298 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



commanded by the redoubtable Peter. Securing 

 his co-operation and leadership, we were pretty sure 

 to have little difficulty in gaining our father's assent 

 to enterprises which, under less trustworthy guidance, 

 would have been disallowed, 



" Have you heard the news, Peter ? " said I. " Any 

 quantity of piltacks at Muness. We must have a 

 day at them. Will you come ? " " Yes," said he 

 good-naturedly, " I have heard about the piltacks, and 

 will go: and let it be to-morrow. The weather 

 promises to be fine. We'll get Charlie and Magnie 

 to make up our crew. See you have plenty of flies, 

 and all your fishing gear in good order." All was 

 soon arranged, and that afternoon and evening I spent 

 in overhauling my tackle, " busking " some new flies, 

 and preparing for an early start next morning. 



Muness is the rocky peninsula which forms the 

 south-east corner of Unst, and is distant from Balta- 

 sound about six miles. It was on the north and lee 

 side of this point that the piltacks had " set in." 



Sillacks and piltacks are the young of the saithe, 

 and form a most important item in the cuisine of a 

 Shetland household. They swarm around the coast, 

 and are the most unsophisticated of fish, requiring no 

 cunningly-devised flies to lure them. They are always 

 in season, and are nutritious, wholesome food, and 

 withal of a very delicious flavour, either fresh, or 

 pickled and partially dried. When in their early or 

 fry stage they are " sillacks," not more than four or five 

 inches long. In winter they "set in" — that is, con- 



