FISHING CATS. 233 



FISHING CATS. 



Having just come across a communication made to The 

 Kelso Alail, in 1880, by a correspondent giving the signa- 

 ture of " March Brown," bearing on the subject to which I 

 have already alluded ("Fishing Cats"), I deem it worthy of 

 notice, corroborating, as it does, the statement so often 

 made, and almost as often denied, that cats are adept 

 fishers, not only for food, but likewise for the sport and 

 pleasure they so derive. The writer says that " for several 

 years it has been my happy fortune to fish the lovely Tweed 

 for salmon and trout. From Tweed Well to Coldstream is 

 a long stretch, but I have fished it all, and believe that 

 though other rivers have their special advantages, there is 

 not one in Britain which offers such varied and successful 

 angling as the grand Border stream. Many have been the 

 boatmen whom I have employed whilst fishing for salmon, 

 and all were fairly honest, except in the matter of a little 

 poaching. Some had the complaint more fiercely than 

 others, and some so bad as to be incurable. One of the 

 afflicted (Donald by name) was an excellent boatman by 

 day; as to his nocturnal doings I deemed it best not to 

 inquire, except on those occasions when he needed a 

 holiday to attend a summons with which the police had 

 favoured him. Now any one who has studied the pro- 

 clivities of poachers, knows that they have wonderful 

 powers over all animals who depend upon them, such as 

 dogs, cats, ferrets, tame badgers, otters, etc., etc. Donald's 

 special favourite was a lady-cat, which followed him in his 

 frequent fishings, and took deep interest in the sport. Near 

 to his cottage on the river-bank was a dam or weir, over 

 which the water trickled here and there a few inches deep. 

 In the evenings of spring and summer Donald was generally 



