362 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



battle, and in half an hour was safe on the bank, the angler 

 having steadily refused Sandy's eager request to strike him 

 with the gaff. He was a fine broad fish of 2 1 Ib. One more 

 sluggish " break " in the evening was all that followed, and the 

 water being so large and muddy from the discharge of the 

 moss-burns, I was contented with the humble post of spectator. 



There were now only three days remaining of the rod-fishing 

 on the Stinchar for 1870 though, happily, the river was still 

 in flood. 



A striking instance of the uncertainty of salmon-flies oc- 

 curred during our last, and indeed our only fortnight of good 

 fishing for the season. A fly of the previous year (1869), 

 called " death," from its many captures when all others failed, 

 hardly even rose a fish to us, and certainly did not kill one. 

 Our most successful lure, hitherto, has been described already ; 

 but it seemed to me possible to improve it by enlarging the 

 hook, and substituting a wing from the common kite's tail. 

 This feather has a brighter and more delicate lustre in clear 

 water, a.nd is better seen even when the river is large or turbid. 



The kite is now so rare that few fishing-tackle shops can 

 boast of having this tempting feather, and the makers fill its 

 place generally from the turkey, which makes an excellent, 

 though not a better substitute, as they often allege. Many 

 years ago I was given a full tail of the kite by my old sporting 

 friend, Peter Kobertson of the Black Mount, who always gave 

 his best aids^in my shooting and fishing expeditions. Times 

 are changed since I can remember three kites' nests one in 

 an oak-tree on the lawn, and the others within a mile of my 

 father's Highland home, while these ornamental birds are now 

 almost banished from the mountains of Scotland. 



The river was too full and muddy till noon, so I had time 

 to dress four flies, two rather large, and the others a size less. 

 We then set out for the afternoon and evening fishing, I 

 using all the time one of my own imitations, while my son 

 chose a stereotyped Stinchar hook, making several changes 



