SUTHERLAND. 139 



subject of her bringing up, would hardly reply as she 

 did — "I s'pecs I grow'd!" for, from the beginning of their 

 flow they are full watered, — the whole of them emanating 

 from great lacustrine sources. 



As salmon-producing rivers they will, according 

 to their several sizes, favourably compare with any 

 throughout the kingdom ; and as regards their angling 

 capabihties, one of them at least has obtained the renown 

 of being superior to all others. It must, however, be 

 understood that they are associated chiefly with salmon 

 angling. Sea-trout {Sahno trutta) of course ascend them 

 all, but although these fish are obtained in the rivers 

 through which they run, still they are best caught in the 

 lochs with which the rivers are connected. Neither do 

 the riversafiford any angling for brown trout {Salino farid) 

 at all to be compared with that of the lochs. 



The rapid and impetuous character of the Sutherland 

 rivers does not supply the conditions which would 

 render them a favourable continuous habitat for trout, 

 which are not slow to recognize the advantages of the 

 more placid and food-producing lochs. In the smaller 

 streams and burns — principally those entering the lochs 

 — very good brown trout may at times, and in favourable 

 localities, be got. Char (S. sahelimcs) never leave the 

 lochs wherein they resort. 



The varieties of fish which frequent the fresh water 

 are of very limited range ; but what they lack in that 

 respect is fully compensated by the position they hold at 

 the head of our fresh-water fishes. They are : — salmon 

 (S. salar)y sea-trout {S. trutla), great lake-trout (S. 



