THE SEA TROUT. 207 



fish are considered the best, the Tweed producing but very few. Lord 

 Home, referring to the latter river, has remarked, "of this excellent 

 species (Salmo trutta) I can only repeat that in the Tweed they have 

 almost disappeared ; they afford good sport to the angler, but I never 

 saw one above 71b. weight." The rivers Spey, Nith, Annan, and Esk, too, 

 and some of those in Devonshire (where it is called a truff) are chiefly 

 prolific of the fish in question. I have taken one also from the Severn, 

 near Tewkesbury. It is identical with Walton's "Fordyce" trout, of 

 which he speaks in such eulogistic terms as "rare good meat." Mr. 

 Pennell says that specimens are occasionally taken in the Thames by shad 

 fishermen above Putney Bridge in June and July, but I am unable, from 

 questioning the local fishermen, to verify this. In the Journal of the 

 Royal Institution, No, 34, p. 211, a Mr. M'Culloch mentions that it is 

 found in a fresh-water lake in one of the islands of the Hebrides, where 

 it has been in existence for a long time, and is breeding freely. This 

 agrees with, and goes further than, my statement, that they may be arti- 

 ficially bred for lakes and streams not necessarily connected with the 

 sea and permissive of the natural migration. 



Though the size of these fish rarely exceeds 71b. or 81b., it is occa- 

 sionally taken much larger. In 1840 it is said that a male sea trout was 

 taken in the mouth of the Tweed, weighing 24lb., and in 1846 one of 

 211b. was presented by Sir R. Peel to Prof. Owen, from the river near 

 Drayton Manor. Such sizes are exceedingly exceptional, however. 



The tackle required for both Salmo eriox and Salmo trutta is of 

 a nature partaking of the characteristics of both salmon and ordinary 

 trout tackle in fact, to use a common term, it may be said to be a 

 "cross ' ' between the two. A grilse fly, for example, if not dressed on too 

 large a hook, will serve for either of them, and the fish may be killed 

 sometimes in quantities with either or all of the standard flies given 

 for salmon, if size be reduced. It would seem, however, that a nearer 

 approach to the natural fly is desirable in white trout imitations than is 

 thought necessary, or is indeed possible, in flies used for salmon. The 

 flies should also be dressed on loops of gut or fine silk plait line ; this 

 procedure greatly increases their lasting power. I have, indeed, used a fly 

 thus tied for half the season, and had fair sport, without having had 

 occasion to change it on account of its loss of strength in the connection 

 between it and the main line. 



Mr. Francis gives from experience a list of flies which, like everything 

 emanating from his pen, is copious and exhaustive. It is impossible for 

 me to compete with his long experience in this matter, and I therefore 

 venture to name a few of the lures referred to by this author, honestly 

 acknowledging my indebtedness. 



