OIKEL, BRORA, LOCH NAVER. 399 



joins the Oikel, in the months of May, June, and July, 

 should floods occur. Mr. Dempster of Skibo killed 

 sixteen fish in one day in the latter river, and Colonel 

 Oswald, who is a most expert angler, captured upwards 

 of fifty salmon and two hundred grilses in the course 

 of a few visits. The Oikel fly is formed of the golden 

 pheasant's tail, blue hackle, silver twist, and light yellow 

 body ; should the water be small, a dark fly is the most 

 suitable. The Brora also is a celebrated river in this 

 district. Of the flies used there, the greatest favourite is 

 a plain dark brown or black fly, winged with turkey- 

 feather, and having silver tinsel. The spring size 

 measures in length one and a half inch. On the Car- 

 ron, dark flies were at one time much used, but lighter 

 ones have lately been substituted and found successful. 

 "Loch Naver is deservedly celebrated both for its 

 salmon and trout. I have known seven grilses to be 

 caught in two hours and a half in the river issuing from 

 it and the Mollart, a stream that falls in at the foot of 

 the loch. In Loch Loyal or Layghal, which lies equi- 

 distant from Tongue and Altnaharra eight miles, are 

 found, in great numbers, the salmo-ferox, common 

 trout, and charr. There are none of the first men- 

 tioned fish in Loch Naver. The Lakes in Assynt are 

 all remarkably good. Loch Assynt itself contains sal- 

 mon, grilses, the ferox, &c. In Caithness, the only 

 good salmon river is one near Thurso ; with the excep- 

 tion of the Ness, it is the earliest in Scotland. The 

 common trout in Sutherlandshire are not in general 

 particularly nice. A large hook ensures the best fish. 

 They also take the common earth worm greedily, and 

 maggots toughened in bran are very deadly. During 

 summer, the common blow-fly on an undressed hook is 

 a capital bait, especially in calm, clear weather. Near 



