250 Grayling-Fishing. 



are supposed to reach is, according to Mr Pennell, 

 " from 4 to 5 Ib." ; but although I know that they 

 have been caught upwards of 3 Ib., the heaviest 

 that ever fell, unfortunately, to my rod, weighed 

 only 2J Ib. 



These fish are more gregarious than trout, and 

 migrate from one part of the river to another. 

 Their general tendency, when introduced into a 

 water, is to move down-stream. This is fortunate, 

 and is about the only virtue with which we can 

 credit them ; but to grant even this much is to 

 show "gratitude for favours to come," for it is 

 given only in the hope that this decided downward 

 tendency in the fish may gather strength as they 

 go, until it develop into an irresistible longing to 

 leave for good the land or the water of their 

 adoption, and to return whence they came. Mean- 

 time we may considerably facilitate their progress by 

 reducing their numbers. Seeing that the fish came 

 to us from England, we might for once adopt the 

 English mode of killing them, and advise all Clyde 

 fishers to try the sportsman-like lure of the " arti- 

 ficial grasshopper." And they may do this with 

 the less compunction, as Mr Francis, who loves 

 grayling so much, after assuring us that he " hesi- 

 tates to notice the method of killing with the 

 grasshopper, since the grayling is such a sporting 

 fish that it is a shame to treat him like a poacher 



