32 ANGLING. 



he said, was waiting for his mate. Presently the net was shot in 

 the Tay at the t mouth of the Almond, when two fine female fish 

 ripe for spawning, from 18 to 20 pounds' weight,, along with a 

 small male fish, were caught. Mr. liamsbottom having taken the 

 largest female in his left hand, drew his fingers down both sides of 

 the belly of the fish, when the ova flow r ed in a stream into the tin 

 box formerly mentioned, in which there were a few inches of water. 

 The fish was instantly returned to the river, and, after a short 

 time, sailed off as if nothing had happened to it. After the ova 

 had been washed, by water being poured on and off care being 

 taken never to allow it to be exposed to^the air the male fish was 

 brought (which all this time had been in the river under a fold of 

 the net), and manipulated m the same manner as the female, only 

 a small portion of the milt being required. On the milt being 

 shed, a slight change was seen to take place in the colour of the 

 ova, which became paler. Water was again poured on and off, 

 when the operation was complete. The ova were then poured into 

 round tin cases and carried to the ponds. When we left the river- 

 side, upwards of 400,000 ova in fine condition had been obtained. 

 "We observed that a few of the ova, after impregnation, turned 

 white, instead of being a fine salmon colour. Mr. Ramsbottom 

 said they were barren ova. In the month of March, the fry will 

 have burst their shells, when we hope to report further.* 



But leaving these controversial points on the habits, and 

 natural history of the salmon, which, however, must be allowed to 

 have a direct bearing on the angler's amusement, as a practical 

 art, seeing that legislative enactments are essentially guided ^by 

 them ; let us direct the reader's attention to the mode of catching 

 tins monarch of the streams. First, as to bait. _ We shall confine 

 ourselves principally to the artificial fly. This is the only kind of 

 bait, in our apprehension, worthy of the regard of the genuine angler. 

 or which will secure his unvarying success, and confer real 

 pleasure in his exploits. We have always considered the employ- 

 ment of any other bait or artifice for luring this noble inhabitant of 

 the deep, as directly implying something frivolous and debasing; 

 alike unworthy of the angler's reputation, and^ the > nature and 

 character of the fish. It must always be borne in mind, that the 

 real angler has a certain kind of fame or reputation to support. 

 And it is on this ground, that an angler, having what the old 

 Scottish divines called " the root of the matter " in him, will, on 

 all occasions, be remarkably particular and sensitive to all the 

 movements and appliances connected with his cherished amuse- 

 ment. There must be nothing low and grovelling, nothing which 

 may seem to involve an idea that he is pursuing his fascinating 

 calling under the influence of any motive, but the pure love of 

 the sgort. Better lose a thousand fish a day, than adopt or 

 sanction any practices which may have the most distant appear- 

 ance of running counter to the high principles of his profession. 

 * See ^ T ote A at the end of the volume. 



