MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 381 



in addition to this, the stream flows through glorious country. No description 

 that I can write would ever do justice to it. To give a rough general idea- 

 imagine Exmoor from six to seven thousand feet above sea level with "patana" 

 grass instead of heather. I wish I had some photographs to send you, but all 

 mine are stuck in my book. 



The two small streams at Nuwara Eliya flow into lakes, the outlets from 

 which are practically blocked against fish attempting to descend. The Horton 

 Plains and Ambawella streams end, so far as trout fishing is concerned, 

 abruptly as huge waterfalls, down which no fish is likely to descend voluntarily. 

 This, I ihink, accounts for the fact that rainbow trout have been so success- 

 ful in these streams. They cannot escape, as they have done from so many 

 English waters in which they have been tried. 



In the streams fly only is allowed, a No. 6 hook, Redditch scale, being the 

 largest size permissible. A No. 6 hook is a large one, and permits small salmon 

 flies being used. This may seem like " poaching " to some people, and perhaps 

 the size might with advantage be reduced. But it must be remembered that 

 the fish are not free risers. There is too much bottom food and not enough 

 surface food. And in the big pools a small fly passes unnoticed a long way 

 above the fishes' heads. For brown trout I have found a good sized March 

 Brown do as well as anything. The rainbows undoubtedly prefer something 

 brighter, and few flies are better than a very small Silver Doctor ; and though 

 other fishermen may prefer other flies, I would always take these two with me, 

 whatever the condition of the water. In the lakes artificial spinning bait is 

 allowed, but the weeds are a nuisance, and I have not often attempted spinning, 

 and have only once succeeded in landing a fish on a Devon minnow in Lake 

 Gregory. 



As to rods, everyone naturally suits his own fancy ; but a small rod is, in my 

 opinion, essential for the small streams. I have an 8£ft„ 3foz., cane rod, by 

 Foster, which is an ideal weapon. It will throw a very accurate fly, and I 

 have landed fish of about 2|lb. on it. A larger rod is wanted for the bigger 

 waters where a long cast is necessary. 



The chief enemies with which the fish have to contend are otters, kingfishers, 

 big cannibal trout, and poachers. Of otters I have seen any number while 

 fishing. It is contended by some that the otter really does no harm, that he 

 captures only the big sluggish cannibal, who well deserves his fate. This 

 may or may not be true, but otters do undoubtedly disturb the water, even if 

 they do not catch the smaller and livelier fish. I have seen rising trout most 

 effectually " put down" by an otter swimming through the pool, and nothing 

 would persuade them to rise for the rest of the day. In waters such as these 

 where the fish are not free risers, anything that discourages them from rising, 

 should be eliminated. 



In concluding these notes on Ceylon trout, I wish to remark that my 

 experience of them is very small compared with that of those favoured beings 

 who live near the streams. A week or ten days' holiday snatched once and 



