54 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SALMON FISHING 



proceeding from a moss ; the other running over a 

 clear channelly bed ; and the third, from its clayey 

 banks and bottoms, exhibiting a milk-and-water 

 aspect, like the ' flavus Tiberis ' (or Albula) of Italy. 

 Now the trouts in all these streams were of the 

 same generic type ; but differed, notwithstanding, in 

 external appearance or colour. The moss race were 

 of the Roderick Dhu tint aspect grim and swarthy : 

 the clear channel produced those of a brightly 

 spotted appearance ; and the clay bottom exhibited 

 a correspondingly bluish race. Now, you might 

 convert the blue fish into bright, and the bright 

 again into black, by merely transferring them into 

 the corresponding streams. This often took place, 

 more or less, after what is called a thunder plump, 

 which falls partially, and is quite local. I have 

 seen one of these streams overflowing its banks, and 

 carrying all before it, whilst its two mountain sisters 

 remained calm and unmoved. Upon the ebbing of 

 this partial flood, the trouts in the two conjoining 

 streams immediately rush in quest of food (particu- 

 larly after a long drought) into the other ; and, in 

 less time than any one who has not marked the fact 

 could believe, they all become of the same appearance. 

 Upon returning again into their native waters, they 

 reassume their former colour. Fill your basket 

 with fish from all the three streams, and in a little 

 while that part of the bodies which presses against 

 the others will exhibit the same appearance, whilst 

 the other parts will remain as before ; and hence 

 the clouded aspect they exhibit. I once threw a 

 trout, by accident, from a clear channel stream 



