398 THE MOOR AND THE LOCH. 



not only took our bait greedily, and made a most capital fight 

 for a quarter of an hour, but was in the very finest condition, 

 having fattened on his hard fare, instead of wasting from 

 torture. 



The last hint I have to give on the still parts of the river 

 is, that when the large trout refuse to rise, being sated with 

 summer flies, a small minnow about dusk is most likely to 

 succeed. 



With regard to the streams, and more rapid parts of the 

 river, it certainly requires practice to find out the feeding- 

 places of trout. There is always a good cast just where the 

 water begins to steady itself, after falling and foaming over 

 a ledge of rock also in the eddies caused by roots, stones, 

 branches of trees, &c. An angler who loves his craft will 

 very soon become knowing in this department, and will then 

 find much less difficulty here than in the still deeps. Of 

 course, the more rapid the water the less likely is the trout to 

 observe either a fisher on the banks or his line, though per- 

 chance heavily thrown. But show me the man who can fish 

 the still parts of the river with tact and science, and I will be 

 answerable for the rest of his performance. As to wind, 

 which most anglers make such a fuss about, although a mo- 

 derate breeze is a sine qud non in loch-fishing, and also an 

 advantage to the clumsy craftsman on the river, yet if the 

 water is in its best state, and the sun not very bright, a first- 

 rate angler would rather have too little than too much. 



The above observations apply equally to all the rivers and 

 streams I have fished ; and my practice has been in many 

 parts of England, as well as in the north, south, east, and west 

 of Scotland. 



LENNIE BURN. 



How many recollections does the name of Lennie Burn 

 arouse ! None that have ever trod those pleasant paths, or 



