22 THE FRESH- WATER TROUT. 



ments, have, however, contributed greatly to thin the 

 breeds in question, and in their place, pike, perch, and 

 eels, hold to a certain extent the ascendancy. 



Of all streams that I am acquainted with, the Leet, 

 which discharges itself into the Tweed above Cold- 

 stream, was wont, considering its size, to contain the 

 largest trout. During the summer season, it is a mere 

 ditch ; in many places, not above four or five span in 

 width, and where broadest, still capable of being leapt 

 across. The run of water is, comparatively speaking, 

 insignificant, not equalling in the average a cubic foot. 

 This, however, as it proceeds, is every now and then 

 expanded over a considerable surface, and forms a pool 

 of some depth ; in fact, the whole stream, from head to 

 foot, pursuing, as it does, a winding course for upwards 

 of twelve miles, is a continued chain of pools, fringed 

 during the summer on both sides with rushes and 

 water-flags, and choked up in many parts with pickerel 

 weed, and other aquatic plants. The channel of Leet 

 contains shell-marl, and its banks, being hollowed out 

 beneath, afford, independent of occasional stones and 

 tree-roots, excellent shelter for trout. Not many years 

 ago, the whole course of it was infested with pike, but 

 the visit of some otters, irrespective of the angler's 

 art, has completely cleared them out, and thus allowed 

 the trout, which were formerly scarce, to become more 

 numerous. 



On the first occasion of my fishing Leet, which 

 happened to be early in April 1841, before the sedge 

 and rushes had assumed the ascendancy, I captured with 

 the fly twenty-six trout, weighing in all upwards of 

 twenty-nine pounds. Of these, five at least were two- 

 pounders, and there were few, if any, small-sized fish. 

 In 1842, on the 2nd day of June, the weather being 



