THE DORSETSHIRE STREAMS 123 



The Lidden contains a fair number of trout, 

 running from | lb. to 2 lbs., there being not many 

 of the latter weight. This stream rises in The 

 Stoke Mill, and is about six miles in Lidden 

 length. It receives a small tributary, and joins 

 the Upper Stour above Sturminster. In addition 

 to trout, the stream contains perch and roach. 



The Allen, or Wim, is a tributary of the Stour, 



which it joins at Wimborne. It takes its rise in 



St. Giles Park, near Cranborne, and is 



. The 



swelled by the overflow of a considerable Allen 



sheet of water at More Critchell. From 



High Hall, the residence of Canon Bernard, to 



Lord Shaftesbury's seat, Wimborne St. Giles, the 



Allen is pretty well stocked with trout, running to 



a good size, 3 lb. and 4 lb. fish being now and then 



taken in this water. At Stanbridgc the Allen has 



been restocked by Captain Glyn, and the whole 



stream is now carefully preserved from about a 



mile above Wimborne. A few large trout often 



come up from the Stour to a pool in the town, 



where, as a rule, they fall victims to a lobworm. 



The flies for the Allen are the olive dun, iron blue 



dun, red palmer — a favourite — blue upright, and 



coachman for evening fishing. Natural fly is 



scarce, and a really good hatch seldom seen on 



this stream. There are no angling clubs on the 



Allen, and leave is not easy to obtain. The upper 



part of the stream flows through meadow land, 



the other portions chiefly through moorland. The 



Wim is much affected by the herons of Lord 



Alington's celebrated heronry at Crichel, through 



which the stream flows. 



