DIBBIXG. 25? 



quantity of nice fish. They were not very large, but 

 very free in rising, and he could take a good number of 

 them almost whenever he chose to go a-fishing. Wishing 

 to try whether the introduction of fresh food would 

 improve their size and condition, he turned into the lake 

 a good quantity of the fresh-water snails and other small 

 molluscs which are found in many waters, but hitherto 

 had not been present in this lake. 1 These molluscs took 

 well to the lake, and multiplied rapidly. As they did so 

 the fish increased in size and improved wonderfully in con- 

 dition, becoming from slim genteel trout perfect miniature 

 pigs with fine pink flesh ; but mark the consequence as 

 they improved in size and condition they gradually left 

 off rising to flies, so that where he was able formerly to 

 bag his couple of dozen with the fly, he now finds it 

 difficult even to bag one. Now, here is a hint as regards 

 lakes which proprietors might act on if they chose, for 

 other species of food might be thus introduced besides 

 molluscs, and without spoiling the rising of the fish. But 

 as I have dealt with all this elsewhere, I only refer to it 

 here to point out that when the fish are thus shy it is 

 because they find too much food at the bottom to trouble 

 their heads with what goes on at the surface. In the 

 moderate lakes this is only partially the case, and there is 

 yet some species of fly or insect perhaps of sufficient size 

 and attraction to tempt them to the surface occasionally. 

 What it may be of course has all to be discovered. So 

 far these matters are almost a closed book to us. 



ON DIBBIXG OR DAPIXG. 



Fishing with the natural fly or, as it is termed, dib- 

 bing or daping ranks next to fishing with the artificial fly. 



1 The Limnea Peregra, which looks like a sort of small fresh-water 

 I whelk, is the best for the purpose, and fattens the fish quickly. 



8 



