LII 



WHEREAS there is no creature on God's earth so tenacious 

 of a priori theory as the practical angler, I Tantalus 

 shall not live to see the belief exploded that a-fishing 

 the salmon disease is caused by overcrowding in fresh 

 water. During last season I was the luckless victim of a 

 votary of that creed. I was invited to fish in an excellent 

 little river on the west coast, one that, under favourable 

 conditions of wind and sky, was wont to yield very heavy 

 bags of salmon and sea-trout to the fly-fisher. I accepted 

 the invitation eagerly, and set out confident of something 

 good, seeing that it was an ideal day for that somewhat 

 leisurely stream, which abounds in long, still reaches 

 between steep clay banks. The clouds were low and the 

 wind was high ; the surface of the pools was ruffled in the 

 most enchanting manner, and frequent sweeping showers 

 but added to the charm. I would not have altered a cir- 

 cumstance of weather or water an I could; which was 

 well, for of course I could not an I would. 



Well, I set to work with a pretty little silk-bodied jewel 

 of a fly from the Irish Erne. When the first hour had 

 passed without result, I yielded to that vain observance 

 which I have so often derided secretly in others I 

 changed the fly. Two hours more ; still nothing was in 

 the bag but three or four small sea-trout, and not a ' fish ' 



