146 ANGLING. 



it as a good and distinct species, and describes many dis- 

 tinguishing marks between the parr and the samlet, amongst 

 which may be mentioned that the bones of the samlet are 

 soft, whilst those of the parr are stout and hard. Mr 

 Couch also states that the latter are not nearly so common 

 a fish as is generally supposed. These twelve species of 

 ' salmon may all be caught by the angler. They furnish 

 ! him with the highest sport, amidst the most lovely and pic- 

 turesque scenery ; but above all, the capture of a large- 

 sized salmon with the frail tackle of the angler demands an 

 amount of skill, perseverance, and adaptation of means to 

 a given end which is not often met with. It is no w r onder 

 that high prices are paid for the right of fishing for salmon, 

 and that distant waters are visited for the purpose of enjoy- 

 ing this exciting sport. I shall never forget the thrill of 

 delight with which I viewed the first salmon which fell a 

 victim to my angling skill, under the shadow, as it were, 

 of the old Cunimeraghs, and within the sound of the 

 hoarse surge of the Atlantic billows. I have a thousand 

 memories haunting the spot, and a thousand kindnesses to 

 acknowledge j but, alas ! numbers of those who were with 

 me then are in distant lands, and others gone to the " land 

 of the leal j" and my darling golden-haired first-born rests 

 in the sunny church-yard overlooking the vale. I next 

 tried my 'prentice hand in the Fergus, and I have not been 

 unsuccessful in the queenly Shannon. 



Leaving the history of the salmon to other and abler 

 pens, I may be permitted to describe the approved method 

 of capturing this princely fish. I will take the rod as the 

 first, if not the most essential portion, of the salmon-fisher's 

 equipment. In my remarks on rods in general, I have 



