THE COMMON TROUT. 221 



with the shorter and ending with the more extend- 

 ed stretch. Always complete your semicircle by 

 casting quite in shore, almost in a line, though 

 slightly in advance, from where you entered ; for, 

 if the place is good, the very ground on which you 

 stand, may be a favourite haunt for food or play. 

 Then take a step or two onwards, and recommence 

 again from right to left, or vice versa, as your case 

 may be for if the wind, that fickle element, chops 

 about, you must also act the weather-cock, and 

 change your tactics. 



If the majority of trout are of good dimensions, 

 we know not where the reader is at present, nor 

 where eventually he yet may be, say from a pound 

 or thereabouts, and upwards, flies may be used 'as 

 large almost as those for gilse or sea-trout. Re- 

 member you not, Sir T. D. L., how off the much- 

 loved shores of lone Loch Chon, we raised, hooked, 

 played, netted, and finally fried and fed upon, those 

 broad and beautiful strong-toothed two-pounders 

 some eighteen fishes of the largest class, and a score 

 or two of sweet but smaller finsters ? How bright 

 the morning shone, as skirting the fair Loch Ard 

 (itself a pleasant piece of sylvan landscape, ming- 

 ling, as nature wills, the leafy Ruysdael, with the 

 glowing Claude, or darker Thompson), then calm 

 and breezeless as a mighty mirror, the vast cloud- 

 capped Ben Lomond frowning on us,- soon did the 

 " Great Apollo" transmute that lowering look to 

 high uplifted splendour, we turned among craggy 

 windings, and hazel-skirted paths, and upland 

 streams, lessening in all but beauty ! How wild 



