84 ANGLING 



They put it alive on a small hook, and let it float down 

 the stream, and are generally very successful. They 

 throw or spin their fly into particular spots of the river, 

 especially where they see that a fish is rising, with con- 

 siderable dexterity ; but this mode of angling terminates 

 when the May - fly is gone. Many of the English 

 residents in France follow this practice. There is a 

 plan analogous to this adopted by persons in this 

 country. They make a pair of wings of the feather 

 of a landrail, and on the bend of the hook put one or 

 two caddis ; the head of the caddis should be kept as 

 close to the wings as possible. The bait is then allowed 

 to float down the stream just below the surface, then 

 gently drawn up again with a gentle degree of irregu- 

 larity efi'ected by the shaking of the rod; and some 

 fishermen maintain that if there be a trout in the place 

 it will be siire to take it. Some place two caddis with 

 the wings, the hook being put in at the head and out 

 at the neck of the first, and quite through the other 

 from head to tail. Two brandlings, or small red-worms, 

 may be fished with in the same manner. 



There are other modes of fishing for trout besides 

 these first mentioned, varied by the kinds of bait 

 employed. The salmon-roe is one of these. It is a 

 singular article for the seductive and deadly influence 

 it exercises over the fish. We have witnessed some 

 striking examples of its killing properties. We once 

 saw two countrymen on the river Tweed kill as many 

 trout with this preparation in a few hours as filled a 

 good-sized sack. We have occasionally used it our- 

 selves, both in spring and autumn, but we must confess 

 we do not approve of its use. There is something low, 

 revolting, and unsportsmanlike about it. It is really 

 not angling, in any honest or proper sense of the word. 



Note to Chapter IV 



Trout have a propensity, we might say an instinct, for pushing 

 up the streams in which they live, especially to seek the shallows 

 for feeding and spawning ; but it is not quite correct to liken the 



