194 FISHING GOSSIP. 



lem of its supernatural character by supposing it to 

 emanate from certain " troubled spirits," condemned 

 for some unknown offences committed in the flesh 

 thus to wander in the air by night till the term of 

 their punishment has expired. He is not, however, in 

 the least terrified, but rather amused, by the screams 

 of these "troubled spirits" during the day, when, 

 gracefully flitting amongst the waves, they contend 

 with each other in picking up the May-fly, of which 

 they appear as fond as the trout themselves. 



Amongst these local accompaniments of a night 

 excursion on the water, we proceed to the fishing- 

 ground. Upon the selection of this important part 

 of the subject of night-angling, a word or two may be 

 interpolated between the pauses in Pat's yarn on the 

 feats of the " Great White Horse" of the lake, whose 

 nocturnal visits to the neighbouring farmers' brood 

 mares and corn-fields were then a popular " Irish 

 grievance," though never, I believe, brought before 

 Parliament. It will have been observed, however, 

 that the flies have not yet been wetted or the rods 

 lowered to their proper places, though we have been 

 some time afloat. As we were pursuing a course 

 through the centre and deepest parts of the lake, it 

 Avould have been superfluous to do so. Trout do not 

 generally rise to flies from great depths at night sel- 

 dom even by day. Their favourite haunts for feeding 

 at this hour are extensive sharps, the margins of 



