244 Gray ling- Fishing. 



hold equally applicable to all rivers, no matter 

 where ; but I confess I urge it specially on behalf 

 of Scottish anglers and Scottish streams. I feel 

 most strongly that the introduction of grayling into 

 our rivers, with the view of improving their con- 

 dition as fishing streams, is the most unfortunate 

 and ill-advised step that has been taken in recent 

 years. From the nature of their channels, ours are 

 capital trout-streams, and, under judicious legisla- 

 tion, could be vastly improved. But no legislation 

 will attain that end so long as grayling are allowed 

 to remain in them. Of course, should their eject- 

 ment be resolved upon, we shall expect to hear of 

 " tenant-right " and " compensation for unexhausted 

 improvements." But let us trust that the rights will 

 be permitted to revert to the poor trout that have 

 been so unwarrantably dispossessed of them ; and 

 since the removal of the present interlopers will in 

 itself constitute the " unexhausted " and inexhaust- 

 ible "improvement," the claim for compensation 

 will be found to have been already much more 

 than discounted in the calamity of their arrival. 

 I fear, however, that it is rather early to look for 

 the total expulsion of the grayling from the Clyde, 

 where they seem to have got so long a lease to 

 run; but it may reasonably be hoped that pro- 

 prietors of trout-streams, when they have a mind 

 to improve the waters, will attach some weight to 



