HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



during the rains, but stand dead-dry for six months in the 

 drought. 



I have seen nice fish in the lower reaches of mountain 

 streams, and the natives catch them, principally by basket- 

 traps ; but one seldom hears of Europeans rod-fishing, 

 though, as far as I can see, there is nothing to prevent it 

 being successfully accomplished with a little care as I said 

 before, the trees and jungle growth along the course are 

 the chief difficulty. Buck up ! disciples of the immortal 

 Walton. 



Mr. R. A. G. Festing, of the Ceylon Civil Service, has 

 kindly permitted me to reproduce the following excellent 

 letter on Ceylon fishing, which he originally communicated 

 to the Fishing Gazette : 



TROUT AND OTHER FISHING IN CEYLON 

 BY R. A. G. FESTING 



The first experiments in trout breeding were made in 

 1880 by the late Mr. H. L. Hubbard. In 1882 a few fish 

 were turned into the stream at Nuwara Eliya, and ova have 

 been more or less regularly imported since 1886. When 

 the Ceylon Fishing Club was started I do not know. At 

 first the ova of brown trout and Loch Levens only were 

 imported; but in 1889 the ova of rainbow trout were 

 introduced. 1 The experiment proved successful, the rain- 

 bows taking kindly to the Ceylon streams, and they are 

 now far more popular than the brown trout on account of 

 their superior sporting and edible qualities. 



The fish imported have thrived well, and now run to a 

 large size. I do not know what the record size is, but 



1 I am informed on good authority that the Club was started in 1895, 

 and that rainbows were not imported until 1895, except one small lot in 1889 

 or 1890, which were failures. EDITOR. 



334 



