ARE TROUT CUNNING? 115 



still more strangely notable in regard to 

 golf, the very implements of which re- 

 mained rather rude and ill-adapted to 

 their purposes until, after centuries of 

 perfect contentment with them among 

 the Northmen, the game suddenly spread 

 into England. 



Angling is not exactly analagous. 

 Although there is less scope for it in the 

 South than in the North, angling is in 

 England a sport as ancient as it is in 

 Scotland. Nevertheless, we see as re- 

 gards angling the difference between 

 Scotland and England that marks their 

 standings in other recreative pursuits. 

 The Englishmen are keen and progressive. 

 The Scots are indifferent and stationary. 

 Nay : it may be said that they are 

 retrograde. Signs are not wanting that 

 two or three generations ago the con- 

 tents of their tackle - books, or at least 

 the flies they actually used, were more 

 reasonable than those of to-day. 



One fine afternoon in mid-summer I 

 came upon an old gentleman preparing to 



