22 THE SCIENTIFIC ANGLER. 



around, except when forced to retreat in the face of what 

 in Highland phraseology is called a heavy " spate," 

 when, particularly in hilly districts, the water rises and 

 the stream becomes "bank-full," to overflow in a few 

 hours. Then not only is the force of the current too 

 strong, but the water is generally too thick in mid-current 

 to admit of the movement of the fish. In these circum- 

 stances the quiet corners and side eddies, no matter if 

 quite out of the usual water-course, are the resort not only 

 of trout, but of all other species that may inhabit the 

 water. The whole congregate in places of comparative 

 safety when danger threatens, the minnows with the 

 trout, the pike with the gudgeon. When trout reach a 

 more than ordinary size, they disdain surface food. At 

 twilight, and even later in the hot months, however, 

 they will rise at the large moths, but are not to be allured 

 to the surface by small flies. When over two pounds 

 weight, their flesh assumes a beautiful red tint, not unlike 

 that of a well-conditioned salmon, but when they much 

 exceed that weight, they do incalculable harm to the 

 water they inhabit by greedily devouring the small half- 

 grown fish. Trout occasionally attain a prodigious size, 

 five and six pounds being not altogether uncommon. 

 But although a trout may reach this weight, he does not 

 long retain it, for within a comparatively brief period 

 all the store fish within a hundred yards of his haunt 

 will have disappeared, and the cannibal who has thus 

 depopulated it will diminish quickly in flesh, showing a 

 gaunt head and rakish-looking frame as the result of 

 the scarcity of food; for, strange as it may appear, the 

 veteran trout seldom forsakes his chosen haunt, even to 

 appease hunger's keen pangs. Fish of this description 

 should be destroyed. At twilight they will frequently 

 rise boldly at the minnow. At mid-day it is of little 

 use angling for them, as the tackle must then necessarily 

 be fine to get them to face it; and when this is the case, 



