246 TROUT FISHING 



" What do you think he is, Ronald ? 

 A big trout ? " 



"Na." 



"Aferox?" 



" There's nae ferox here. This is a 

 weel-bred loch." 



" A salmon, then ? " 



" A salmon sure enough, sir ; and a 

 thirty-pounder unless am much mista'en. 

 I saw her loupin' when ye turned roond 

 thinkin' she was off." 



" But what did she take the fly for, 

 Ronald ? Salmon don't feed in fresh 

 water — so they say nowadays." 



" That's a' damisht nonsense. What 

 for should they starve in fresh, water, 

 sir ? Because ye never find flees or meen- 

 nows or onything else in their mouths, 

 or inside them, when ye catch ane ? As 

 weel say that they dinna' feed in the sea 

 either, for the same reason ; and that, 

 thairfore, they pit on four or six pounds 

 weight every year on naething at a'. 

 Whaur's she off" tae noo ? " 



The whustler had again changed his 



