ITS NUMEROUS VARIETIES. 7 



The general colour or outward complexion of the fish 

 is yellow; its back having an olive, frequently a grey 

 shade or tint. In its edible qualities, it is much infe- 

 rior to an Eden or Teviot trout. It seldom possesses 

 any tendency to redness in the flesh, and unless cooked 

 shortly after being taken, becomes soft and curdless. 

 It is, however, when in season, quite sweet and palatable, 

 and in some parts of the river, where there is good feed- 

 ing-ground, acquires a considerable degree of richness. 



I have described the trout of these three streams, all 

 running within a short distance of each other, in order 

 to exemplify the existing varieties of this species of fish. 

 It is needless to extend my observations upon the sub- 

 ject any further. The most lengthened inquiry can 

 only lead to the conclusion, that every lake, river, or 

 streamlet, be their connection with each other what it 

 may, possesses its peculiar breed of trout ; and all I 

 shall do further to establish this fact is, to instance, in 

 general terms, a few additional localities where it has 

 fallen most strikingly under my own observation. I 

 take the neighbourhood of St. Mary's Loch, in Sel- 

 kirkshire. The loch itself is contiguous to that of the 

 Lowes, and united with it by a small run, not a hun- 

 dred yards in length. The two sheets of water contain 

 distinctly-marked varieties of trout. Of streams con- 

 nected with these lakes, there are the Chapelhope and 

 Corsecleugh burns, the Summerhope burn, the Meggat 

 water, with its tributary Winterhope burn; Yarrow, 

 with its feeders ; Douglas burn and Altrive lake, every 

 individual water possessing its own peculiar breed of 

 fish. Extend the range to Ettrick, and the same 

 observation holds good. The main stream, the Back 

 burn, Faa-hope burn, Rankle burn, Timah, &c., all 

 have their own varieties. Go to Dumfriesshire, to Loch 



