A RIDE OVER THE MOUNTAINS. 91 



and line and imitation flies, while the Loch Leven 

 trout mostly come to the minnow, and do not rise 

 well. Nor are they to be compared in plumpness to 

 the natives, and generally arrive lanky and listless, as 

 if life in Lake Vyrnwy was not good for them. The 

 cross-bred fish are better fighters ; and, doubtless, in 

 course of a short time the old stock will come to the 

 front as a survival of the fittest. It may be added 

 that the yearly turn-out from these hatcheries amounts 

 to about sixty thousand fry. 



. Friday -, July \*$th. As I sit basking in the sun 

 facing the lake on this bright morning, three merry 

 maidens come tripping down the road with rakes on 

 their shoulders they are going a-haymaking up 

 yonder on the hillside and now I hear their pleasant 

 laughter as they flit, about the hayfield now raking up 

 the fragments that remain after the cocks have been 

 loaded on the sleighs, and now flirting with the 

 swains who are pitching and loading. A. and R. are 

 off on the lake for the last time on the look-out for a 

 last dish of trout, which they fortunately succeeded 

 in getting. They brought in six brace of trout, which 

 will accompany them home to-morrow. I meanwhile 

 take a last stroll over the hills for a chat with the 

 birds. I fancy that nearly all English birds are to be 

 found round this lake. I made acquaintance with all 

 my old friends and some new ones the Mountain 

 Brummar, locally so called, among others. 



Our wild Welsh visit is now drawing to a close, 

 and I can but hope that the random notes of my own 

 very pleasant experiences may induce many others to 

 try a like experiment. I have no motive for belaud- 



