WINTER 255 



facie a suspicious look. It has, however, I believe, been 

 conclusively shown that the dipper is almost or entirely 

 guiltless of devouring spawn. Even if it did commit so 

 heinous an offence, the damage resultant, in northern 

 streams, would • be imperceptible ; but man is very 

 intolerant — sometimes quite unintelligently intolerant — 

 of even an appearance of rivalry in anything of which 

 he may have arrogated to himself a monopoly. 



A T ovember 2.— Reedwater in flood after heavy rain all 

 last night. This, by the way, explains the apathy of the 

 salmon during the preceding days — which were the last 

 of the angling season. Not a fish would look at fly, 

 though all conditions had appeared favourable. This 

 result, however, had been forecast by observant anglers, 

 owing to a sharp drop in the barometer. 



To-day, however, salmon were all on the move, 

 swarming in dozens up the cauld at Otterburn — fish of 10 

 to 1 5 lbs. and upwards ; while the burn adjoining was 

 full of bull-trout, jumping all over. 



Such scenes are a feature of the season, animated and 

 interesting. How curiously the cold-blooded fish reverse 

 the season of reproductive activity as compared with the 

 warm-blooded birds. The former in downright winter, 

 are seen to be in the fullest bustle and excitement of their 

 breeding-season. 



Trout {Salmo far id) have already begun to spawn in 

 October — earlier than the first of the bull-trout. Of the 

 latter, the smaller fish invariably spawn first — sometimes, if 

 waters permit, by the third week in October. The same 

 rule applies to salmon, the heavy fish not appearing on 

 the "redds" before December. Cold-blooded though 

 they be, yet severe frost interrupts spawning operations; 

 at such times, or should much drift ice be coming down, 



