408 WANDERINGS AND PONDERINGS 



Trout are abundant in all the streams except Oney ; and, in 

 this stream, they are not only comparatively rare, but inferior 

 both in quality and size. There are two very different kinds 

 of trout, as regards the colour of their flesh, some being very 

 red, others nearly white ; intermediate shades of colour are 

 uncommon. Whether, by a careful investigation, two species 

 might be found, I am unable to say ; but it is the universal 

 opinion of the fishermen, that there is but one. The trout of 

 Arro are invariably of the red kind, and are finer in flavour than 

 those of Lug. The redness of the Arro trout is attributed by 

 the fishermen to the redness of the soil through which that 

 river flows. 



Grayling occur in all the streams, and are sought after with 

 great avidity, on account of their excellence. Trout and gray- 

 ling are taken by night in great numbers, with illegal nets, and 

 are sold in the town the next morning : the price is almost 

 invariably lOd. per lb., and the average weight of fish so 

 sold is 12 ounces. The wives of the poachers carry the 

 fish from door to door, and offer them for sale in the most 

 open manner : the buyer never inquires how the women come 

 by them ; he knows perfectly well that the ready answer would 

 be, that they were taken with a rod and line — a sport perfectly 

 open to all. 



Pike are met with in all the streams except Oney, and even 

 in this I have seen one. It was lying under the bank of the 

 stream, in the Midsummer Meadows, not more than three 

 hundred yards from the union with Lug. It was in the hay- 

 making season : a countryman, with a fork in his hand, was 

 passing, and it caught his eye. He crossed the stream to 

 the opposite side, and, standing exactly over it, by a sud- 

 den stroke he ran his fork completely through the fish, and 

 instantly brought it to land. It weighed two pounds and a 

 half. Pike are much more abundant in the ponds than in 

 the rivers, and attain a larger size. 



Eels occur plentifully in all the waters ; in Oney they are 

 particularly abundant : vast numbers are taken by night-lines. 

 Chub of large size — seven pounds and upwards — have been 

 taken out of Lug. In Arro, Oney, &c., they occur, but of 

 less size and less frequently : they are not uncommon in ponds. 

 Carp, trench, perch, roach and dace occur in all the ponds 

 and streams ; in the latter sparingly : with the exception of 



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