66 ANGLING SKETCHES 



took a four-pound trout there with the fly. If 

 such trout exist in Borlan, it is hard to explain 

 the presence of the innumerable fry. One would 

 expect the giants of the deep to keep down their 

 population. Not far off is another small lake, 

 Loch Awe, which has invisible advantages over 

 Loch Borlan, yet there the trout are, or were, 

 ' fat and fair of flesh,' like Tamlane in the ballad. 

 Wherefore are the trout in Loch Tummell so big 

 and strong, from one to five pounds, and so scarce, 

 while those in Loch Awe are numerous and small ? 

 One occasionally sees examples of how quickly 

 trout will increase in weight, and what curious 

 habits they will adopt. In a county of south- 

 western Scotland there is a large village, popu- 

 lated by a keenly devoted set of anglers, who miss 

 no opportunity. Within a quarter of a mile of the 

 village is a small tarn, very picturesquely situated 

 among low hills, and provided with the very tiniest 

 feeder and outflow. There is a sluice at the out- 

 flow, and, for some reason, the farmer used to 

 let most of the water out, in the summer of every 

 year. In winter the tarn is used by the curling 



