106 TROUT FISHING 



Light being of many varieties in intensity 

 and in colour, a whole volume would be 

 requu-ed for a discussion of it that would 

 even approach completeness ; but there 

 are two indisputable facts touching our 

 present theme. One of them is as yet a 

 complete perplexity. The other, I think, 

 will be acknowledged as evidence that 

 most of the taboos we have been consider- 

 ing are superstitious. 



The first fact was pointed out to me 

 by a gillie in the Highlands. " They'll be 

 dour thi' day, I doobt," he said, as we 

 launched the boat one morning in the 

 spring. " I never knew them takin' when 

 thae misty clouds are sittin' on the hills." 

 Sure enough, that day the trout were 

 dour indeed. Only one, and that small, 

 was the reward of a long and assiduous 

 effort. This was remarkable. The soft 

 wind was pleasant, the light was all that 

 any angler sensitive on that point could 

 wish, the mercury in the weather-glass 

 stood at " Fair "; yet the trout would not 

 rise until the clouds floated upwards 



