xii A BOOK ON ANGLING 



large number of smolts were netted on their way to the sea, 

 and each was marked with a piece of silver wire fixed through 

 the fore part of the dorsal fin. These smolts had been hatched 

 in the early months of 1903 ; three of them were recaptured in 

 June, 1906 weighing from 3 Ib. to 4 7 | Ib. ; twelve were taken in 

 July, weighing from 3^ Ib. to 7^ Ib. ; twenty-seven were taken 

 in August, weighing from 5 Ib to io| Ib. No more of the fish 

 marked as smolts were recorded as taken until the nets went on 

 again in February, 1907, in which month five marked fish were 

 taken weighing from 7^ Ib. to 9 Ib. These, besides fourteen 

 others taken in March and April, were part of the run of small 

 salmon so well known to anglers and net fishers as spring fish. 

 In that year fifty-seven salmon were taken with the tell-tale 

 silver wire in their fins, all except two being landed from the 

 nets before they were taken off on 2oth August. The heaviest 

 of these fish weighed 19 Ib., the total weight of the fifty-seven 

 salmon being 741 i Ib. From this it is clear that the only 

 difference between a grilse and a salmon is that the grilse 

 returns to the river after a sojourn of from thirteen to six- 

 teen months in the sea, while others of the species hatched 

 from ova deposited in the same season defer their return to 

 fresh water until the second, third, and even fourth year after 

 going to the sea. 



So the old Scots gillie's definition of a grilse was not wide of 

 the mark. He was asked how he could tell a salmon from a 

 grilse, a test which has puzzled many an angler. 



" Oh it's easy kent," he replied. " The same as ye can tell 

 an auld wife frae a lassie." 



Most of the salmon flies chosen for illustration by Mr. 

 Francis have been reproduced in the present edition from 

 examples dressed by Mr. Forrest, who presides over the 

 London branch of the house which has been so long famous 

 in Kelso. But whereas fashion in salmon flies is as fickle as 

 in feminine attire, I have asked Mr. Forrest to give two or 

 three examples of those which have found favour with anglers 

 since Mr. Francis passed away. 



I have to thank Mr. J. Arthur Hutton and Mr. P. D. Mallock 

 for the photographs of river scenery. 



HERBERT MAXWELL. 



MONREITH, 

 March, 1920. 



