1 2 INTRODUCTORY. 



excepting Edinburghshire itself.* And to describe 

 the way in which this may be done is our object 

 in this small volume. 



* [This statement might be held as pretty nearly correct at 

 the time Mr. Stewart wrote it at least, taking into account 

 his then ideas and habits as to " a day," which a jealous game- 

 keeper whom he had always utterly beaten, described as 

 " twenty -four hours of creeping and crawling." In point of 

 fact, Mr. Stewart, during summer, liked to be on the water 

 soon after sunrise, and he continued with little intermission 

 till towards four in the afternoon. In his later years he had 

 not strength for work so severe, but still would not fail to 

 begin by seven o'clock. Even those possessing the requisite 

 strength, and a good share of Mr. Stewart's unequalled skill, 

 would now fail to procure 12 Ibs. on "many days" "in any 

 county in the south of Scotland," so rapid has been the increase 

 of pollutions and drainage, and of anglers. Subsequent to the 

 first edition of his work, Mr. Stewart had seen cause to reduce 

 his figures, although he allowed his original statement to stand 

 in the body of the work (see p. 153) ; and it is known that 

 before his death he confessed to a necessity still further to 

 lower his estimate.] 



