TERRIER SEARCHING FOR EELS. 139 



water does not produce them alike. To the naked eye both 

 extremities are quite the same in appearance. 



While fishing in the river one day at the beginning of 

 June, my attention was attracted by a terrier I had with me, 

 who was busily employed in turning up the stones near the 

 water's edge, evidently in search of some sort of food. On 

 examining into his proceeding I found that under most of 

 the stones were a number of very small eels : where the 

 ground was quite dry the little fish were dead, and these the 

 dogate; where there was still any moisture left under the 

 stone they were alive, and wriggled away rapidly towards 

 the stream, seeming to know instinctively which way to go 

 for safety. Trout have undoubtedly the same instinct ; 

 and when they drop off the hook by chance, they always 

 wriggle towards the water, and never away from it. I saw a 

 trout one day who had been left by the receding of the river 

 in a shallow pool. When the water in his narrow place of 

 refuge had got so low as scarcely to cover him he worked his 

 way out of it, and I saw him go over the still wet stones 

 straight to the river, which was about a yard from the pool. 

 It is difficult, indeed almost impossible, to become much 

 acquainted with the habits of fish ; but could we pry into 

 their domestic circles, I have no doubt that we should find 

 them possessed of a far higher degree of instinct and much 

 greater cleverness in providing for their food and safety than 

 we give them credit for. The instinct of fish in foretelling, 

 or rather in foreknowing, the changes of weather is very 

 remarkable ; and the observant angler may almost prophesy 

 to a certainty with regard to the approach of rain or storms 

 by seeing in what mood, for rising at Jris flies, the trout may 

 be. In certain states of the weather the angler may put 

 away his tackle without trying to take a single trout; but 

 this can only be learned by experience and close observation. 



Sometimes on a fine June evening the sea-fish, such as 

 gurnets and coal-fish, take a large white fly readily enough, 

 and fight most powerfully when of any size. 



I took a boat one day to cross over to the rocks of Cromarty, 

 in order to shoot some rock pigeons. The breeze was gentle, 

 but sufficient to take us merrily over ; and putting out a 

 couple of lines with large white flies, we caught plenty of 

 gurnet, &c. The fish darted suddenly and with true aim at 

 the flies when close to the boat as readily as when at some 

 distance. After coasting along the rocks for some time, and 



