2 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



We would talk at present, not as philosophers but 

 anglers, as those who cultivate the solitary art, and 

 value by its finny treasures 



" The tuneful brook, that to the birchen tree, 

 Chimes as it wanders with a merry strain 

 The thoughtful river sweeping solemnly 

 Toward the surges of the distant main." 



In this chapter upon Scottish rivers, we shall en- 

 deavour briefly to give our idea of what constitutes a 

 good angling river, which may be done best by means 

 of contrast. 



In rocky waters, where the bottom is without soil 

 and channel, having at most but a thin layer of the 

 latter, good trout never abound ; and the reason is ob- 

 vious : there is no proper food necessary to their mul- 

 tiplication and growth, The banks, which in such 

 streams are generally undetachable, provide neither 

 worm nor slug. Frogs, horse-leeches, minnows, wa- 

 ter-insects, and many species of fly, are extremely rare. 

 Floods, although they enlarge and colour the water, 

 do not create aliment, but are the means merely of al- 

 tering its position ; hence, if it doth not exist in any 

 one spot, there can be no transference thereof to any 

 other. In such waters, no doubt, there are often to 

 be met with certain temporary adaptations for nourish- 

 ing fish, as in the case of much wood overshadowing 

 them, and thereby, during warm and summer months, 

 raining down great store of tree-flies ; also, if fern or 

 sweet thyme crowd the banks, small beetles and grass- 

 hoppers are bred ; but these form altogether a provi- 

 sional subsistence, withdrawn by the rigid hand of 

 winter. The fact is proved by many examples : for 

 instance, let us pitch upon a known stream, after this 

 sort. We take the Coe or Cona of Ossian, which 

 runs through Glencoe into Loch Leven, an arm of the 



