ers," which run up to cast their spawn on gravelly places. Of the three more regular haunts of trouts we have already alluded to the two extremes,—the clear and rocky, the suffused and muddy. It now remains to shew those grounds on which the intermediate class may justly claim precedence, and here we shall also follow the footsteps of the skilful and observant T. T. S.

"The Tweed," observes our ingenious Scottish Angler, "comparing it with the other Scottish rivers, is by no means rapid. The Dee, the Spey, the Lochie, and many parts of the Tay and Clyde, proceed with greater swiftness, and, on the whole, are infinitely more broken and interrupted. Of all rivers, this quality belongs solely to it, namely, that it is from head to foot beautifully proportioned and justly meted out. There is an evenness and impartiality about it which distinguish no other stream,its pools and shallows are harmoniously arranged.

"It murmurs and pauses, and murmurs again. Here we perceive no rocky shelves, no impertinent cataracts, saying to ascending fish, "hitherto shalt thou come, and no farther; and here shall thy proud fins be stayed." Nothing of the kind. Nor is there, on the other hand, any inert tendency; no long, dead, sleeping levels, in which pike may secure themselves. The whole is planned according to an angler's taste, every inch of water accessible to the wader, without danger or interruption. Its banks, also, are in keeping with its other advantages, not naked and barren, neither spongy and overgrown with rushes, nor yet crowded with close

and impervious wood, but mostly dry and inviting, fringed in many parts with oak, ash, elm, and beech, and in others hung over with the pleasant alder, among the roots of which is often harboured a goodly and well-grown trout, impatient for some dropping fly or incautious worm. Most to our favour, however, is its choice formation of bottom or channel, fertile in food, provided with shelter, and admirably fitted to the purpose of spawning. A medley it is of gravel and sand, interspersed with largeish stones, just capable of being removed by the hand. Now and then, it is true, these latter assume more considerable dimensions; nay, occasionally, a point of rock may be discovered, yet so judiciously arranged as not at all to cause prejudice to any one stream. Clay you seldom meet with, it is a barren unprofitable substance, impervious to every species of water animalculæ ; we mean not by it, the muddy refuse which is often found even in Tweed, proceeding from vegetable decomposition, and not in the least unfavourable to the support of fish, but that hard yellowish till of which the agriculturist complains, as drawing off no moisture, and harbouring no nourishment.

"Another leading feature of the Tweed is, that its whole development is gradual, its extension almost imperceptible. It proceeds not-like the Tay or Lochie from the womb of a large reservoir, supplied but scantily during its course, but commences in more modest and humble style, emergent from slender and silvery fountains, without show or vaunt, or any symbol of its progressive greatness.

Yet anon it maketh considerable gains from surrounding hills, assuming a more dilated and goodly aspect; rivulet after rivulet adds to its breadth, as it widens up gently and unconsciously with the valley through which it flows: nor is each petty feeder without its use, a nursery for the young fry, it annually sends forth, shoal on shoal, to disport among roomier waters in the leading stream. As it descends, these resources become larger, often contending for the precedence, and yet in nowise worthy of such distinction. The Tweed itself preserves the superiority in depth and directness, as well as length of course and travel.”*

Let this suffice as a short discursive sketch of the different characters which streams and rivers bear in reference to the Angler's art.

Our much loved lochs need not detain us long. The chief delight of this enchanting sport is the immeasurable sweep of unrestricted surface which we there command, and the prevailing freedom from close-incumbering trees, sharp rocks, old roots, and fiercely foaming waters. The ability to throw a lengthened line is here required, but less nicety perhaps is needful in the casting, the great point being to fish over the whole surface within one's reach, rather than-as in the river courses-to attain with nicety some special spot,

"Where low submerged the princely salmon lies."

The more uniform surface of a lake, and the greater

* Stoddart's Art of Angling, p. 4.