44 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



to about the end of May, slioal after shoal of fry pass 

 downwards to the sea, and it is frequently difficult to 

 throw a fly into the water without hooking a smolt. 

 They may be killed by the dozen by any one who can 

 cast a line. But let none of our readers be tempted 

 to drop them into his basket, instead of throwing them 

 back into the water. A friendly individual will by- 

 and-by come up to him, and, after a sensible remark or 

 two about the weather and the water, will ask what 

 sport he has had, and peep into his creel. The Philis- 

 tines are upon thee ! and thou art liable to a fine. 

 Avoid the places, therefore, where smolts are numerous 

 — (they generally congregate in the shallow streams) — 

 or fish with worm, minnow, or creeper. The salmon- 

 smolt has blackish fins, and the bull-trout smolt, which, 

 singularly enough, is considerably larger, has bright 

 orange fins, and both may be readily recognised by the 

 ignoramus by the greenish-olive shade on the back, 

 and the bright loose scales that stick to hands, clothes, 

 rod, or whatever else they come in contact with, and 

 thus guide the knowing bailiff. 



..MM'^5 



>^. 



