52 SALMON FISHING IN THE TWEED 



several apparently different species; which difference, 

 however, in many cases, disappears when the cir- 

 cumstances under which they are viewed are the 

 same. I know a locality in Dumfriesshire, amidst 

 the hills of Queensberry, where three mountain 

 streams, all of different character, meet — the one 

 proceeding from a moss ; the other running over a 

 clear channelly bed ; and the third, from its clayey 

 banks and bottoms, exhibiting a milk-and-water 

 aspect, like the ' flavus Tiberis ' (or Albula) of Italy. 

 Now the trouts in all these streams were of the 

 same generic type ; but differed, notwithstanding, 

 in external appearance or colour. The moss race 

 were of the Roderick Dhu tint — aspect grim and 

 swarthy : the clear channel produced those of a 

 brightly-spotted appearance ; and the clay bottom 

 exhibited a correspondingly bluish race. Now, 

 you might convert the blue fish into bright, and 

 the bright again into black, by merely transferring 

 them into the corresponding streams. This often 

 took place, more or less, after what is called a 

 thunder plump, which falls partially, and is quite 

 local. I have seen one of these streams overflow- 

 ing its banks, and carrying all before it, whilst its 

 two mountain sisters remained calm and unmoved. 

 Upon the ebbing of this partial flood, the trouts in 

 the two conjoining streams immediately rush in 

 quest of food (particularly after a long drought) 

 into the other ; and, in less time than any one who 

 has not marked the fact could believe, they all 

 become of the same appearance. Upon returning 

 again into their native waters, they reassume their 

 former colour. Fill your basket with fish from all 



