160 A FRIENDLY HINT. 



a slight skipping motion, by a tremulous shake of 

 the rod, and the flies that are just under water 

 will receive the most natural motion you can give 

 them. Never drag your flies straight across the 

 water towards you, and never work them against 

 the current. A small fish may, perchance, rise 

 at them when so worked, but seldom or never a 

 large one." 



Imitate, gentle pupil, the movements of who- 

 ever you believe to be a good hand, and practise, 

 practise, practise. Hover in the wake of every 

 good fly-fisher you meet with, 



" By burn and flow'ry brae,'* 



and notice eagle-eyed. But forget not one little 

 point of etiquette, a breach of which is no less 

 discreditable to one party than annoying to the 

 other: be careful how you intrude yourself and 

 your questions upon strangers. Some anglers 

 are (and you will some day prove the truth of the 

 assertion) very nice about things of this kind 

 very queer fellows upon occasion all smiles and 

 urbanity when they get good sport, and have the 

 river to themselves, and just the reverse after 

 they have been out all day and " scarce extracted 

 one," and, moreover, had the infinite pleasure of 

 knowing that half a dozen "brethren of the 



