AMONGST WILD FOWL AND SALMON. 73 



habits. I once caught a flounder when spinning a 

 minnow in a rapid stream, and at rare times eels 

 have been caught with a fly. Near Pitjfochry, in 

 Perthshire, there is a small loch where the pike 

 refuse trout bait, and freely take a large fly. I once 

 fished it, and refused to believe what the keeper said 

 about this, and so tried both trout and minnow, but 

 to no purpose, .and I had to resort to large bright 

 flies ; and they did well enough. All the pike were 

 small. 



When we came to the boathouse the spoil was 

 spread out on the heather, fowl and fish, which made 

 a very sporting show. "We now started home, leaving 

 the men to put up the tackle and bring the baggage. 



At dinner to-day we had sea-fish a nice change 

 from trout and salmon. 



The Erasers had received a supply from the coast, 

 and John considerately sent us part; inter alia, 

 some lobsters, but, alas ! no crabs : to my mind the 

 best of shell-fish, barring natives. 



Fred was questioned at dinner about his pike 

 war, but the grilse had spoilt him for that sport. 



" Pike, indeed ! " said Fred contemptuously : 

 "loggish, sneaking brutes; a grilse has more fight 

 in him than a loch full of those cravens." 



