32 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



Next to these may be classed the gaudy Irish fly, 

 of which Sir Humphry Davy has given a full descrip- 

 tion. There are no special rules for the composition 

 of this fanciful lure. A general one seems to enforce 

 the introduction of the golden pheasant's feather under 

 the wings. It is erroneously supposed, both on Tweed- 

 side and in the north, that the Irish and other gaudy 

 flies are all a hum ; accordingly, such as use them are 

 not a little ridiculed by the prejudiced clodhoppers of 

 those districts, who insist upon their own sagacity and 

 experience. Now, we inform all who wish to angle 

 successfully, that there is no dependence to be placed 

 upon stubborn prejudice ; and we further advise them 

 to be shy of being advised by a downright ignoramus. 

 Truly, as for ourselves, we can say without boast, that, 

 in the matter of Irish flies, we have upset before their 

 eyes the doctrines of such as pertinaciously held them 

 to be useless on our Scottish waters. Nay, we feel 

 assured that salmon will rise at them, when unwilling 

 to stir a fin towards a duller and less glaring morsel 

 and that too, strange to say, not when the stream is 

 large, thick, and rapid, but rather when it is greatly 

 reduced and clear. Sea trout, especially, are fond of 

 something gaudy. A blue or green silk body and gold 

 tinsel, with wings of the Guinea-fowl or teal feather, is 

 very killing among them at times, however, they pre- 

 fer a plain black hackle. It may be remarked as ge- 

 nerally the case with regard to our northern waters, 

 that such as run eastward are by many degrees more 

 deep and dark-coloured than those running towards 

 the west, and that their salmon are more shy and ca- 

 pricious, although ensconced in deeper and better shel- 

 tered pools. Take as an instance two rivers in Ross- 

 shire, the Conan falling into Cromarty Firth, and the 

 Carron into Loch Carron, opposite Skye. Of this 



