1 38 Glimpses of Trout. [Sess. 



VII.— GLIMPSES OF TROUT. 



By Mr TOM SPEEDY. 



(Read Feb. 27, 1895.) 



The title of my paper to-night is not an original one. Some 

 of you may remember that a discussion on this subject was 

 carried on for some weeks in the columns of the ' Scotsman ' 

 a month or two ago. While not a little of what was then 

 written was most interesting, a great deal of it was of the 

 nature of pure speculation and surmise. It is not my inten- 

 tion in the present paper to animadvert upon the discussion 

 referred to. I shall rather endeavour, as briefly as possible, 

 to expound my own views on the subject of trout and their 

 enemies, and it may thus be seen how far these views are in 

 accord with the opinions of the various writers in the ' Scots- 

 man.' Having made a careful study of trout in all their 

 variable conditions, and having had exceptional facilities for 

 observing their habits, I trust my remarks may not be al- 

 together uninteresting to the members of this Society. 



To those interested in pisciculture, a visit to Sir James 

 Maitland's breeding-ponds at Howietoun, near Stirling, will in 

 an hour or two afford more information than can be acquired 

 by the perusal of volumes. The first " glimpse " of trout to 

 which I would call your attention is the parent fish upon the 

 spawning-bed. In order to witness this interesting sight I 

 repaired in the month of November to Dalnaspidal, in Perth- 

 shire, and, after darkness had set in, rowed three miles up Loch 

 Garry, and " burnt " the river Shellain, which empties itself 

 into the lake. Spreading tar on a sack after the manner of 

 butter on a slice of bread, I rolled the sacking round, and 

 nailed it to a long pole carried from home for the purpose, 

 there being no trees in that wild and desolate region. Pouring 

 a bottle of paraffin on the tar-besmeared sack, and putting a 

 lighted match to it, I waded up the centre of the stream. I 

 had now and then to walk ashore, through inability to bear 

 the cold on my limbs ; but with perseverance I got accustomed 

 to this, and rather enjoyed it than otherwise. The vivid glare 



