the Swiss lakes and streams; and the naked- throated grayling (T. gymnothorax, Val.), in Back's Grayling (Thymallus signifer). which the parts beneath the throat are desti- tute of scales, found in Prussia and Russia. The grayling is called ombre in French and Aesche in German, probably from its prevailing ashy gray color in the water. In America, this fish has been found in the cold clear waters of Great Bear and Winter lakes, and in streams emptying into Mackenzie river. Back's grayling (T. signifer, Rich.) has not been discovered south of lat. 62 N. ; this is a large species, about 17 in. long, and highly esteemed by the Esquimaux and the wyageurs. GRAYSON. I. A S. W. county of Virginia, bounded S. by North Carolina and N. W. by the Iron mountain ; area, 400 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 9,587, of whom 754 were colored. It is intersected by Kanawha or New river. The county is well adapted for grazing. Iron ore is abundant. The chief productions in 1870 were 30,060 bushels of wheat, 42,704 of rye, 109,938 of Indian corn, 63,695 of oats, 12,313 of potatoes, 91,543 Ibs. of butter, 25,326 of wool, and 4,016 tons of hay. There were 2,056 horses, 2,947 milch cows, 4,057 other cattle, 11,811 sheep, 7,778 swine, and 4 flour mills. Capital, Independence. II. A N. county of Texas, separated by Red river from the In- I
