390 TROUT AND ANGLING. 



should go farther, and call the average much less 

 even in the best day's fishing, if every trout, great 

 and small is " basketed," for it all depends upon 

 the number of those that are rejected and returned 

 to the stream. 



This is one of the brooks that does not suffer by 

 a mill, that which is upon it, but now in decay, 

 being so near the outlet from the pond as to be no 

 impediment to the course of the fish towards their 

 cold-spring haunts, neither do they incline to pen- 

 etrate into the still and warmer waters of the pond ; 

 but prefer invariably to spawn in the gravelly shal- 

 lows of the running "water, for which it is so re- 

 markably adapted. In fact, to all frequenters of 

 the Cape, it has been for generations, renowned 

 for the purity and coolness of the waters, the abun- 

 dance of shelters, the size and plenty offish, and 

 indeed for every quality that constitutes a most 

 perfect trout-stream, with the single exception of 

 its being, from its wild state, unfavorable to the use 

 of the artificial fly. 



Since we have mentioned worms as a bait, and 

 not remembering to have seen any direction for 

 the process of what is called scouring, it may not 

 be amiss to introduce it here ; for if they are used 

 at all, they are much improved by the operation, 

 both as it respects their being cleaner and more 

 lively. 



