238 AMERICAN FISH CULTURE. 



where the insects rest, and are easily captured. If anglers, 

 being aware of this fact, made some little study of ento- 

 mology, so far as to know about the time when these insects 

 undergo their transformations, they might not be induced 

 to seek such lakes so often in vain. In the instance I have 

 noted the lake is deep, and the water dark ; and the fish at 

 the bottom, engaged with ground food, do not see the flies 

 at the top. 



" In the great Irish lakes, as Lough Erne, Lough Arrow, 

 the Westmeath lakes, and others, the large trout which in- 

 habit these lakes never come to the surface in any number, 

 save at the rise of the may-fly. In a good fly season they 

 rise with great freedom, and wonderful takes are made ; at 

 other times they can only, save at rare intervals, be picked 

 up by spinning. Of course I am not referring to the small 

 things that get on the shallows, but to the sly old fellows 

 who scorn a midge-fly. On the Thames, also, the large 

 Thames trout are always more upon the rise and on the 

 lookout for flies when the big stone-fly (which is a perfect 

 monster on the Thames), puts in an appearance in April, 

 or when the few green drakes that are found in it show 

 themselves. It is not to be supposed that these large fish 

 will take notice of anything but large flies, because it would 

 take myriads of the smaller ones to make a meal for them; 

 and therefore it should be the aim of the pisciculturist to 

 increase, by every means in his power, by the importation 

 of larvae, &c., the larger flies, if he desires to improve the 

 fly-fishing in any lake or river. 



" Again, I will instance the fish in Loch Leven, which 

 grow to a fine size, and are almost always in superb con- 

 dition. The bottom of the lake, in places, is grown over 

 with a peculiar weed ; in this is found a great variety of 

 insects, chiefly Crustacea, as small snails of various sorts : 

 the lake also abounds in the more minute entomostraceae. 



