An Angler's Paradise. 21 
been done most successfully, and may be done in thousands 
of other places in this country, and often at a comparatively 
trifling cost. 
A great deal has been said and written about the water area 
of the globe, but when we take into consideration the water 
facility which we possess in Britain, and realize that it is a great 
motive power which may be tumed to excellent account, the 
wonder will be that it has been so long allowed to run idly down 
our hill sides, and along our valleys, where it might have been 
made, by means of a little ingenuity and engineering skill, to do 
good work in far more ways than one. I have briefly described 
a portion of a natural mountain or moorland stream, and nearly 
everyone who makes any pretence at trout fishing, is acquainted 
with such a stream in some shape or other. It may be a dashing 
mountain torrent, careering along over its rocky and boulder 
bestrewn bed through wastes of heather; or perhaps at a lower 
elevation, it may be passing more sluggishly between earthy banks 
cut through a fertile tract of country ; but it is still the same in one 
respect—it is a trout stream. Everyone who has been accustomed 
to frequent the banks of such a stream needs not to be reminded 
how, in a great many instances, trout of any size are rare. The 
stream may be replenished by the introduction of other and better 
breeds, and although this undoubtedly does good, it is necessary 
that other things be equal, or the result often discourages rather 
than otherwise, a matter on which I shall have more to say in my 
and can testify to the destruction that may be wrought with such a deadly engine when 
in improper hands. In private or enclosed waters the matter is now fortunately very different, 
and several good stiff penalties have beenimposed. The case then becomes one of stealing, 
as the following from one of our newspapers will shew :—'' Fish Stealing.—A case has just 
been decided which settles the question as to the nature of the offence of taking fish from 
private ponds, A chimney-sweep from Brec1in was charged before Sheriff Robertson at 
Forfar on Monday with having stolen a fish from a private pond on the Aldbar Estate. 
Evidence was given shewing that the accused had been detected coming from the pond 
with a fishing-rod, and a trout of over two pounds was found in his possession. It was 
stated that the proprietor had stocked it with trout for his own private use and for sport. 
The Sheriff said that the case involved a curious point inlaw. Under some circumstances, 
a person found fishing for trout could not be charged with theft; but amid the cir- 
cumstances connected with the particular case, anyone who caught fish in the pond 
without the proprietor's sanction committed theft in the same way as if he stole the trout 
trom a bowl. As the accused was ignorant of the law a modified penalty of ten shillings, 
with the option of seven days’ imprisonment, would be imposed.” Parties whose private 
fish ponds are robbed by fish stealers should press for a heavy: penalty so that the evil may 
be nipped in the bud ‘ 
