Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Grayling" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 37c Grayling Arctic Animals stamp issue of July 2, 2003. One of the most unusual and beautiful fish of the far north, the arctic grayling Thymallus arcticus is an elegantly formed cousin of the trout distinguished by its sail-like dorsal fin. Dotted with large, iridescent red and purple spots, this distinctive fin stands three to four inches tall when fully extended. Depending on its situation, the arctic grayling can be highly migratory or quite stationary in its range. To cope with the often harshly cold waters of the north, it may use vastly separate locations for spawning, juvenile rearing, summer feeding and overwintering. Or, it may spend its entire life in the same short section of stream. Primarily a "drift feeder," the arctic grayling prefers to establish a feeding location in flowing water and let the current automatically deliver its meals. Subsisting mainly on aquatic insects and their larvae, this hardy fish will also dine on mollusks, prey fish and fish eggs -- especially when sharing the same rivers as spawning salmon. The area's dominant grayling will install itself at the upper end of the pool or stream to ensure first pickings of incoming food; subordinate graylings occupy less desirable positions downstream. All summer long, the arctic grayling feeds voraciously in preparation for the lean months of winter -- a period which it often spends beneath a thick sheet of ice. Its ability to tolerate low levels of dissolved oxygen in its environment allows it to survive the protracted arctic winters. Image Size: 7 x 6 in. Overall Size: 14 x 14 in. Unframed. (B17097)