50 THE BORDER ANGLER. 



nor fear to venture over the moss-hags in search of 

 Gameshope Loch or Loch Skene. 



The trout of hill-burns are always black in colour 

 and poor in condition ; but are also ravenous and 

 easily caught, if the angler only keeps out of sight. 

 What are properly hill-burns are too narrow for fly- 

 fishing, and can only be fished by dropping a worm 

 into them over a heather-bush. Uncomely are the in- 

 habitants of these waters, and seldom of large size, but 

 they are numerous and unsuspicious. Indeed, w^herever 

 water flows in Scotland, it may be predicated that there 

 are trout. We have picked them out of mere holes in 

 moors and hill-sides that had no visible communica- 

 tion wdth any stream, the water from them perco- 

 lating through the peat-moss. Of course there would 

 be a run of water there after heavy rain ; and during 

 these temporary floods trout would ascend into the 

 isolated pools, leading hermit lives until another spate 

 gave them an opportunity of returning if they chose to 

 the haunts of their species. We can hardly commend 

 the sport usually obtainable in hill-burns, although, 

 when the water is coloured, large quantities may readily 

 be taken in the most unlikely places. It is amusing 

 enough, however, for the passing angler to devote an 

 hour occasionally to pulling out caricatures of the 

 trutta race — all head and teeth — who voraciously dash 

 at everything that falls into the water, and instantly 

 dart back with it to their secure holds under the bank, 

 from which they often can only be drawn out by taking 

 hold of the line, and giving a straight steady pull. 

 When a burn becomes broad enough for casting with 

 the fly, the trout will be found improved in condition ; 



