294 HINTS ON ANGLING. 



numerous. In the Trent, too, a few are occasionally 

 caught; and in the Thames their visits, like those of 

 angels, are "few and far between." Trout are much 

 more numerous, and far more generally distributed over 

 the country. In some favourite waters, they are very fine 

 and very abundant; but as far as both these kinds offish 

 are concerned, the waters of England and Wales, taken 

 in the aggregate, will not bear a comparison with those 

 of Scotland and Ireland. The Welsh waters, it is true, 

 abound with trout, but then they run very small; and on 

 that account are not much sought after by the roaming 

 trout-fisher. The very smallest gulleys in Montgomery- 

 shire, mere rills, are full of these small fry; and the boys 

 of the country pull them out by dozens, with a coarse 

 twine line, and almost any hook they can get, with a 

 little red-worm upon it. 



The mountainous and hilly districts of Derbyshire, 

 Lancashire, Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumberland, 

 and Westmoreland, are full of good trout-streams ; exclu- 

 sive of the celebrated lakes in the two latter, which 

 abound with fish, and have long been celebrated resorts 

 for the angler; and where good sport is frequently 

 obtained. The southern and western counties contain 

 also numerous streams, in which trout may be found in 

 considerable numbers; and the midland districts will also 

 furnish several waters of this description ; but the general 

 and prevailing fishing throughout England is of a different 

 kind. The large rivers and streams which intersect the 

 country in all directions, and the numerous canals are 

 better adapted, from the nature of their water, and the 

 character of the districts through which they flow, for 

 pike, perch, chub, dace, eels, etc., etc., than for trout; 

 and, consequently the angling for fish of the former 



