MINNOW AND PARR'S TAIL. 223 



passes with a worm, as I have often done in Ireland." 

 This was a new light to Charles Purdie and myself. 

 Worms were given him in abundance; an excellent 

 cairn selected for the sport ; and there my gentleman sat 

 the livelong day without having an offer. Old Richard 

 Wilson could have introduced him into the landscape 

 with effect, for he was picturesque and well placed; 

 but as a fisherman, says Charlie, " he is useless a' thc- 

 gither." However, the cairn is a laudable monument 

 of his patience and perseverance. 



FISHING WITH MINNOW AND PARR S TAIL. 



Salmon do not take the minnow or the parr's tail so 

 well in the Tweed as they do in the Tay, nor so well 

 in the upper parts of Tweed as they do in the lower. 

 The minnow, in low water, is preferable to the parr's 

 tail ; and it should be worked in the same manner as in 

 trout fishing, only not quite with so quick a motion. 

 It is not necessary to use more than two hooks ; namely, 

 the large hook that passess through the minnow, and 

 the lip hook. Shot should be put on the casting line 

 about a foot and a half from the bait — fewer or inore 

 according to the strength of the stream. 



What is called the parr's tail is a pretty liberal 

 allowance of the said little fish, consisting of a diagonal 

 cut from the shoulder to the anal fin ; so that in fact 

 you have all the firm part of the fish, discarding the 

 head and the stomach. In full water I think this bait 

 is preferable to the minnow ; and it has the advantage of 



