u. 



It is remarkable that the very least colour, and which can 

 only be discerned by the aid of the magnifying glass, 

 should make so much difference. I have frequently 

 taken three or four fish with the middle fly a dropper, 

 and have then changed my end fly for a similar one to 

 the dropper, but with no better success, but have filled my 

 basket with the dropper fly. At the close of the day's 

 sport I have placed the two flies under a magnifying 

 glass, and discovered the slightest shade more colour in 

 the dropper with which I had killed the fish than could 

 be seen in the other fly. A Scotchman would say, if 

 they take one fly why not another ? and laugh when I 

 speak of size and colour being necessary ; and would 

 say he could make a fly, while going to the burn, 

 from a bit of wool pulled out of his cap, that would 

 beat all my artistically tied flies. They certainly have 

 killed fish with what they have made, but have been 

 glad to beg some of mine before the day was over. 

 I remark this, here, to show how much more our 

 fish are enlightened as compared with those in Scotland. 

 Then again, where the Scotch streams have only one rod 

 on them in the course of a week, many of ours have a 

 dozen in a day thrashing them ; and the fish get to know 

 a line as well as the angler himself. I have often been 

 amused to see how soon a feeding trout would leave off 

 on being presented with an artificial fly, particularly if the 

 angler does it at all unskilfully, or shows even his shadow 

 on the water. I frequently take off my hat and creep 

 along, in the endeavour to take a fish off his guard ; and 

 have often been repaid by basketing a fine trout. I have 



