34 THE SCOTTISH ANGLER. 



as to the water. When a stream is small and clear, a 

 hare's ear body, especially during spring, kills well ; 

 also the dun or mouse-body fly, and small black hackles, 

 at a later season. If large and brown, the red profes- 

 sor suits best : next to it a plain palmer, both of which 

 are efficient all the year over. When in ordinary 

 trim, we angle with any sort, being more nice concern- 

 ing the size than the colour of our flies ; and this we 

 remark, that in much-used rivers the trout reject large 

 insects, and rise freest at midges and the smaller ephe- 

 merae. This is particularly visible on the Clyde about 

 Lanark, where a very minute fly is requisite ; and yet 

 on this river, during summer, large fish are caught with 

 the green-drake and May-flies, in opposition to the ge- 

 neral liking. In Highland streams trout are by no means 

 so sagacious a fish as in those of the south. You may 

 catch them with bread and cheese at the end of a cable, 

 they are so wrapt in greed and ignorance. Treat them 

 invariably to large hooks, for their gullets are won- 

 drously capacious, and they make no objections to ho- 

 nest rations. Give them red and black flies in abun- 

 dance, the most tough, indigestible morsels you can 

 well invent ; they have no false appetites about them, 

 and scorn your tit-bits and nail-lengths. As to the in- 

 fluence of the sky in determining the food of fish, let 

 it be noted that artificial flies are taken best on dull 

 windy days, when natural ones are rare ; also in the 

 mornings and evenings, during bright hot weather. A 

 powerful sun, however, is unfavourable for fly-fishing, 

 as it breeds huge swarms of insects for trout to feed 

 on, and also relaxes their inclination to stir freely. 

 Close weather, portending thunder or rain, white 

 clouds, and a storm, all hinder fish from rising well. 

 During such times they remain near the bottom, or in 

 their usual hiding-places. Warm summer nights bring 



