SEASON AND TIME OF DAY. 



117 



atmospheric changes, being easily sickened by heat 

 and killed by extreme moisture.* 



Having treated of the several sorts of earth-worms 

 used in angling, and the mode of preparing them, I 

 am brought now, as was proposed in pursuing the sub- 

 ject of worm-fishing, to make some observations upon 

 the season of the year suitable for this kind of sport, 

 the time of day, and description of weather, and lastly, 

 the places or portions of water best adapted for its 

 practice. On Tweedside, worm-fishing seldom com- 

 mences unt'il the latter end of May or beginning of 

 June, when the main stream and its tributaries are in 

 ordinary seasons considerably reduced. The trout, in 

 a certain measure require to be sated with fly-food 

 before having recourse to any coarser aliment, at any 

 rate, some change seems to be effected in their tastes 

 and habits, virtually inexplicable, but yet dependant 

 upon the instinct implanted by nature, an instinct 

 which as regards many animals has, in all ages, baf- 

 fled, perplexed, and silenced the minutest inquiry. 

 Before trout take the worm freely it is necessary also 

 that the temperature of the water should be at a state 

 of considerable elevation, at least fifty degrees of Fah- 

 renheit, and, moreover, that it be acted upon at the 

 time by a fair proportion of sunlight ; indeed, a bright 

 hot day is not at all objectionable, the air being calm, 

 or but slightly agitated. Such a condition both of 

 water and weather often occurs during the month of 

 June, and its occurrence is, indeed, frequently pro- 

 tracted throughout July. These in fact, June and 

 July, added to the latter half of May, constitute, as 



* This method of preparing earth-worms was communicated to me some 

 years ago, by David Robertson, Esq., Kelso, unquestionably the ablest angler 

 on Tweedside, if not in Scotland. 



