88 



worth, throwing a line into, though, they are not of a 

 first-rate character. We have seen the minnow a 

 very deadly bait in both waters, in the summer 

 months, after rain. 



Turning from Gallowayshire to the right towards 

 the north, we enter Ayrshire, a county which has 

 some fine angling streams. If we cut through the 

 country by the higher parts of the Cree, we shall at 

 no very great distance fall in with the river Stin- 

 char, which runs a course of about thirty miles. It 

 is a good angling water, and has a fair portion of 

 salmon. Its feeders are the Dusk, the Tig, and the 

 Muck ; in all of which a great number of small but 

 rather rich flavoured trout are to be found. The 

 anglers who frequent this stream use a great variety 

 of flies ; the minnow is likewise in great request in 

 certain seasons of the year. 



Should the tourist wish to have a little loch fish- 

 ing, he will find several sheets of water in the loca- 

 lities near to the higher parts of the Minnick and 

 Cree. These are Loch Darnal, Maberry, Chirmany, 

 and Moam, in all of which there are trout, pike, 

 bull-trout, perch, and several other species of bot- 

 tom fish. The rural scenery in the neighbourhood 

 of these lochs is often very beautiful and impressive, 

 and cannot fail to yield the angler a large portion of 

 rational pleasure and enjoyment. 



If the angler has wandered with his rod through 

 these mountainous tracts of Gallowayshire, and has 

 had the right feelings of a genuine piscatorian, his 

 mind will look back upon these wild regions with 



