THE SALMON 55 



salmon caught in the Tweed, the Esk, the Dee, and 

 the Clyde with the rudest possible imitation of flies, 

 shining in all the colours of the rainbow. Indeed, we 

 have witnessed this fact so repeatedly, as to found upon 

 it an opinion that this species of fish are caught here 

 with much ruder implements and with far less skill and 

 dexterity than in any other country with which we are 

 acquainted. This may seem fanciful ; but, nevertheless, 

 circumstances have fixed upon us the belief. We once 

 saw a shepherd-boy, in Peeblesshire, kill a prime salmon, 

 of twelve pounds weight, with a common hazel rod, 

 and an extraordinary hair line, without a reel or winch 

 of any kind upon it, and with a fly exactly like a large 

 humble-bee. He hooked the fish in the deep part of 

 a strong stream, and had the sagacity and promptitude 

 of action to throw his rod immediately into the water 

 after the rushing and powerful fish. The force of the 

 current took it down to the calmer end of the stream, 

 where the stripling caught hold of it again, and in- 

 stantly succeeded in running the salmon into the next 

 stream, and so on, till he had artfully exhausted his 

 captive, and forced him into a shallow part of the 

 water. Here he got him stranded with great adroitness, 

 and eventually conquered him in capital style. 



Instances of this kind are common all over the 

 mountainous parts of Scotland, where the greater 

 portion of the rural population, who are fond of 

 fishing, use very homely and rude materials. 



The flies to be used in Scotland in ordinary salmon- 

 fishing may be enumerated as follows, the angler filling 

 up the catalogue according to his own fancy or 

 experience. 



No. 7. Limerielt. — The body, claret and orange 

 mohair, or red cock's hackle, with green tip, ribbed 

 with gold twist; legs, black hackle; wings, turkey 

 feather with white tip. 



No. 5. — Body, greenish -yellow mohair, ribbed with 

 gold twist and red tip; legs, black hackle; wings, 

 mottled grey. 



No, 4, — Body, one half pale red, the other half 



