illiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiirifl iri "Lixi inxnrtxtr [[[{[[[[[tuiiiniiinii. IStllimtH LttEEtLtitl-XlLitt iiiiiiH^^ A V/Tl HARVARD UNIVERSITY. LIBRARY OF THE MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY GIFT OF k^ ^JlJ>\ tL,oJL:^y^^ 0^ 1^^^. K ^£u^ht£t^Pt^%^ FEB 2 1936 MA 'Pfj 1p(j^ <«(? :fSI r-r^ ■'■n ^*^.^^i^ «i4^ :^ 4 s '-jy ;,f^||i,rw£? .^Clla B m $d^^..^r ^'- ~^ London, Pu.'b]isliea"hyIl-^c3»imaim,19I.Ilegent Street. 1841 MCZ LIBRARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY CAMBRIDGE. MA USA THE FLY^-FISHER'S TEXT-BOOK. CONTENTS. CHAPTEIl. PAGE, I. THE ANGLER'S PLEASURES 1 n. OF BOOKS ON ANGLING 5 THE ANGLER'S OUTFIT 7 SIEBE'S WEIGHING MACHINE, ivith an illuitration .. 8 - GUT 9 SALMON GUT 11 TROUT GUT 12 -^ REEL LINES 12 SALMON REEL LINES 13 TROUT REEL LINES 14 REELS l.** GAFF 17 LANDING NET 18 CLEARING RING, AND ROD SCYTHE 19 TWISTING MACHINE 20 THE FLY-FISHER'S DRESS 21 WADING BOOTS, with an illustration 22 III. FLY RODS 23 COLOUR OF RODS 24 TOP JOINTS 26 SPLICED TOPS 27 WHALEBONE TIPS 28 ASH OR WILLOW BUTS 29 HOLLOW BUTS 30 THE GROOVE AND RING ^1 SPLICED RODS 32 ELASTICITY OF RODS, ivi 'Jia. li is the identical representation of a spot we shall, perhaps, get at to-morrow) ; suppose you wish to throw to A, while standing on the projecting point THROWING AMONGST TREES. 127 B, which is backed on all sides by high trees : to throw up or down the river, to your left or right, is easy enough; but how will you throw straight before you ? You cannot effect it in the ordinary method; because the trees behind will surely entangle your fly. It is done thus : first throw down the river towards d; and, while your line is well stretched, bringing it thence with a spring round in front, towards and then over your left, and behind your back to the right, and at the same time turning your body to face a, throw forwards towards that spot. You must, of course, form but a very close small circle with the pomt of your rod, as e f b, otherwise the sweep of the line backwards will be too great, and you will get " hung up." The spring of the rod in both in- stances should be given at about the same point, e; and, provided you can avoid touching the trees at k, with a moderate length of line you will effect your object without doubt. If the stream runs the other way, you have but to reverse the rule. To give you confidence, try this without a hook under a tree in a field, some day; but it requires great command of muscle. Here is another difficulty and perhaps the greatest you can have to encounter. It requires most perfect power over the rod, and consequently the extreme of practice. The bushes are here (Fig. 22) supposed to be thick behind you, and at inter- 12S THROWING AMONG TREES. Fig. 22. A ^"'^~' A %22, vals to overhang the bank : though you cannot throw at all if they project further than half the length of your rod, and though I cannot suggest any plan that would enable you to throw to a , be- cause they do project that much, and because of the trees behind ; if, instead of throwing with the rod held perpendictdarly, as in the ordinary manner, you can go through the motions I first prescribed, holding your rod horizontally over the river, and directly pointing to the opposite bank, you will be enabled to throw a short line anywhere up or down the stream. Herb. — But would not the surface of the water prevent the circle of the point of the rod you described ? Theojih, — I must not forget to mention that long before you ought to attempt these difficulties, vou will be able to avoid whipping ofFfties, though instead of a semi-circle and straight line, you form an entire but much elongated ellipsis with the point of your rod ; and thus it is, you are THROWING UNDER TREES. 129 enabled to throw, as I have just related, with so limited a space between it and the surface of the water. Throwing under Trees, and how to Disentangle the Tackle. Occasions will also frequently require a throw under branches hanging within two yards, or even one, of the water, " Would you lure From his dark haunt beneath the tangled roots Of pendant trees, the monarch of the brook." This, well performed, is an admirable sight, and often excites the praise of less practised fishers. Yet it is after all not so very difficult, with a little bold practice ; nor when the first dread of entan- glement is conquered. To this latter end, I have often pointed out to you the necessity of being accompanied, at the river's side, by Colman's '* angler's friend," to disengage the fly from trees on the angler's side — while the common folding brass clearing ring, and a long strong hempen line, come into use on the opposite bank. But should entanglement take place, in eight times out of ten, neither is required — nothing but O'Connell's delight, agitation ! agitation ! In other words, when this mishap happens to myself, the first thing I do is to lay down my rod, and taking hold of the line, gently to tug and shake it, till (if success attends me) the fly drops oft'. K 130 THROWING UNDER TREES. If this fail, I use one or other of my instruments. Remember you should never attempt to disengage the fly by " striking" with the rod. Having digressed thus far and " hung you up," I had better give you all the advice I can to release your line from the tree, and yourself from the subject. It frequently happens that in raising the fly and line off" the waters, or casting towards them, some spiteful detestable gale carries the one into the lower and the other into the upper part of a large bush ; so that a double entangle- ment takes place. " Agitation" becomes impos- sible, and cutting away the branch where the hook attaches alone, comparatively useless, from the difficulty of releasing the other parts of the line. Here, either by the " angler's friend," or by the pocket hatchet, you must first cut the branch where the hook is ; and if the fly continue still attached thereto, then get hold of the branch somehow or other, either by the "angler's friend," by your gaff" hook, or by cutting another, — a hooked sticked. If the fly detaches itself from its first lodgment and floats afar off" in the air, before you proceed to anything else, cut a long stick, leaving a few twigs about its upper end ; with this reach the fly, and, twisting it about, entangle the fly in the stick, so as to be able to draw the fly towards you, meanwhile leaving the line sufficiently loose from the end of the rod for THROWING UNDER TREES. 131 the purpose. Having once hold of the fly, take it off the loop of the line, and you may then quietly draw the line by the rod from out the bush. Should you have, in trout fishing, many flies on, I pity you ; for your hopes of escape are few indeed, except by the sharp edge of the hatchet ; though even then the foregoing hints may assist you. As to entanglement on the oppo- site side of the river; — in throwing under bushes, provided the throw be proper, that is, with much skill and no unnecessary force, even should it touch the bush, it is ten to one but that it will shake or fall from it again without catching ; whereas, if the fly be cast with violence, so that, except for the bush, it would " hit" the water, it will, the moment the line touches the branch, double itself upon it, and there to a certainty remain, and the clearing ring is the only remedy. But to return to the subject we were upon, viz. throwing under bushes, should you be standing at the water's level throwing a long line, and the bush be a yard or more above the water, the fly will seldom touch, even in the ordinary mode of throwing : but if you stand on a high bank, fishing short, and the bushes close, you must adopt another course. I must first explain to you that if the branch, under which you desire to throw, lie to the left, you must then throw on the principle of fig. 14 (ante), and if it lie on your right, K 2 132 THROWING UNDER BUSHES. 3'^ou must reverse your throw as in fig. 16 (id). Whichever way it be, the backward motion of the rod is the same as in common throwing, and instead of causing the point to describe the straight line m e h (fig. 14 and 16), in its pro- gress forwards, it must be depressed outwards almost horizontally ; and as the line unfolds itself towards the spot aimed at, it must be watched well, and if it seem likely to catch the branches, the rod, by being gently drawn back about a foot still nearer the surface of the water, will probably guide the fly to its destination, and at all events avoid the danger. I may tell you, that, provided you have plenty of clear space behind, you may reach under bushes by throwing horizontally, as though you wanted to "touch up" the off fore- leg of the ofi' leader in the four-in-hand ; and it is then the best plan, especially where the bush lies on your own side of the stream and at your left. I observe that Col. Hawker recommends the use of the left hand when the wind blows very strong directly across from the right ; but I do not con- ceive it to be of the least advantage, because, by throwing backwards over the right and forwards over the left shoulder, as in fig. 16 (ante) the same effect is produced, as I have just told you. However, it would be no inconvenience to prac- tise with the left hand, if it were merely as a temporary relief to the right. And it is abso- THROWING UNDER BUSHES. 133 lutely essential, when you attempt some of the difficult throws I have just mentioned ; thus, for instance, if you require the horizontal throw be- tween bushes (as in fig. 22), to be made from left to right, your right hand being inapt at throwing backwards, or back-handed, your left must be called into service. So, if you desire to throw under bushes which lie at the right on the same side as that on which you are fish- ing, you may be sometimes better able to effect the object by using the left in lieu of the right hand ; and especially when the throw under the bush is to be horizontally performed. There is a hint which may be serviceable to you upon this branch of the art, not to be omitted. It is of a plan very troublesome, it must be admitted, as it entails the necessity of " gathering up" your fly at every throw : yet if you do not mind that, you may find it of universal use in difficult wooded stations, provided a short line will content you, and your rod be capable of being wielded by one hand. The plan is, preparatory to each throw, to hold the hook between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand ; then, by waving the rod about backwards or forwards, from right to left, or however will best suit the object (a thing I leave to your practice and discretion), to get the line well on the swing, and the moment you feel you can thereby communicate a sufficient 134 THROWING UNDER BUSHES. impetus to the fly, release it from your fingers, and cast forwards to the spot intended. Very much, with industry, is to be achieved by this manoeuvre. Understanding, then, these principles, practice and industry in the art, must do the remainder. I can say no more upon this subject, save that you should never forget to calculate upon the effect the wind may have, in trying these experiments among trees, and if it be ad- verse, the attempt had better be abandoned. I shall conclude my observations on throwing the fly among trees, with the advice, always to be bold, bearing in mind, that " Preferment seldom graceth bashfulness." But " the lights of the chamber burn low." " The silent hours steal on, And flaky darkness breaks within the East." As we must be up with the lark — and as I have troubled you already enough with this dry subject, — and have still too much to teach, to crowd it into this night's colloquy ; let us now say good night, and go to dream 'of the morrow's hopes and fears, " Pack night, peep day ; good day, of night now borrow. Short night, to-night; and length thyself to-morrow." Remember six. 135 orftaptet* YfMlk. THE AIITIIOK, TAKING TYRO TO HIS FIRST ESSAY, DETAILETH TO HIM, BY THE WAV, HIS RECIPE FOR PRESERVING TROLLING LINES. AND OTHERWISE ENTERTAINETH HIM. Scene. — At first, the Path leading to the River. — After- wards — The Rector's Pool, Llanrwst. Time.— -Early Morning. Personages. — Theophilus and Herbert. Theoph. — I AM furnished for the fight. Herb. — And so am I Rod together — reel on — line through rings, and gut-line affixed — Im- patiently I wait for you. Theoph. — Let me examine your " artillery," as Frank says. All right : — I see you have prac- tised splicing your top and joint together according to my directions. Bravo, closely, and neatly done ! but you must tie your other joints together by the hitch ers, else one part may chance to reach the sea before the other ! Here are pieces of silk braid, as fine as netting silk, which I keep 136 THEOPHILUS AND TYRO SET OUT. for the purpose. Make a knot at one end of each, and catch it under one hitcher on each joint ; if you wind these round the joints when you come home at night, they will last you through the season. As I can hardly admit it to be a matter of little moment, let me tell you I am glad to find you happen to have put the reel on the right way ; namely, with the handle towards the right, when the reel lies under the rod. I allude to it because I observe that the two joint authors of Derbyshire, have differed upon the subject, and, like those who quarrelled about the chameleon, it happens, "They both are right, tho' both are wrong;" the one, because the winding up should be per- formed with the right hand ; while in his plan it must be performed with the left : and the other because his, of holding the rod keeping reel uppermost, is an unnatural position for it; the line is more chaffed, and also has, in case of wet, an inclination to cling : or else he would imply that, to wind up, it is requisite to turn the rod so as to bring the reel upwards, which is not the manner m which it is retained while throwing. What have you done with your spare tops. Hej^b. — One is in-doors, the other in the hollow but. Theoph. — Leave both at home ; you are not RECIPE FOR PRESERVING TROLLING LINES. I 37 going very far ; and let us hope for no breakages to start with. Besides, carrying it in the but not only spoils it, but gives an unpleasant rattle, and feeling of " all-not-rightishness" to the rod in throwing. Herb. — First let me look at your line ; — pre- pared, I see ; — the very thing I wished to ask you about. What is the process? Theoph. — This, you will note, is properly a trolling-line of the best description ; eight-strand platted silk, of its natural yellow colour. I have promised to try it for a friend, as a salmon fly- line, but having done so, cannot approve of it so highly for that purpose, as of the unprepared silk and hair twisted ; it throws rather too heavy. The preparation of it is certainly most excellent — the best I know, not excepting that which the tackle-makers adopt, who, by the bye, I believe, charge but a penny a-yard for preparing them. V Recipe for Preserving and Stiffening Trolling Lines, To a quarter of a pint of " double-boiled cold- drawn" linseed oil, add about one ounce of gold size. Gently warm and mix them well, being first careful to have the line quite dry. While the mixture is warm, soak it therein till it is fully saturated to its very centre, say for twenty- four hours. Then pass it through a piece of 138 RECIPE FOR PRESERVING TROLLING LINES. flannel, pressing it sufficiently to take off the superficial coat, which enables that which is in the interior to dry well, and in time to get stiff. The line must then be hung up in the air, wind, or sun, out of the reach of moisture, for about a fortnight, till pretty well dry. It must then be re-dipped, to give an outer coat, for which less soaking is necessary : after this, wipe it again but lightly ; wind it on a chair-back or towel-horse before a hot fire, and there let it remain for two or three hours, which will cause the mixture on it to *' flow" (as japanners term it), and give an even gloss over the whole. It must then be left to dry as before ; the length of time, as it depends on the weather and place, observation must determine upon. By this means it becomes impervious to wet, and sufficiently stiff never to clog or entangle, — the oil producing the former quality, and the gold size (which is insoluble in water), the latter ; while the com- mixture prevents the size becoming too hard and stiff. A troUing-line should be thus dressed every season at least. Herb. — How exhilirating is this scene, so varied, so ever-varying with each hour. Big Galtyvoel, which, as I came here yesterday, blushed with the roseate gaze of the declining western sun, now seems wrapt in shady sleep ; while on our right, the towering wood-crowned CAMoRiOGE. MA USA THE rector's pool, llanrwst. 139 Gwydyr cliff, then looking awfully majestic in its gloom, is smiling and gay as a blushing bride. Theoph. — We shall fish at its base for at least a mile up the river. The vapours of night still hang like gauzy veils about it. " Bright shines the sun," just now, of a truth ; yet there'll be rain before long to a certainty. Look to those towering mountainous clouds to windward, and that thin black horizontal streak across them, threatening a storm,— rain to a certainty ! " Hurrah for the sou'-west wind To the angler it ne'er comes unkind, Though it pours and it blows, Still on fishing he goes, Hurrah ! for the sou'-west wind !" Already the morning begins to assume " The uncertain glory of an April day, Which now shows all the beauty of the sun, And by and bye a cloud takes all away." Leap the gate on the right into the field, and before us is the Rector's Pool. Here let us take breath and admire the picturesque rectory, backed by the town, and the far-famed Llanrwst Bridge, built by Inigo Jones. 'Tis said, by the way, to be his masterpiece ! and, strange as it may seem, a stout thrust of the body against one side of the parapet, causes the whole structure so to shake, that its vibration is readily felt by a person leaning against the opposite parapet ; hence it is some- times denominated the " shakino; bridofc." 140 THE RECTORS POOL, Herb, — And is its contiguity to the rector's house the only reason for the name you assign to this pool ; or are we indebted to the rector for permission to fish here without danger of the lock-up? Theoph. — Your first bolt was nearer the mark ; and I know no other reason for its name, save, that it is as bountiful and generous, in fit and proper seasons, as the worthy rector himself. We are free to fish it, the property around belonging to my Lord Willoughby d'Eresby. It is a good pool for fish, when there is plenty of wind '' the blue wave to curl ;" and this you may bear in mind, with respect to all pools, that you may spare yourself the labour of throwing on them, unless there be a good ripple, or else a good fresh water. Hei^b. — Let me understand your definition of a pool. Theoph. — I make this distinction of waters in reference to salmon-fishing. A pool is a long, deep, and broad part of the waters, with very little rapidity of motion, — comparatively still : a stream is moderately swift, yet deep ; a rapid is still more swift or rushing, and sometimes not above five or six feet deep ; and a shallow may speak for itself, since it is of no use to us as salmon -fishers. The breeze is with us this morn- ing ; so I shall just try here before I do anything with you, as you would only frighten the fish on THE rector's pool. 141 your first essay. So lay your gut-line in the water to soak meanwhile. It is this little brook on our left, and the rector's garden-wall on the right, which constitute the boundaries of the pool. There is capital fishing below, from the garden; but leave that for the worthy rector's private use, for the present. It is ground strictly private, and not to be entered upon but by express leave or invitation. Besides, I owe him especial courtesy in this respect, for having run away with a goodly fish which he might almost have reckoned his own. 'Twas a memorable event, happening in the year , the day before I packed off to London, at the close of my season. I had been out just above here, to the Quay Stream, "to cast along and lingering look behind," or rather " to cast a long and lingering line before." There I rose and struck a glorious fellow ; but it was with a hi'oken hook ! and all I saw of my supposed last fish of that year, was thirty-six inches length of bright solid flesh arching a leap of some six yards diameter as, in his joy, he escaped me. In despair I wound up my reel-line, and deposited gut and fly in my pocket, as I thought for the season. In my way home I called on my worthy friend the rector, to say " good-bye," and a good- bye it proved, for, after much persuasion, he induced me to throw down yon pool from his garden-wall, where he had raised a fish twice the 142 THE RECTORS POOL. day before. I thought it was of no use, for the wind was lulled, the sun was bright, and the leaves were thick in the river as autumnal gales could make them. The river, however, was high and full. Still he pressed ; and, at last out came gut- line. Again, the salmon's knell, my whizzing- reel, gladdened my ears, and straight fell my aerial fly upon the pool : once, twice, I threw in vain ; but " Though twice in vain, Thrice did gain." A heavy swell was seen — my rod flew back — my line was stretched ! yes, I had a monstrous sal- mon! at least a monster here. Having hooked him under such disadvantages, with so much luck, and so unexpectedly, I determined to lose nothing which good fortune had given me, and to maintain my advantage, if cool skill and patience could avail me. To describe his manoeuvres, his rush- ings, tuggings, sulkings, shakes, and leaps ; my slackings, stonings, lowerings, casings, with all my final deadly strain, would occupy us the time the battle lasted, full forty-five minutes ; so let them pass. As you perceive, the height of the wall and the tree at the end of it would neither permit me to reach him with the gafl", nor pass my line and rod and self down to the watering- place below. So seeing my friend Llewellyn crossing the bridge for his evening's cast, I hailed THE rector's pool. 143 him to my assistance. He came and stood in the watering-place below ; and I above. He, deceived in his low position as to the weight and size of the fish, kept teazing me, " Press him in, sir ; press him; he's not above eight or nine pounds; you'll never land him ;" and I retorting, " I see the fish, I hold the rod;" and 'twas well I did, he con- fessed. 'Twas Llanrwst fair, and folks were in plenty about the town, and a hundred or more were now witnessing the sport, many for the first time in their lives. At last, after trying his pa- tience and exercising my own, round to Llewellyn I brought my fish. True to its work went the tempered insidious gaff, and out on shore, for the first time since its birth, shone the silvery scales of the glorious prize ; out came the weighing-ma- chine ; down went the pointer to eighteen pounds ! " Eh ! what a saumon ! — hurrah !" sang the crowd. "Thanks," thought I; and off I marched in triumph at having caught so goodly a fish, and at having gratified so many in the act. 144 (tf)Siptev ItX* THE Al'THOR CONTINIFETII HIS INSTRUCTIONS BY THE KIVER SIDE THE HEAR- ING OF FISHES THE AUTHOR THROWETH HIS LINE AND CATCHETH A SALMON ANTIQUARIUS COMMUNICATETH TO THE AUTHOR THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PARR THE AUTHOR DISCOURSETH ON SALMON-FISHING, AND THE HABITS OF THE SALMON HOOKUTH A FISH, AND LOSETH HIM. Scene. — The Rector's Pool Llanrwst; — as before. Theoph, — That you may not lose the slightest hint which circumstances afford, I should mention that a fish certainly does look much less in water, than out, when viewed in an oblique direction. While fishing on a level of the water, I have, on two or three occasions, supposed fish of 131bs. to 1 5lbs. not to weigh more than 61bs. to 71bs. ; and I can thus easily account for Llewellyn's being so easily deceived. At the same time I advise you, when recounting losses of fish, rather to under than over-rate their proportions ! The honour of our craft demands this ! For there are indeed too many who view with horror the out- coming of that tale-teller, the Weighing Machine ! At the same time, bear in mind that if I had lost HEARING OF FISHES. l45 that fish, it would have been only ''8 or 91bs ," though catching him added lOlbs. to his weight ! ! Therefore don't be illiberal to your fellow sports- man. Now hide yourself from the water behind these alders,* while I fish it. I imagine you need hardly be told, that the less the angler himself, even, is visible, the greater his chance : and what is of almost equal importance, the less noise or movement, especially heavy treading, we make about the ground, the more are the odds against us reduced. //er3.- -What, then, do you think that fishes have ears ? Theoph. — My own observation assuredly leads me to conclude that they have, to a certain ex- tent, the sense of hearing, or something equiva- lent to it ; although some anatomists class them almost at " Zero," in the scale of animal perfection in that respect. I v.as lately induced to ask the opinion of my late esteemed friend. Sir Anthony Carlisle, on this subject, and T will now give you his observations in his'own words, which, coming from so eminent an anatomist, must be most valuable. Hearing of Fishes. " The organs of hearing in fishes," said he, * These bushes have been much cut since this dialogue occurred, and tlie fishing in this pool has been rendered easier, and the taking fish more precarious in consequence, until time shall have restored them to their pristine grandeur ! 146 HEARING OF FISHES. " have been known to anatomists for more than two hundred years. They are especially con- structed for receiving sounds in water, and for repeating those limited vibrations which pass through water ; while the organs of hear hi g in animals, which live in air, are adapted to that medium ; and those of amphibious creatures, are fitted for both elements. Insects appear to feel the vibratory motions termed sounds, with the instruments called antennae or horns. Sounds are only modifications of vibratory motions, but these are liable to unlimited variations, as exemplified by music. " The organs of hearing are in all creatures ordained to afford them information respecting the movements of distant objects, but those per- ceptions (as well as the sense of seeing) are with- held from stationary beings, such as trees, be- cause the evidences of hearing and seeing are only serviceable to moving or roving creatures. " The mechanical structure of the organs of hearing in fishes is more simple than in aerial animals. The sounds which especially affect the welfare of fishes, are those which occur in their own element, such as the rushings or concussions of waters, the attrition of stones or sand, or the movement of aquatic creatures, whether their natural enemies, or their prey. For these essen- tial purposes, the ears of fishes are repeaters of HEARING OF FISHES, 147 aquatic vibrations, and a peculiar enamel-like detached bone is placed in the middle of the nervous expansion of their hearing organ, and appointed to repeat those rattling noises which prove equal warnings in the dark, as when it is daylight. These auditory bones are readily found in the middle cavity of a cod's or whiting's skull : they are tooth-like in texture, with a pearly whiteness, and so brittle as to break on attempting to bend them. The construction of these ossicles is perfectly adapted for their in- tended uses, viz, that of responding to the vibra- tions of similar substances. " It is a vulgar error to suppose that sounds are necessarily dependant on air, since they are known to be better conducted through the medium of metallic bodies, or even water: and the human ears may be rendered aquatic instru- ments by plunging the head under water in a warm bath, when any conversation, or the airs from musical instruments, may be heard distinctly, although the outward ears had been filled with water, and the nostrils closed for the occasion. " Anthont Carlisle." In the preface to Julius Wolff's Treatise on the use of auscultation and percussion, &c. &c.. Sir Anthony has also in the following language fur- ther instructed us. " This beautiful adaptation of l2 148 HEARING OF FISHES. the exact portion of sonorous intelligence be- stowed on fishes by the construction of their organs of hearing, is, amongst endless other exam- ples, a proof of the exact but yet sufficient pro- vidence or protection afforded to inhabitants of the waters. There is an especial sac of calcareous pulp given to skates and some other cartilaginous fishes, in the place of dense ossicle ; — apparently intended to respond to the movements of sand and muddy strata, on which they are doomed to exist. And it is remarkable that the sturo-eon has its auditory ossicle, consisting partly of hard sub- stances, and partly of calcareous pulp. In the whale tribe, aerial thunder issues from their lungs, and the booming of their voices is well adapted to convey intelligence of distances to each other, when parted by ice-islands ; while their organs of hearing, adapted by filling the tympanum with water, become hydrophonic organs, and tell the distant collision of stones, of rocks, and icebergs." Her^b. — If fishes hear — if these philosophical investigations of so eminent an anatomist are to be regarded, what becomes of Mr. Eonalds' ex- periment .'' . Thecpli. — In a work called "The Catalogue, &c. of the Royal College of Surgeons, vol. 3, pt. ], p. 135, et seq. (which also contains Sir A. C.'s ideas, together with drawings of several kinds of these ossicles), is to be found a paper HEARING OF FISHES. 149 upon the same subject by John Hunter, in which, after saying, "as it is evident that' fishes possess the organ of hearing, it becomes unnecessary to make or relate any experiment made with living fishes which only tends to prove the fact," he mentions the same experiment as that of Mr. Ronalds, tried by himself with an equal degree of caution in all the minutiae, and the result was quite the reverse. The fish were much frightened by the report of his gun ! Ronalds' trout might have heard, though it remained stationary, and although I may remark that in the one case the fish was in running water, and probably not near the bed of the river, and in the other in a still pond and near the mud, I will not further attempt to reconcile the conflicting parties, or say whose opinion is entitled to more respect ! leaving j/ow to judge for yourself. Herb. — But do you think the mere human voice in conversation can reach fishes ? Theoph. — Tisvery hard to say, and a very dif- ficult subject for experiment ; for if a fish moves he may have seen, and if he stays he may still have heard. I have often seen a huge stone thrown at, almost on, a fish, without his noticing it, and witnessed other occasions on which a pin's head would startle him. It has been implied by anatomists that their hearing is limited to a few tones, and that they have no interest in aerial affairs 150 HEARING OF FISHES. beyond visible impression, and thence, because fishes are destitute of voice, they could not hear the human voice. However the conclusion may be at all events I dispute the " because" from which it is deduced. For many have the power, fre- quently exercised, of uttering oral sound, call it voice, or by any other name. Carp and other fish we often hear " chewing the cud," as it were, on a fine evening. Lobsters and crabs, when immersed alive in boiling water, utter shrill and piercing cries ; and the gurnet expires in the boat amidst most melancholy and plaintive groans. Remember also that the human voice is only heard by us by means of the vibrations it causes in the air. But there is this curious anomaly brought against the doctrine of fishes hearing, that Thames anglers in a punt are more boisterous and noisy while enjoying good sport, than while they sit dispirited and quiet through bad. This, however, only proves that the fish are not finghteiied or deterrxd from eating, not that they are " hard of hearing." I am convinced by my own observation, of one thing, namely, that fish can hear, or feel, almost every footstep which falls near them ; and, therefore, I would have fishermen tread as lightly as possible about the banks of a river ; and, above all things, never jump, where they expect to find fish. One opportunity, among fifty otherS; of making obser- HEARING OF FISHES. 151 vations inducing this caution, I may as well men- tion to you. One fine day passing by a noted hole in this river, called "the well," or "steep bank pool," where the bank is precipitous, and then had an altitude of about eleven feet above the surface of the river, while the water in the hole might be about the same depth, I laid myself flat down on my stomach at right angles with the stream, my eyes only being extended over the edge of the bank, in order to watch the salmon. There were in the hole six or eight, varying from eight to twenty pounds. They floated and swam quietly about, sometimes far out, and sometimes close under the bank where 1 lay. After a while, when any came near it, and in order to see the effect it would produce, I kicked with the toe of my heavy shoe upon the ground; and simulta- neously those fish suddenly darted off', evidently alarmed or disturbed. After a while they would return, and I repeated the experiment with a similar result, three or four times. IS^ow, this can hardly be supposed to have arisen from a sense of hearing, in the ordinary acceptation of the words, little or no sound being emitted by a blow of such a nature upon a soft clayey soil as it was. It was concussion, or vibration, and nothing else, beyond doubt : and therefore, when beside a river, my advice is, glide along as quietly as possible ; and also, that you may the less attract 152 COURAGE OF FISHES. their visual observatioiij let all the motions of your body, as much as possible be of the same "ghostly" order.* Herb. — Your own experiment, backed as it is by the authorities you mention, convinces me upon this subject. Henceforth, depend on it, I will be quiet as a cat watching a mouse. But tell me : I suppose you esteem the salmon a shy fish. Is it more so than the trout ? Theoph. — Why, really, I cannot say ; there is no great difference between them and other large fish, in that particular. A pike is a bold fish if he happen not to see you ; but let the shadow of your little finger fail within his angle of vision, which is much more extensive than ours, and he's off like a shot. So, if a salmon happens to catch a glimpse of you, he lies like a stone in the deepest hole. If, therefore, any one be with you as companion, or assistant, while fly-fishing, bid him take it as no offence, if you desire him to keep out of sight: for unthinking persons are too apt to conclude that because they cannot see the fish, there is no danger of the fish seeing them. But it is a truism in optics, long since well-known and very prettily exemplified by Mr. Ronalds, in * See further on tbe hearing of fishes, " Nollet on the Hearing of Fishes." Mem. Fr. Acad. vol. 1 (1743), p. 199. " Anderson on the same subject," ib. (1748) p. 149. "Hunter on the same," Phil. Tran, (1782) p. 39. OPTICS OF FISHES. 153 the " Flj-Fisher's Entomology," that by the refraction of the rays of light passing through the water, a fish lying under a bank, which inter- venes and almost prevents you seeing the surface even of the water immediately over him, can per- ceive you most distinctly. This is too well known to require me to explain " the why and where- fore ;" so if you are afraid of exposing your ignorance by asking me more concerning it, look at Mr. Ronalds' work, and there you will learn all you need ; or else, any popular work on optics, will tell you. Herb. — Now, my friend, let one of us begin fishing ; for I long to see a salmon ashore. Theoph. — Patience, patience ! Don't you see the " sun shines high and bright." It would be most imprudent to make even one cast just now : especially as there are clouds coming up, which will, every now and then, screen his rays. As a general rule, no " surface fish " will rise at a fly during sunshine. Some suppose (and perhaps very properly) that this is because they see the angler, or his rod and line, too plainly, or are, by the superior light, able to detect that the bait offered is merely artificial. But I am not quite satisfied that this is the true or sole reason, though scarcely quite prepared to offer a better ; since these phenomena are still occupying my deepest attention. The rays of the sun, or the absence 154 WEATHER FOR FISHING. of them, seem to be more sensibly felt passing through water than air; and I am thinking, the inclination to motion in fishes, is immediately affected by their presence. Every fly-fisher has remarked how very rarely, by comparison, trout rise, either in sport or at flies, while the sun shines bright and scorching: and it is said to have been observed by good swimmers, that if their companion merely move the shadow of a hat over their bodies, while they are under water during the feat of diving, so as to intercept the sun's rays, a most sudden and sensible chill on their bodies ensues. The heat of the sun's rays I believe to be inimical to fishes' activity, and this will at once account for their predilection for sha- dowed banks and screening stones during bright sunshine. I recollect taking, many years back, one or two dozen fine roach and dace, on a hot bright day, by thrusting a flat-ended landing-net between the much-worn boarding which main- tained the banks of the Thames near Kingston. I first observed them to be regularly packed, side by side, like horses at a fair, their heads in the shade, and tails protruding into light. How fond perch are of getting under barges, and trout, under the boarding of weirs or mill-tails, evidently avoiding the fight and heat. We had best, there- fore, only fish while HAUNTS OF FISHES. 155 '' Hapiy o'er the shaded sun Passes a cloud ;" and avail ourselves of sunshine for gossip and instruction, or for eating our " snack," or repairing damages. Herb. — Well, then, here is a fine shady syca- more, w^here the ground seems tolerably dry ; let us sit down till the cloud comes ; and, tell me, is it with salmon as with trout, that they take up a certain station in the river, and there remain during the season as in their castle? Theoph. — Most assuredly not. A trout, as you observe, always affects a given haunt. During summer he will lie by a particular weed or stone, and is always to be found there ; or, during winter, he lies in a particular hole : and if driven away, is almost sure to return after a while : you may as well try to induce a minister to vacate office, as attempt to rout him out. In February, 1839, I was trolling with a large gudgeon and gorge -hook for pike, in the waters of an excellent friend of mine, near Uxbridge, .and having a " run," gave full fifteen minutes' law for digestion; then I struck ; and, after a vigorous tussle, found I had a goodly trout, of about four or five pounds. It being out of season, I determined to release him ; which, as he had not gorged the hook, I could safely do. The keeper carried him down- stream to below a considerable fall, (about a 156 HAUNTS OF FISHES. quarter of a mile distant from the spot I took him at), and turned him in it, having been first con- spicuously marked by a cut in his back fin, About three weeks after, another Philistine came across him ; and this identical fish was caught by a gen- tleman trolling with a similar bait, and in the very same hole where I had before hooked him ! That fish was fore-doomed to die of gluttony, — of over- gorging! One would have imagined that the place whereto it was carried, would have proved more congenial; for there there was a good depth and flow of water, and plenty of weed and shallow ; and it seemed the very place for a trout to covet : but he preferred his old haunt, and died in maintaining his position! Herb, — How is it, then, with salmon — are they promiscuous rovers ? Theoph. — Not exactly. It is assumed that they come up rivers merely for the purpose of spawn- ing ; but as they do not spawn till the months of November and December, it is as yet inexplicable why they came up so early as months previous, — in the spring for instance: for, as I shall take occasion to show you another time, they are sup- posed not to leave a river they have once fairly entered, until after the operation of spawning is over; that is, in the early part of the following year. Herb. — I think you hinted yesterday, that sal- HABITS OF SALMON. ] 57 men did not feed in rivers; if so, can it be possible they remain in such a state of abstinence for so many months ? Tlieoph. — We must consider that some other time ; else we shall digress too far from the sub- ject we were upon. I was saying, they come up from the sea for the purpose of spawning ; and the early comers seem to act upon the old maxim, that " the early bird secures the corn ;" for they take plenty of time to look about for the best unoccupied spawning-ground. They come up from the sea during a flood or fresh ; and if they determine to advance beyond the tide-way, * they rest themselves in the first still pool they meet with above it. Below this, it is supposed, they never return during the season; but lie there till another flood. They will then advance to a pool higher up the river (perhaps no higher than that immediately above it), while fresh fish from the sea will mount guard in their stead in the first hole. Thus they advance by degrees with every flood, till they get as high as the nature of the river will permit. But those fish which come up to spawn late, will content themselves with spawn- ing ground nearer to the tide-way. This s their supposed general habit, liable to exceptions of course. However, while the river remains low, they As to this habit see post. 158 HABITS OF SALMON, do not move from the immediate neighbourhood of the pool the last flood has left them in, either by night or day. And thus they are stationary to that, and only that, extent; for the moment a fresh of water comes down from the mountains, we find them leaving the pool for the shallows above, and can trace their journeys upwards. Therefore before the river thickens, and as soon as it begins to clear after a flood, the best places to fish for them, are the fords and shallows above these deep pools. It is singular, however, that whenever you once hook a salmon, at a given spot, you may almost with certainty expect to find another supplying his place when he is dead or gone ! So that there must be something in each spot they choose peculiarly adapted to them. Speaking, however, of the salmon not descending a river they have once entered, and looking at it in a very limited sense, there is one most import- ant thing always at every throw, to be borne in mind ; namely, that no fish seems to relish going down-stream, in pursuit of prey ; a salmon, espe- cially, will seldom if ever rise at the fly, if it be allowed to be carried too straight down-stream, and it requires the greatest attention so to manage the rod as to cause the fly to swim obliquely, or almost at a right angle across the river; and, perhaps, there is nothing in salmon-fishing which demands greater care and thought, and more close HARV; T"Y CAMBRlL-oji. iVlA us-A HABITS OF SALMON. 159 attention to what one is about, than this little matter, namely, the guidance of the fly. Success in trout-fishing very much depends upon it, and still more in salmon-fishing;. But look at that cloud; it will surely "darken the sun!" So, pro- mising to teach you more- upon that subject at another fitting opportunity, let me, while the cloud is coming, explain this pool to you, and the mode of fishing it, and then get to work, or I shall not see a fish before breakfast. I may as well inform you, that, in like manner, I intend to describe every good spot on this river, not so much with the view of teaching you how to fish the Conway in particular, as that you may grapple with other rivers, elsewhere, in which you find the like characteristics. Here Fig. 23. we stand on the convex bend of the river, which, as you see, flows from left to right. Our 160 THE rector's pool. chances on this pool he from tliis rivulet a down to the Rector's garden wall b, about one hun- dred and fifty yards. The stream sets in to this side A B all the way, — in fact, to the bridge G, causing a considerable depth under us, and an increasino- shallowness till it leaves much shingle dry on the other side c f when the river is low. But about forty or fifty yards down, near the opposite side, there is a gentle eddy d, and, consequently-, deeper water. In high water it eddies much also all the way down under this bank, causing many deep holes of ten or twelve feet in its lowest state, especially about half-way down the field, and about thirty yards above the garden wall, which spots are indicated by the indentations in the bank. Op- posite this rivulet a it is rather shallow : iii fact, it is the head of the pool ; but below the opposite eddy d the mid channel retains much of a uniform depth of about seven or eight feet in driest weather all the way till below the Rector's garden e. It is towards this side, as being the deepest, that the salmon lie; close to and almost under it in low water ; and during better seasons, in the opposite eddy d, and below it, in the mid channel at about twenty yards off this bank. The plan of fishing this sort of stream will vary very much, according to the height of water. Opposite to this rivulet is an excellent spot, when POOL FISHING. 161 the water is rising and before it thickens, and for a short time after it becomes clear again, while still high, for the reason that the salmon which had been resting below, are then making an advance towards quitting the pool altogether for a higher station in the river. In such a state I should commence throwing from the field above x l, as high up as the bushes will allow, straight across the stream, with about eighteen yards of line, and should play the fly continually towards my left side :— why, I will explain hereafter. After repeating this once or twice (as indeed every throw should be), I should cast with ano- ther yard or two, in a direction slanting more down-stream ; working the fly first towards the right, till it came to within four or five yards of this bank, and then, by gently carrying the point of my rod back again before me, over to the left, give the fly a curve in the water, and draw it up-stream in eight or ten strokes. Thus I should fish the whole stream, taking the nearest range at the first time of going over it. Then I should give out another yard or so, recommenc- ing where I started, and work down the stream in the same fashion as I have last described, till my fly falls near the head of the opposite eddy d. The line must then be lengthened to the utmost, and thrown at about an angle of forty-five degrees, letting the fly continue at its work till it M 162 POOL FISHING. reaches this side. In this fashion I should con- tinue all the way down to the wall b. The general place for them to rise, is near this bank, as the fly is making its curve ; for although they sometimes lie far off, they will generally, unless very eager, follow and seize it at that moment. I shall have but one or two pools to show you on this river, where there is less rapidity of motion ; and you will content yourself for the present, in noting that the most vigorous and lively play of the fly which I shall permit you to adopt (all which I must explain to you fully another time), must be resorted to on this kind of water. In low water, though the same direction of throwing is required, yet, as the fish do not lie so far out, sixteen or eighteen yards of line is the utmost you need cast for them, unless you can command much more, and throw at a more acute ano-te with the bank ; which, as it keeps you further from their sight, and also places your fly in a better position on the water, will give you a greater chance in proportion. Neither is it now requisite to trouble the water much opposite this rivulet a, as it is too shallow for fish to lie in : and during low water, the most likely spots are about the two holes I mentioned, as half-way down, and towards the lower end of the field. They are also taken during a high water close under the Rector's wall, for that again is the head POOL FISHING. 163 of deep water under the wall, and shallower than below. On the other side, which only affords chance for salmon when the river is full, and is generally best for morts, unless a very long line can be thrown, the first thing is to look well about you for the trees behind ! ! You may, in full season, that is, during a fresh, fish it from as high up as the trees will allow you c, where the water is of a tolerable depth, down to opposite the extremity of the garden e, and you must throw all the time as long a line as you can com- mand, or wade so as to reach near this, the then opposite, bank. The line must slope also, the more the better, in proportion to your skill in throwing a long one, so as to near the bank. But, except in the eddy d, and close up at the top c, it were useless to bring the fly near to your own side, as the water must always be too shallow ; if it approaches at any time (except as I have mentioned) to within fifteen yards, that is quite near enough. Opposite the Rector's garden wall is a most excellent part of the pool ; but it is by far best fished from off the wall itself — for it is requisite from the opposite side F, to throw a line so long, that the trees which hang close to the water, are sure to trouble you, unless you can wade; as to the safety of which I am not quite certain, as I have never yet awhile '' charted" the depths and holes. I may M 2 164 THEOPHILTJS HOOKS A FISH. as well tell you, that in low water, all along the opposite side is a capital place for trout and par, even to the very centre arch of the bridge, and the upper end is rather preferred for morts than salmon. During small freshes I have taken and hooked several fish from the opposite side, out of the lower hole towards the lower end of the field, but then the wind was favourable, so as to allow one of my " extra superfine throws," almost reach- ing across the river. How fortunate, the cloud is up, just in time : good bye for a while to bright Phoebus. Now for a throw. It goes well out ; for I kept the gut bottom in my mouth on our way here, and it has since lain in the water, and is now well soaked. Note that in vour loof. No luck — they are asleep, I fear. T must '' try back." Herb. — Try again ; do not give in, or you will teach me to despair. Theoph. — I do not intend ; for I think that at my last cast I saw the motion of a fish. Be patient ; for I must stay a few minutes before I show him my fly again. They very seldom rise directly over the spot they lie in, but follow the fly, awhile, first. After a few minutes, they mostly return, and take up their old quarters and are ready for a second attempt. Now, — look out, — I hB,ve him ! Stand still and let me pass you to the sand-bank a, where I must "conquer or die." Watch his course, and should I call, take HIS MANCEUVRES. 165 a clod or two of earth to throw between him and the bank ; anything to drive him away ;* for all along there are bad roots and stamps, especially about fifteen yards from where I stand. Soho ! He has shown himself —not above eight or nine pounds ; yet he plays well. How he cuts about ! Now up the river ! You see he must, and will go for the present ! There's twenty yards of line run out "at a dash !" but I'll bring him round again. Herb. — Heavens ! what a terrific plunge ! I thought he must have gone then altogether. He seemed determined to break all, or pull you in. I had no notion what a salmon could do. He seems to tug like an elephant, so steady and determined. Bravo ! this is beginning well, and I am all alive again. I have the gaff all ready : shall I come down to you ? Thtoph. — Mind you, he is not mine yet — " first catch your hare." There's plenty of game in him, for these five mmutes, — as I never strain a fish except he approaches a dangerous ground. Now for a leap ! Htrb. — Up he goes ! all's safe. How beauti- fully exact to his motion you seemed to yield the rod's point, and eased your line. Thtoph. — As my pupil, take example. Come * As to fighting, and turning Ueavy fisL, in a more scientific fashion see post. 166 THEOPHILUS LANDS HIS PRIZE. along, my beauty ! my reel works well, thank goodness ; for now I am down here I am forced to remain stationary, and cannot be dancing attendance on you in all your " tacks and stays." He goes down again and grows weak ! So, come hither and see fair play; for 1 have him " well in hand," and he is too much exhausted to fight his way into the bushes. Yet see ! he makes to the bank, as they always will at their last moments. Now then — look sharp — " down with the dust" — heave in a clod ; but be sure it falls between him and the bank, else it will startle him the wrong way, and frighten him under the stumps, to a certainty. What another leap ? That was a danger well got over. A leap at such a moment, when I was " butting* him furiously !" Another turn or two and he's Het^b. — Shall I stick the gaff into him? Theoph. — To be professional, say " gaff him." No, this shelving sand-bank will save you that pleasure — and I will show you a dangerous trick. Now he is — mine. Hurrah ! Herb. — What a splendid fish ! but how you tremble. Well done ! Theoph. — Tremble! Do you fight a salmon, even of this size, and you will find yourself " another," Talk of excitement, catching a * As to " butting" a fish, see post HOW TO LAND A FISH. 167 salmon is the ^Kfiv of it ! During its operation, one's nerves, aye and muscles too, are continually upon the greatest stretch ; and only imagine this state kept up for an hour or more, which is some- times the case with large fish. Nay, I have even known three hours and a-half spent upon a twenty pound fish, by a first-rate fisherman. As it is, this has kept me at work, not less than twelve or fifteen minutes. He is tolerably bright for the low state of the river. But let me carry him on to the grass ; and do you stun him to death with the but end of the gafi" over the head, while I hold him, and then measure his length and girth. Herb. — From the tip of his nose to the centre of his tail, twenty-nine inches and a half; girth, fourteen inches. Theoph. — It would have been better at twenty- eight and a half length, and fifteen girth. Now, out with the weighing-machine — eight pounds and a half standard weight, as I said. Herb. — Tell me how did you manage to lay hold of him so cleverly ? Why not have gaff^ed him at once ? Theoph. — In such a position as that in which I stood, where one can get close to him, if you have coolness sufficient, and have fairly killed the fish, you may quietly grasp him with the right hand just above the spread of his tail, and you have him as firm as though he were already in a J 68 STRENGTH OF FISH. pickle-tub. Try it. But I do not think this can be done with all fish, as their shapes are different. Nor can you well manage a salmon smaller than five or six pounds in such a way. Gaffing dis- colours the flesh when dressed, and destroys the beauty of a fish before-hand, into the bargain, and may thus be avoided if you intend the dead prize to travel far. At the same time, gaffing is by- far the more certain and safer plan ; for, at least, the other mode is a dangerous experiment, and I have known many good fish lost in the attempt. But, my good pupil, how you stand staring and gloating over the fallen victim ! Will you never" have done ? Herb. — I was thinking how bravely he fought for his life. Tell me, is any other fish so strong ? Theoph. — The only two that in the least degree approach to it are the carp and the barbel — cer- tainly powerful fish ; but with any other, in com- parison with salmon, the difference really is no less than between hooking a straw, and drawing up from the bottom of the river a large post. No one who has not felt or seen a salmon in hand can form the least conception of its comparative power. Hook (even with snap-tackle and a spin- ning-rod) a jack of eight or nine pounds, at first he gives a shake or two, but still you may go on, wind, wind, till he is on shore ; but hook a six pound salmon, and for ten or twenty minutes, at THE captain's YARN. 169 least, it is doubtful who will be master ! It is this renders salmon-fishing so gloriously superior — spoiling us for all minor work, reducing other fishing to mere child's-play, and leaving it to be tolerated only because better is not within reach. But talking: of the streng-th of fish and hard fio-ht- ing — wait, — I do believe I have it in my pocket ; yes, here it is— a copy of the Captain's own letter, I'll read it to you: — '"'' An Account of the Capture of a Saw-Jish by Cap- tain Wilson of the Halifax Packet West India man, off Trinidad, on the 1 5th of April, 1839. " Being in the Gulf of Peru, in the ship's cutter, I fell in with a Spanish canoe, manned by two men, then in great distress, who requested me to save their lives and canoe. Going along-side for that purpose, I discovered that they had got a large saw-fish entangled in their turtle-net, which was towing them out to sea, and (but for my assistance) they must either have lost their canoe or their net — perhaps both — which were their only means of subsistance. Having at the time, only two boys with me in the boat, I desired the Spaniards to cut the fish away, but which they declined. I then took the bight of the net from them, and by the joint endeavours of themselves and my boat's crew, we succeeded in hauling up the net, and to our astonishment, after great 170 THE captain's YARN. exertions we raised the saw and head of the fish about eight feet above the surface of the sea. It was a fortunate circumstance that it came up with its belly towards the boat, or it would certainly have cut the boat in two. I had abandoned all idea of taking the fish until by great good luck it made towards the land, when I made another attempt; and having about fifty fathom of two- and-a-half-inch rope in the boat, we succeeded in making a running bowline knot round the saw of the fish; and this we fortunately made fast on shore at Point-a-Pierre. When the fish found itself secured, it plunged so violently that I could not prevail on any one to go near it. The appear- ance it presented was truly awful. I immediately went alongside the Li7na packet, Captain Sin- gleton, and got the assistance of all his ship's crew, mine being away for sugar. By the time they arrived it was a little less violent. We hauled upon the net again, in which it was still entangled, and got another fifty fathoms of line made fast to the saw, and attempted to haul it on towards the shore ; but although mustering thirty hands, we could not move it an inch. By this time the negroes belonging to Mr. Danglade's estate came flocking to our assistance, making, together with the Spaniards, about one hundred in number. We then hauled on both ropes for nearly the whole day, before the fish became exhausted. THE captain's YARN. J71 On landing it on the beach we found, to our great surprise, that it was considerably larger than the cutter, which measured seventeen feet. On en- deavouring to raise the fish, it became most desperate, sweeping with its saw from side to side, so that we were compelled to get strong guy ropes to prevent it from cutting us to pieces. After that, one of the Spaniards got on his back, and, with great risk, cut through the joint of the tail, when animation was completely suspended. It was then measured, and found to be twenty- two feet long, and eight feet broad, and weighed nearly five tons ! The liver filled a beef tierce, and on opening the body we found several eggs, the size of 18lb. carronade shot, which the negroes craved as a great luxury. The only part which I retained was the head, which I cut off below the lower jaw. It is now in a fine state of preservation, and the largest, I should say, in the world."— 26^A Dec, 1839. And so should I. I was favoured by a sight of its head and saw, in Mr. Eaton's shop. Crooked Lane, who gave me this paper. The saw was five feet long, and eleven inches broad in the widest part of the bone merely, without reckoning the teeth. It was purchased by Mr. Josiah Rumbell, and presented by him to the Wisbeach Museum, and a very fine specimen it is. Herb. — What a monster ! but give me a sal- 1 72 THE CONWAY. mon. I know that you consider this to be, generally speaking, a tolerable fishing river ; — what do they say of its present supply ? Theoph. — There are, without doubt, many sal- mon now in it, though the first good freshet will greatly increase their numbers. It at all times abounds with small common trout, and white trout or morts, as they are called ; sea-trout rather later in the season ; plenty of par and eels; and many fine and delicious-flavoured flounders are to be taken in the upper parts of it. The worst of this, as a salmon river, is, as with many others, the uncertainty of its supply of water ; a little rain soon fills it, but as soon again it becomes low, although it may be said to have five principal sources, — the Llugwy from Carnedd David and Llyn Capel Curig, the Lledar, from Moel Shabod, the Machno from Penmachno, its proper source from Llyn Conway, and the nameless streams skirting the mail-coach road from the mountainous plains between Cernioge Inn and Pentre Veolas, besides many inferior contributors during wet weather. One great recommendation to it at the present time is, that, (with the exception of two pools a long way up above Bettws, not other- wise " fishable," owing to the quantity of timber about them, namely, the " Beaver" and " Tyn y Cai" pools, and where they do no more than drag occasionally) no nets have desecrated its CAM l^i^u^i^- ivin USA THE CONWAY. 173 fastnesses above Llanrwst Bridge, for years past. From the Bridge to Trefriew below, is let for netting^ as well as ano-lino;. But in some of the best angling spots in that part the nets cannot venture. The ground being too much broken and protected by sunken piles : nor do the renters of it, who merely drag with a corracle-net, appear very well to understand their business, and, there- fore, they do not very much lessen the supply. There is a stake net at Conway, its mouth, in addition to two or three intermediate traps. True, none of these engines work during the fence months, from the 1st of October to the 1st of March ; yet, if a few more fish than can do so at present, were allowed at all times to run up this and every river for the next year or two, for each fish the wholesale fishers lose during that period, they would gain a hundred fold in the third season. You are aware that salmon bred in a river, as a general rule, are certain to return to it at the proper seasons to deposit their spawn, and it is much to be regretted that greater pains are not taken for awhile, by all parties, to pre- serve and improve the run and breed of sal- mon ; they are now daily decreasing here, and everywhere, and if once wholly deterred, good- bye to them for ever — at least, it would be years before they could be recovered. Herb. — Is it so certain then that fry bred in a 174 MIGRATION OF SALMON. river always return to it, and that none others ever venture to do so ? Theoph. — Perhaps not always ; for though many have been marked and most have returned to the same river ; yet some very few out of their numbers have been taken in strangle waters. Mr. Yarrell mentions that fish marked in the Tweed are taken in the Forth, and that a successful season in the one is generally attended by a bad one in the other. Here then is evidence of sal- mon being found straying to a river, perhaps at least one hundred miles from its original birth- place. Whither salmon go, while out of the fresh water, has never yet been determined ; it is as yet a mystery. The probabilities are, that they do not rove very far from the mouth of their original river, though it was asserted by one wit- ness examined before the House of Commons, that they migrate to the North Seas : and the fact of their never being taken at sea near our salmon rivers, seems to favour this supposition. The preponderance, however, of evidence taken before the House of Commons since 1824, shows that fry always return to rivers in which they were spawned, those only which lose their reckoning resorting to strange rivers, selecting the nearest they can hit upon to suit their taste. Herb. — But as to the growth of salmon, tell me what you think ? because I remember having H \- J CAMdkiDQE. MA USA GROWTH OF SALMON. 175 read that fry marked in April or May, will return in July from the sea, and would then weigh two or three pounds and upwards. If that be so, provided a few stock fish were left, it could hardly require so great a length of time to ''re-animate" an over-draughted or over-poached river. Theoph. — Yes, indeed ; for, supposing them to increase in weight in the same or even a greater proportion every year, still it would require three or four years at least to produce a quantity, which is what we most require — all accidents considered, of which anon. As to size, there exists little doubt that fry which go down to the sea in May, little longer than your finger, will return, in July and the following months, yoang salmon or grilse of from four to seven or eight pounds, increasing in size with each successive month, — it being generally estimated that from June till September or October, they grow at about the rate of half a pound per week while at sea; and therefore, perhaps, if we could only be assured that no netting or poaching would take place in a river, and if all the fry survived their many dangers and returned to us here in the summer and autumn, the produce of one pair of salmon would be enough. The number of ova in a salmon are reckoned on the average at 18,000 or 20,000; and 12,000 are thought to be the 176 GROWTH OF SALMON. average of fry vivified ; so that from a single pair of salmon, spawning in December, in the follow- ing August we should have, say 4000 pairs, male and female, of from six to nine pounds, and 4000 non-breeders : then suppose each of these pairs produced their 12,000 fry; in the following Au- gust, the second year, we should have the original 12,000 large fish of ten to twenty pounds, and their young, 48,000,000, from six to nine pounds, making in all, 48,012,000 fish ! ! What a sad pity it is there is an " if" in the case ! — " If they escaped their manifold dangers" — Heavens, what sport ! Herb. — Perhaps you will, at some other time, tell me what those dangers are. Meanwhile, let me ask, whether you have read Yarrell's recent Observations on the Growth of Salmon* ? Theoph. — Rather say Mr. Shaw's ; for it is more a criticism by Yarrell on what others have written, and said, than any thing else. I have read them, but am not yet prepared to give my assent to a doctrine which is contrary to the opinion of every salmon-fisher I know, and of every witness exam- ined of late years before the committees of the House of Commons, upon the salmon fisheries' question. These latter were for the most part practical men, who had been engaged in whole- * Published by Van Voorst, 1839. GROWTH OF SALMON. 177 sale salmon-fishing all their lives, many, evidently, from their examination, acute observers ; and they are, I think, unanimous in declaring their opinions to be, that the growth of salmon is as rapid as you just now intimated. No one will doubt but that it is almost an insurmountable difficulty to determine which is right, they, or Mr. Shaw, from the utter impossibility of making, and there- fore of arguing from, actual experiment : and we know so little of the habits of fish, especially migratory fish, that it is as difficult to reason by analogy. With regard to Mr. Shaw's experi- ment, we may reasonably doubt its sufficiency, because the animal was not in its natural state when confined in his small pools or ponds. As Mr. Yarrell observes, Mr. Shaw had three ponds, 1st 18 feet by 22 2nd 18 feet by 25 .3rd 30 feet by 50. And Mr. Shaw himself admits that those fry in the third, the largest, were one inch, which is equal to one-fifth, larger tlian the others at six months old : and what is thirty feet by fifty, and "two feet deep," "supplied by a small stream," and of "higher temperature," com- pared with the length, breadth, depth, and lower temperature of a noble salmon river, bounding, and rolling, in freshness and majestic N 178 GROWTH OF SALMON. freedom ! Besides which, the more rapid growth of the salmon is admitted to take place in the salt water, which Mr. Shaw's fry could never taste. How he gets at the fact that the fry " do not go down to the sea till they are more than a twelve- month old at the least," I cannot understand : (his could not !) for thus much we know, that during April and May, the fry may be seen in the river by myriads ; that their journey down- wards has been traced, as it were, from day to day at that period ; that bushels are destroyed in mill-races on their way towards the sea, and dozens upon dozens every day, for a month or six weeks, by angling ; and that before June they totally disappear, and nothing more is seen of them or the like till the following year. Even assuming, for argument sake, the par we meet with in the autumn, to be young salmon, we never see shoals of these or any fish, small or large, after June ; yet if the fry remain for a year in the river, still congregating, as we know them to do in the early months, in such countless numbers, surely something would be seen of them at a later period. But though many have looked for them, nothing is found in the river, during the autumn, except a few of what we call '* par," and which we never take much above or under five or six inches in length. Herb. — But Mr. Shaw says, that these par are GROWTH OF SALMON. * 179 the young fry of the salmon of the last autumn's produce. Tlieoph. — What I say is, that the very paucity of these, found in the autumn, compared with the immense shoals of small fish of the same size seen to go down to the sea in the spring, proves them not to be the younger fry of the salmon ; and, moreover, we have repeatedly taken in autumn these which we call par, with the milt ready for exudation, and with roe, in the females, in a less forward state. There is this fact also, which is observed by anglers, that in the autumn, though we take a fish we call in Wales " Morts," (somewhat resembling the salmon, but with a forked tail ; — weighing from three quarters to a pound and a half, and about thirteen inches in length, and which I take to be a distinct fish from the salmo salar) ; we scarcely ever take a fish between that weight and four or five pounds. The average of salmon taken at this time, and in this river, where they run as large as thirty pounds, may be rather placed at ten or twelve pounds than under. But if the growth were so slow as Mr. Shaw indicates, the probabilities are, that the rivers would abound with, and we should take, a greater number of the smaller dimensions ; especially considering that the smaller river- fish of other species are much more readily tempted by our various baits than the larger ones. Then N 2 180 GROWTH OF SALMON. again, the subject is open to this observation, that all terrestrial animals, except mankind, attain nearly to their full growth, within a year or two after their birth ; and why should not fish ? True it is, that fish live to an enormous age, if the stories told of them are to be credited ; and salmon have been known of upwards of eighty pounds weight ; but I see nothing more marvellous nor incredible, in a fish attaining to twenty pounds weight in two or three years, than in a dog weighing as much, and being as large at eighteen months old, as it is at nine years. I do not fear, therefore, to express my opinion, that Mr. Shaw is wrong. I believe, firstly, that par are par, and not salmon fry ; secondly, that it does not take more than ten months to produce a salmon of six or eight pounds weight ; and thirdly, that the fry go down to the sea in the first May flood after their being called into existence. Herb. — In the waters of a gentleman I am ac- quainted with, I knew of a trout which was thrice captured within a year : about the end of De- cember it was unintentionally hooked and taken out, and weighed four pounds and a half, marked, and turned back again. Early in the following March it was again taken, weighing five pounds and a half, and turned back. In June following, strange to say, it was a third time captured, and found to have increased to seven pounds. GROWTH OF SALMON. 181 Theoph. — That is very likely ; but you must allow something for the bad condition it was pro- bably in on the two former occasions ; having, we might suppose, recently spawned upon the first. A salmon which, full of spawn, would cause a twelve-pound weight to kick the beam, would, as soon as the operation was over, lose at least five pounds, not merely from the emission of its spawn, but from the general decline in its condition ; and if you were to mark such a fish when only thus weighing seven pounds, and catch him in the following year, you would be sur- prised to find he had increased to near twenty pounds. They are perfect gourmands while at sea ; and this it is which nourishes and increases them so astonishingly. But you were asking me about this river. Success here entirely depends on the state of the season. In fine dry weather, one may toil through many days, not to say weeks, without a rise. But let a fresh come, and you will have a pretty good " take' for a day or two. In two instances, six or seven, varying from four to fourteen pounds, were taken by one angler in a day, last season ; though this is most rare sport. I have, myself, taken two, thirteen and ten pounds, and lost, after playing them some time, one of about fifteen, and another of ten pounds^ and pricked three or four, and had a few rises besides : all which might have been realised. Two fish of any weight, say from seven to twelve pounds, 182 THE RIVER CONWAY. in a day, and that occasionally, say once or twice a week, is, however, looked on as great success. My notion, however, is, that this river might be much improved as an angling river, with a little more care and watching. It abounds in all the locales in which salmon delight — plenty of deep quiet pools intermingled with numerous gentle streams, plenty of rocky rapids and deeps, plenty of small falls above, plenty of gravelly shallows, as spawning ground, and not a single noxious mill- stream or manufactory near it. And, from this constant variety in its character, it constitutes, perhaps, one of the best schools for beginners in the noble art of salmon fishing. But here comes a good old soldier, who escaped the carnage of the American war. (Enter the Keeper.) Well, Keeper, what news this morning ? Any thing done below ? Keeper. — Eh ! Gentlemen, I am glad to see you have caught a " grand saumon." Mr. Llewellyn has taken only two morts. Your friend Antiquarius bid me convey this letter to you. Theoph. — What is this ? Most a propos. — {Reads.) — " Bettws y Coed. My dear Theoph- ilus, — According to promise I send you the enclosed, my observations about par. Your's ever, Antiquarius." Something most excellent, I warrant you. He has studied the subject, as well as the time of their delivery, it would seem ! Let us read them. (Reads.) NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 183 The Natural History of the Par. The following observations on the par are the result of practical experience during twelve or fourteen successive years ; and, though differing in some points from the general received opinion, they coincide with the remarks of a few intel- ligent friends, who have lately devoted much time and attention to the subject. Although the history of the par may at first appear scarcely worth the trouble of investiga- tion, yet this is not really so ; for independently of its interest as a long-disputed question in natural history, various legislative provisions have, from time to time, been made on the assumed nature and species of this curious little fish ; indeed, so various and contradictory are the opinions entertained respecting it, that, on consideration of all that has been said and written upon the subject, the naturalist is inclined to believe nature expressly intended it as an enigma for the solution of the curious, with the per- plexing properties of changing its form and cha- racter, as the chameleon was formerly said to do its colours, to every individual observer. The par, skirling, fingerling, graveling, last- spring, shedder, sampion, rackrider, or smelt, — for by all these names, and many others, it is locally known — is a small fish, seldom exceeding six inches in length, though usually found much 184 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. smaller; it is the ordinary inhabitant of every salmon river ; and, in general appearance, closely resembles the common burn trout, particularly such as have the finger marks. These are dusky, transverse, stripes or patches on the sides, very similar to the well-known marks found on the perch. They are generally from six to ten in number, according to the length of the fish ; and between each of these dusky patches, on the lateral line, is a bright red spot, below which, the par is rarely, if ever, marked. The belly is per- fectly white. Another distinguishing mark of the par, is an olive brown spot on the gill cover, and this it is never without. Its general habits resemble those of the trout, being extremely voracious, and frequenting the most rapid streams, particularly those thin sharps or streams, anciently known by the name of racks; hence its territorial epithet of rack-rider. Many speculative opinions, and numerous theories have been advanced, touching the nature and species of this mysterious little fish. Three, in particular, would seem most deserving of con- sideration ; First, that it is the young of the sal- mon ; or, at least, of one of the salmon tribe; Secondly, that it is a mule, or hybrid — the mutual offspring of both the trout and the sal- mon ; and, Thirdly, that it is a distinct species. A very slight examination into the habits of NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 185 the par, as compared with the well-known habits of the salmon fry, will destroy the first of these theories ; and the second certainly cannot be maintained by a single known fact, sufficiently strong to support it. In tracing the habits of the salmon fry, than which nothing can possibly be more constant and decided, it will be found, that they are emanci- pated from the egg or roe of the parent fish, about the latter end of March, or the beginning of April, a few days earlier or later according to the nature of the river, and peculiarity of the season ; but prior to that period, not a single fish will be found in the river ; although a few days afterwards, they may be taken by hundreds in every stream of a good salmon river ; there they will continue, for six weeks or two months, at the end of which time the successive spring floods will have so completely taken every fish to the sea, that not a single one of the many thousands that were bred in the river, will be discovered. During this period, their growth is very rapid; indeed so much so, that during the last few days of their stay, they have been frequently taken in the tide-way (the tide being out), a quarter of a pound weight ; although, a week or two before, it would have been difficult to have obtained one weighing an ounce. In appearance, they so closely resemble the parent fish, in its highest 186 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. state of perfection, as to be, to all intents and purposes, a salmon, or a salmon trout — as the case may be — in miniature. On the other hand, the par has no greater resemblance to any one of the salmon tribe, than the common trout. It will be found in the river, in the cold months of Decem- ber and January — long prior to the appearance of the salmon-fry — and although it will associate with the fry in the same streams, it will not, like them (at least at that period), migrate, but will remain in the river after the fry have gone down to the sea ; it will there continue in abundance, throughout the whole summer : and many will be found when the cold weather returns. On what grounds, therefore, can it be contended, that fish so essentially different, both in habits and appearance, can possibly be one and the same ? On examining the par, about the early part of October, at which period it would seem to have attained its full size (sometimes two ounces), a very curious question arises, which, while it affords the most satisfactory evidence that it is not the young of the salmon, leaves the question of its real habits in considerable doubt. At this period, almost every fish that is taken (that is, with the rod and line), will be found to be males, the milt of which is usually so large as to com- prise nearly one-fourth of the weight of the whole fish ; and in so forward a state, as to be NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 187 shed on the slightest pressure ; while in the few females that are taken_and these are not one to ten of the males — the roe is so backward as to be detected only on close, almost microscopic examination. To this apparent anomaly may be attributed almost all the existing uncertainty as to the nature and habits of this little fish. It is a well-established fact, that many fish will not take food in an advanced state of parturition ; of this, the salmon itself is a very strong instance. In the fresh water (to which it resorts during that period), although abounding with small fish, the salmon is ever found with an empty stomach ; whereas, the stomachs of such as are taken in the estuaries and tide-ways, are frequently full of whitings, haddocks, sand-eels, and other fish ; showing, as might be expected, from the rapidity of its growth, the construction of its jaws, throat, teeth, &c., that it is really a fish of most voracious habits. Again, there are other fish, the male only of which, during the period of parturition, will feed, and this is particularly the case with the grayling. On the approach of the spawning season, the female wholly ceases to rise at the fly, or take a bait, although the male, during that period, will greedily do both. If these habits be peculiar to the par also, the great preponderance of males taken, as well as the apparent discrepancy between the state of the male and female at that 188 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. season, is very satisfactorily accounted for. But whether this discrepancy is, or is not correctly attri- buted to the cause just mentioned, does not at all affect the conclusion necessarily resulting from the facts before stated, which is as clear as any position drawn from positive demonstration can possibly be, that a creature (whether male or female it matters not), immediately about to propagate its species, is not a creature in a state of infancy, but in a state of maturity, and that, consequently, the par is not the young of any fish, and cannot, therefore, be the young of the salmon. Those who profess to consider the par a mule fish, assert, firstly, that trout are frequently seen on the same scour together with, and as if spawning with the salmon, and that the par is the produce of this union ; that they are either all males, or at least, are never found with a clearly developed roe ; for, like all hybrids, the par has no perfect organs of generation ; Secondly, that as the par is always found in salmon rivers, and no other, and is never found even in such parts of those rivers, up which, owing to falls, weirs, and other obstructions, sal- mon cannot ascend, it must, therefore, neces- sarily, directly or indirectly, be connected with that fish. The mere circumstance of salmon and trout frequenting together, in the spawning season, such part of a river as is best adapted for their NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 189 purpose, affords so little ground for the conclu- sion drawn from it, that it is not worthy a moment's consideration; and recollecting that the trout will greedily feed upon the salmon spawn, the idea of their being together for the purpose of gestation, can only have arisen from mere wanton- ness of speculation. By considering the nature and character of hybrids, and the general laws and principles which govern their production, and carefully comparing these with the known habits, character, and ap- pearance of the par — the utter improbability of its being a mule fish will at once be shown. It may be safely asserted that amongst creatures in a state of freedom, no one instance of a departure from the immutable laws of nature, which assign to each an affinity for its kind, has ever yet been detected; and it is only by constraint that this inconsistency can be effected ; and when pro- duced, the offspring are ever accompanied by a capricious and doubtful resemblance to either parent, and, above all, by a total want of har- mony and definite character amongst themselves. Now, as an example of any deduction from these prin- ciples, the par is in every respect utterly opposed to them. It is in the highest degree improbable that trout and salmon left to the free influence of their own separate instincts, unrestrained in habits and unconfined in space, should depart from the 190 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. ordinary laws of nature, obeyed by every other creature ; and still more so, that the offspring of such a union should be, as the par undoubtedly is, both in respect of its various spots and marks, as also in form and general appearance, one of the most perfect examples of constancy that nature can produce. Besides these objections, it should be recollected that there are many species of trout, as also several species of salmon, and assuming for argument, the possibility of such a union, it would necessarily produce some variation in the offspring; but none such is found in the par, it being always alike. Although its assigned parents — the trout in particular — continually exhibit every variety of form, marks, spots, size, colour, and appearance that imagination can conceive. It is said that this union between trout and salmon is the work of necessity, and takes place only when the male or female salmon has been destroyed ; but if no instance of the production of hybrids can be shown amongst carp, tench, roach, dace, and other fresh water fish, closely and artificially confined, as they continually are, in small ponds, ditches, &c., it is clear that the necessity for a cross amongst fishes in general does not exist ; and if so, it is absurd to plead the necessity for such inconsistency amongst trout and salmon in particular, wholly unconfined as their theatre of existence must necessarily be, save by the ocean itself. NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 191 That par are never found in rivers, but such as are immediately connected with the sea (all of which more or less afford salmon), and never in such parts of those rivers up which salmon cannot ascend, is strictly true, and any instance to the contrary, will, upon enquiry, turn out to be the work of art or accident, not affecting the general rule. But this does not establish the fact of any connection between the two fish. The power of closely observing fish in its ele- ment is necessarily very limited ; much, therefore, of their history must always depend on conclu- sions and analogy. Now, assuming the par to be a migratory fish — and there is reason to believe it is so — all incongruity in this part of their history is at once removed. Like all other migratory fish, their travels must have a limit ; and a fall of water that cannot be ascended by a salmon cannot pos- sible be attained by these little fish : hence they are never found except in rivers immediately con- nected with the sea, and never found above falls, weirs, &c., up which salmon cannot ascend. The only question seems to be at what period do the par migrate, as they are certainly found in the rivers during the whole year, although as certainly not in equal quantities. Now, it is perfectly well known that all fish immediately after spawning become in a very unhealthy state, their bodies at that period being infested with numerous water lice, 192 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. animalculi, &c., for the removal of which, and a restoration of the fish to health, a change of place is absolutely requisite, and that with migratory fish, deleterious animalculi, &c., acquired in the river, are lost immediately after their entrance into the salt water. There can be very little doubt, therefore, but that the par migrate at this par- ticular season, and assuming their migrations to be for a short duration only, commensurate with the restoration of their health and strength, as they cannot all be in a situation to leave the river at one and the same time, many will have returned before others will have gone down to the sea, and thus more or less they will always be found in the river. Be this, however, as it may, from a consi- deration of the facts already stated, and which for the most part have their foundation in practical experience, it seems extremely difficult to look upon the par in any other character than as a dis- tinct species of fish." Theoph. — Well said, most excellent Antiqua- rius ; and in every respect I entirely agree with you. Herbert, I never read a more convincing arg-ument. Herb. - - Might I add one observation to strengthen it, I would say a word about the par always being found in rivers where salmon are, and never in parts of rivers where salmon cannot get. From their hanging on scours and swift NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PAR. 193 parts of streams, we may infer them to be a strono- little fish. But how do they get up high falls which salmon are obliged to leap ? I take it that salmon only leap the falls because there is not a sufficient body of water to admit of their swim- ming up ; though, if the same force of water came in greater body, they could swim through it with ease. The par cannot leap ; but from their smaller bulk and still sufficient strength, can swim up them. Besides, I assume that there are few falls where salmon can leap, which are not much reduced in height by a heavy flood or fresh of water. But tell me, do you ever fish below Tre- friew ? I was wondering, as I walked by the river side yesterday, whether salmon ever took the fly in the tide-ways, in the sea, or in brackish water. Thcoph. — I believe that they never do in such sluggish tide-ways as this, for one very good reason — that we seldom try. There is but one likely place : that is at Tal-y-cafn, about half-way down towards Conway. A few isolated attempts have been made there by us upper anglers, but without success — it is too far to go often upon a chance. Fish are occcasionally seen to rise there, it being a shallowish, rocky, rapid bit of stream. In some situations, however, they will take the fly in the sea, in brackish water, and in tide-ways. I once submitted a question on this point to some friends. o 194 SALMON-FISHING IN SALT WATER. From Sir Hyde Parker I learnt that " there are two rocks in the sea, not far from Dunrobin Castle, Sutherlandshire, where salmon take the fly in the strongest salt water. A strong race runs by these rocks, and the salmon take here two hours before low water. A friend of Sir Hyde has been very successful." My friend Medicus, living here, tells me that he knows that at the head of Loch Swin, in Argyleshire (close by the Sound of Jura), which is a pure salt water loch or bay, salmon will take the fly in a breeze during the last half-hour of ebb and the first half-hour of flood tide. He has seen them rise there in very great abundance — thirty or forty in five minutes, for one or two hours together. To use his own expression "a Highlander used to hit them ofl" in fine style," once, while Medicus was there, taking fourteen small salmon in an hour. He says the fish come to this station every season, and there remain for four or six weeks, finally going elsewhere : there is only one small fresh- water stream running into this loch, too preci- pitous to allow salmon to get up it. But then again, from the Hon. Richard Hely Hutchinson I receive the following opinion : — - " I am persuaded salmon never take the fly in salt water ; I have heard of men who had heard from others that they did, but I never could yet find any one who had either killed salmon them- selves, or known any man who, to his certain SALMON-FISHING IN BRACKISH WATER. 195 knowledge, had killed them in salt water. I have fished a great deal in tide-ways with the fly, and had admirable sport : mackerel, whiting, pollock, and sand-eels, may be taken in great quantities. The fly is a white feather, projecting considerably over the hook, and it resembles the herring fry, of which both mackerel and pollock are very fond." As to salmon fishing in brackish water, he says — " Salmon take the fly in brackish water. I was quite ignorant of this fact until last year (1838). The Costello river in Connemara, twenty-one miles west of Galway town, belongs to a club, of which I am a member ; perhaps there is no river in Ireland, or any other country, in which there are more salmon. The tide runs up about half- a-mile, for the most part over a bed of rocks and turf soil. The oldest fishermen on the river never had known any man to kill a salmon below the bridge until last season, when one of our members, Mr. Martin of Ross, hooked what he conceived to be a white trout, just as the tide was running up ; the keeper, in attendance on him, swore it could not be a salmon, as they never took in brackish water, but a salmon it proved to be ; and I, having joined my brother angler, killed my share of eight fine fresh fish; they had all the sea louse on them, and were enormously strono-. o 2 196 SALMON-FISHING IN BRACKISH WATER. There are tvvo of these streams below the bridge, and the tide must rise seven or eio'ht feet before the salt water can enter them. The salmon will take the fly, provided there be not much sun, until half flood." Another friend of mine, an old fisher, once indeed hooked a salmon, in the sea itself, outside the river gates, at Tremadoc, while many were rising about the spot, waiting no doubt for the flood tide to open them an entrance to the river ; but having only held it for a minute or so, he was unable to determine whether he had not (as was probable) merely hooked it foul ; on two or three occasions, I have known fine base or base mullet (a fish someAvhat like the chub, with the brilliancy of a salmon), varying from tvvo to ten pounds, caught with a huge red salmon fly, in the sea, off* the foot of Great Orme's Head, just after the tide had begun to ebb*. I tried once for them, but failed ; though while thus occupied, I saw three or four fine salmon leaping high out of the water, about two hundred yards off. I am told, also, that these base have been taken half-way between this place and the sea, but I will not vouch for that fact. Perhaps, however, more might be done with perseverance both in tide-ways and in the sea. Some of the best * If I ever tried tbis place again it would be during tbe last bour of ebb tide. SALMON-FISHING IN BRACKISH WATER. 197 salmon-fishing is in the tide- v^ ays ; in rivers where the tide only reaches a distance ot" two or three miles from the estuary, having a rapid descent, and passing over a clear and rocky bed. In muddy tide-ways I should say, salmon, except at certain spots, and then only when the stream has clarified the river, would never take the fly, for one especial reason, namely, that they would not rest in the turbid parts, which must of course abound in a twelve miles course like this, and a^ we imagine, they never take the fly, when on the move. Mind you, the flowing-tide may dam up the current a long way up a river, as it does here ; without, except for the time, hindering fishing ; and I consider it only in those parts rendered foul by the flowing tide, where fishing would be useless. Herb. — Then if a tide river, from any cause, constantly ebbs and flows clear, as, for instance, over a rocky bed, I suppose angling may be suc- cessfully carried on after the salt water is ex- pelled by the current of fresh. Tlieoph. — We practical anglers say, fish never rise at a fly while on the move. Then, again, there is plenty of evidence lo show that sal- mon move up with a flowing tide, and either get at once fairly into fresh water, or return tovvards the sea with the ebb, and therefore do not rest in the tide-way. These two data would be 198 SALMON-FISHING IN BRACKISH WATER. at variance with the notion of taking salmon in the tide-way; because if they are never stationary there, according to the second opinion, being on the move, they will not take a fly according to the first. But then comes a third data, for instance, that in the " Angler in Ireland," and there can be no doubt that in rivers of similar character to that of which he writes, fish will rise in the tide- way. Speaking of the Moy at Balhna, he, at vol. i. p. 151, describes it thus, " about one hun- dred yards above the old bridge, is a ledge of rock, where are situated the weirs or salmon boxes ; they entirely occupy the whole breadth of the stream, with the exception of a narrow gap, to let the spent fish go down. Few salmon can pass above them, except in very high floods, until their removal in close time. Rod fishing extends from these weirs for about a mile down the river, but as the tide reaches quite up to them, there are three hours every day when all chance of sport is suspended by the entrance of salt water," &c. Herb.— I see what you mean. In such a river, the fish, waiting in hopes of being able to ascend higher, are per force stationary, and may there- fore take the fly. Theoph. — Just so : except, however, in a river where the ebb and flow of the tide is so short, ^ve may consider it as a general rule that when SALMON-FISHING IN BRACKISH WATER. 199 not actually at sea, salmon are either in brackish water close to the river's mouth, or running up and down with the flow and ebb, or else pushing up above the influence of the tide : — and, there- fore, never stationed in the mid space, between the stream and the mouth of the river; their object being to ascend above the tide, if the water be adapted to their taste, or else to retire seaward till it suits them. Herb. — Is it an ascertained fact that salmon really float backwards and forwards with the tide, as it ebbs and flows ? I had always thought that they came right on straight up the river, as soon as they once left the " deep, deep sea." Theoph. — By no means so, as a general rule, except it be such fish as, with spawn in an advanced state, come to the mouth of the river late in the season. These, indeed, if a river be at all adapted to their taste, push up it at once without the hesitation which the clear brio^ht fish exhibit ; but the latter hover to and fro, very considerably, for days* — often for weeks, almost months,'!' before they finally ascend for the pur- pose of spawning. Some persons conceive that many fish, if the river continue low, or is not otherwise suited to them, will leave its mouth * See Appendix to Second Report on Salmon Fisheries of the United Kingdom, 3d June, 1825, pp. 13, 38, 71, 104, 109, 116, &c. Id. June, 1824, pp. So, 74, &c. t Id. June, 1825, p. 116. 200 STAKE NETS. altogether and return to the sea, and there fruit- lessly (for it is said it will not vivify in the sea), deposit their spawn, or, at all events, proceed to some other river. Be that as it may, that they swim, as it were up and down with the tide, as far as it reaches upwards, long before they proceed towards spawning ground, is sufficiently proved by the circumstance, that in the great fisheries, hundreds are caught by the ebb stake net in the estuary of a river, when the tide is ebbing, that is, while swimming, with their heads seaward. Herb. — These nets are, I believe, those which have been so much quarrelled with by the river proprietors ; but I never exactly under- stood them. Theoph. — Bright clean salmon, at all events (for it is asserted, by the advocates for stake nets, that salmon advanced in spawn, proceed in deeper water returning to fresh water), grope their way along the sea-shore in order to find it ; vacillating for the most part with the tide between high and low water mark. And these nets are either made to take fish when swimming towards the river, which are called flux oyJIow stake-nets, or when going away from it, called ebb nets, from the difference in the manner of placing them.* * In Yarrell's British FisLes, vol. 2, p. 23, there is a drawing of one of these nets, to winch I must refer the reader. Looking at it, down the left side of the page is the high water-mark, and on the right the low water, and the fish are taken swimming- as it were from the top of the page downwards, so that the top may eitber represent the river or the open sea. STAKE NETS. 201 They are regular mousetraps, most destructive, and with great reason complained of by the river, or upper proprietors. Some doubts cer- tainly exist whether all the fish which they take would ever reach the upper properties, because it is contended that not one half which come to the mouth of the river ever go up it. One of the chief reasons for this opinion being, the admitted fact that in thus swimming to and fro at the mouth, they continually become prey for the hungry shoals of porpesse, grampus, and seals, which more or less always hang about the estuary. But it is also undeniable, that hundreds and hun- dreds of salmon, which these estuary stake-nets catch, would sooner or later venture up the river, and there spawn, or be captured by the upper proprietors. My belief is, that these stake- nets are one principal cause of the great falling off of all the salmon rivers in the United Kino-- dom. They, in fact, destroy the seed of futurity to too great an extent. Too many salmon are taken. Herb. — But I understood you to say that the spawning fish, from swimming upwards in deep water, do not fall into these traps. Thcoph. — That may be very true ; but you forget, and so do the advocates for stake-nets, that every fish would spawn some time or other. Denying that they cause this injury, these gentle- 202 DESTRUCTION OF SALMON. men throw the blame on cobble-net fishing, asserting that the heavy bottom-line, which is often neces- sarily drawn over the shallows at the head and tail of a pool in a river, tear up the gravel, and so destroy the spawn. They may be so far right ; but instead of throwing off the blame on to others shoulders, they only prove the cobble-net to be an additional injury. Of a truth, salmon are most cruelly persecuted individuals, the friend of none — the prey of all. All, excepting a few gentle- men anglers, cry " liavock, and let slip the dogs of war" on them, and it is only the wonderful and prolific care of nature, which spares us the few fish that are left. Their known natural enemies are the porpesse, grampus, and seals, and each of which, it is supposed will, if they can get a " battue' among them, destroy six or eight per diem. Then they are food for otters, cormorants, and sea eagles, when large ; herons, bitterns, eels, trout of all kinds, and the elder salmon* them- selves, while young ; and trout, eels, and various birds, in addition to that little devil, the water- ousel, devour the ova. Then come the artificial injuries inanimate, such as mill races, heads, and leads, and eel baskets, in all of which the fry is destroyed by sackfuls on their journey to sea ! and the foulness of water caused by manufac- * Eyidence before the House of Commons, June, 1825, pp. 20, 39- DESTRUCTION OF SALMON. 203 tories, drives them from a river if it do not destroy them ; their great human enemies are poachers, who make profit of the roe for bait ; and the hundreds of spring anglers, who may each take perhaps twenty or thirty dozen per day, during April and May ; thus we see how different a thing it is to estimate 48,012,200 fish on paper and in fact ! — alas ! where shall we catch a sal- mon twenty years hence if things go on long, as at present ? Herb. — Why, in America : — near Quebec (as I understood"), I heard of a gentleman* taking forty- three salmon in two days, from twelve to fifteen pounds each ! In this country it is impossible to conceive a worse state of affairs, important as salmon fisheries undoubtedly are to the well-being of the country, both as regards the supply of food they yield, and the employment they give the poor. Theoph. — But the fearful list is not yet com- plete ; there is also one natural cause over which we have no controul. Salmon sometimes run up the smallest rivulets to spawn in the winter; so much so, that a friend of mine, only last year, detected a little boy with three salmon, of eight, five, and four pounds, which he had taken in one spot, with his hands, out of a little running ditch, * J. Strang, Esq. in the summer of 1839. 204 DESTRUCTION OF SALMON. not too feet wide, and, in summer time, not three inches deep. If then, the winter be very wet, the quantity of water invites the fish into places left, perhaps, quite dry in the early spring ; and should a dry spring ensue, not only is the mother fish killed by inability to get back to the main river, but the spawn is never vivified, being ren- dered totally abortive from the want of aerated water to nourish it. A dry spawning season is much more propitious than a very wet one, because the parent fish do not ascend too high, but if the winter and spring be wet, so much the better for them — the poachers are " at fault." This reminds me, that there is one evil equal to, if not greater than all others, to which the dimi- nution of salmon must be attributed, and which, if not taken up by the legislature, must lead to the total extirmination of the race ; and that is, the want of preservation and protection in the sources of rivers, where fish almost universally spawn. It is impossible to remedy this evil unless you do one of two things, either give each upper proprietor a sufficient interest from the quantity of fish you enable him to take during the fishing season (which at present very few have), to induce him to watch, and keep off" poachers, and preserve the spawners, personally, and at his own expense, or else to provide a fund for that purpose, raised by a proportional assessment, according to PRESERVATION OF SALMON. 205 the annual local value of each fishery on the river, or at its mouth, from among all the proprietors collectively. It is proved by the evidence to which I have so often alluded, that the laro-er and finer fish are more shy of entering a river early, but that more of this quality are taken at such time at its mouth only. I would therefore make a law, that the meshes and opening of the nets and engines should be proportionately wider as they approach towards the sea; and also, not only would I provide fence months, — not only enforce the law against fishing in any way on a Sunday, and the observance of what is termed the Saturday slcij), viz. an opening of all nets, so as to allow fish free access upwards, from Saturday evenino- till Monday morning — but I would also enact that a Wtdnesday ^/^^ should be strictly observed. I would try this as an experiment ; for it would, at all events, give the upper proprietors a better chance, and, if it failed or succeeded, would be alike injurious or beneficial to all. If it were tried for a year or two, all the harm it could do would be to lessen the supnl}^ coming to market during that period, while it must increase the quantity in after years. Angling out of season has been spoken of as injurious ; especially because it affords the lower class (poachers to wit) a pretence for hovering about the rivers by day, thereby to detect where they can find the 206 PRESERVATION OF SALMON. fish, and bag them by night. This is moonshine with a vengeance ! If a river be properly watched by day, as it should be, such characters, — always well-known in a neighbourhood, — are easily sent to the "right-about." But as to angling by the better class (mere angling for sport)what is the extent of its mischief? Not one out of twenty fish, over which our flies pass, is inclined to rise to them. And suppose there are six miles of river, and you give to each angler half a mile, and he takes six fish per week, which is a large average of sport for any river in the United Kingdom, here are seventy-two fish taken altogether by twelve men in the week. Now, in the same quantity of river, compare this with netting. Take the Foyle, we will say, in Ireland ; we find that is fished for six months, or one hundred and fifty-six days, Sundays excluded, and, according to their returns, the proprietors took 55,906 salmon during a.d. 1835, averaging 358 per day, or 2,148 per week ! What is seventy-two com- pared to 2,148 ? Anglers, perhaps, are the only body of men who are interested now-a-days in protecting the upper parts of rivers ! This river in particular, I know to be solely protected by them : the upper part being open to anglers subscribing for their amusement, and a keeper provided solely to preserve for their sport. Each real angler therefore in the neighbourhood feels a PRESERVATION OF SALMON. 207 zealous regard to protect every fish he or his friends cannot take by fair means, and is willing, personally, and with his own hands, to enforce preservation strictly. I remember on one occa- sion (a.d. 1838), hearing late in the evening, that permission was (as we argued, contrary to the understanding with subscribers) given to certain parties to draw or net a great extent of this river during that night. What was the result ? I and one or two more anglers sallied forth in the dark at once (for there was no time to remonstrate) and with our own hands pelted every pool, as far as we could, so as to drive the fish to the banks and to those streams where the nets dared not venture in the dark, for fear of entanglement. We succeeded ; for in none of those places did the netters take a single fish. And next morning, to the great satisfac- tion of all parties, excepting the netters, we found that the permission had been wholly misunder- stood : — for every '' inch" given them, the netters had intended to take " two ells ! ! " and a stop was put to any further proceedings. If, on that occasion, blows had been requisite, we would ^ have preserved the river, as the lawyers say, vi et armis — notwithstanding what may be said to the contrary*. I know, perhaps, a dozen other * See Evidence before House of Commons, 1836. Question 1564, and Index tit. " Angling." 208 PRESERVATION OF SALMON. instances, in which gentlemen anglers have per- sonally interfered to preserve the same river by night, as well as by day. None who know the angler's disposition can doubt it. Bat even anglers, if better chances were afforded to the river proprietors who use the net (those above the tide-way), would have so much better sport from the same cause, that they would feel less desirous of trespassing into the fence months. As it now is, in many rivers, they have little or no chance until netting ceases ; because, no fish can come up to be caught. Some provision might be made to limit the number that anglers should appropriate to themselves ; they might fish and return all above a certain number in the day to the river. But I say, preserve the SPAWNING FISH AND FRY ; for, without it, every- thing else is useless. And let me suggest, that not only should the lower as well as the upper proprietors contribute to the expense of preserv- ing, but the whole neighbourhood of a salmon river, or the county, or counties through which it flows, or which it divides, ought likewise to do so : in as much as these feel the benefit in having: fish more plentiful and cheaper ; in their moral improvement (which should never be lost sight of in legislation) ; and, by the prevention of crime, ultimately lessening the expenses of punishment. I entirely agree, as to the destruction of fry by PRESERVATION OF SALMON. 209 angling. There the fish is born, and every one of the twenty dozen which a little boy may take in a day with a bent pin and thread, might, in all probability, in three or four months, be a sufficient meal for a dozen people. This I would stop, by prohibiting angling for small fish, or with small hooks, during the month of April and part of May ; for, as one witness very properly remarked to the Committee of the House of Commons, *' it is purchasing a very little personal amuse- ment at an enormous cost to the community." 210 €ftapter X* Scene. — The River above the Quay stream. Herb. — Come now, fire away, — where first am I to expect to find fish ? Tlieoph. — Pray be patient, and understand that as a general rule, you may expect fish, small or large, in every part of a trout or grayling stream, with this exception, that they do not lie over a muddy bottom, nor in holes frequented by chub or pike ; for the reasons that they love gravel better than mud or clay ; and that pike are quarrel- some companions ! From one to three feet deep of rapid water, among clusters of weeds, is their great delight ; and though large trout frequent deeper and stiller positions by day, and may rise at the fly occasionally, it is not under such cir- cumstances that they are actively on the feed. Where a rapid stream, such as I have just alluded to, terminates in a deep hole, it is at the head HAUNTS OF TROUT. 211 of the hole rather than at the tail that large trout lie. So at a high fall of water, as over a weir, it is rather under, than in the fall, or else close under the adjacent sides or banks, that they " hold their court." Grayling, on the contrary, are ever found, in both these instances, at the tail end rather than at the head of tlie hole, unless they be on the shallows above. At a large weir, little is to be expected in trout-tishing with a fly ; because you must fish much deeper than the rush of water will allow, and there, spinning or bait- fishing comes in with good effect. But if there be a gentle glide of water, having a sloping fall, and causing no very great depth of hole, then, in the rapid ripple it creates, is the place of all others I should prefer for trout. Where deep water shoals up into shallow at the tail end of a weir, there lurk the grayling ; and, if at the ter- mination of the deep hole, which the fall of water causes, there are beds of weeds, — which gene- rally happens, — then the trout, and good ones too, will be there also. At night-fall large trout, becoming more bold, sport themselves as much on shallows as smaller ones have done during the day-time ; because there it is that they find food of all kind more readily. Minnows are there in abundance ; and, if the fish seek flies of any kind, they can lie nearer the surface, down which the winged prey floats, and they have the quiet, p 2 212 CHUB-HOLES. created by the weeds, to resort to, when they wish to avoid that necessity for exertion, which their being constantly at the surface would im- pose upon them. It is strange how fond fish sometimes are of avoiding the hght, as though their deeds were evil ! Under dark arches and culverts large trout are almost sure to be met with. But the bait must not be the artificial fly — rather a worm or a minnow — that is, if you choose to turn poacher occasionally, and with this propensity, you are always sure to find trout ready, either for worm or minnow, under the roots of bushes, where deepish water rushes past them, and hollows away the bank. The shade of trees is always very inviting to fish. Herb. — You spoke of a chub-hole. IIow do you distinguish it ? Theoph. — Don't ask too much, or you'll beat me. Chub love to lie in deep sluggish water; consequently, where there is. mud or clay, rather than gravel at the bottom of the river, and in deep water, where the banks are much under- worn by the stream setting in directly on to them, consequently in acute bends of the river : a hol- lowed bank is their chief delight ; and it is not rapidity of stream which drives them thence. I know the head of one of the aits on the Thames, a little below Hampton (I think it the one which extends down to Hampton lock), where the stream ':j §^~- J I- -^ ■ P'" BAIT FOR SALMON. 213 is so rapid, that it is every year fast wearing it away ; and this spot is most excellent for large chub, and I could enumerate very many like it. The side of a much worn bank, though it runs quite straight, is, if the water be swift and deep, sure to produce chub. A regular chub-hole is very often a good pike-hole. I know a few where, in their respective seasons, I can always make sure of these fish. Herb. — But to return to our nobler prey, the salmon, do not they take worms, and even a spinning bait in rivers? I learn that those are the great means resorted to in Norway. Theoph. — I grant you, that as regards their taking worms, it is a puzzler. So I believe that they have been seen to take natural flies on this river, and have been taken by dibbing with the natural fly. But a spinning bait offers the extra tempta- tion of something glittering, and having a motion communicated by our hands and by no means natural to a living fish ; and I never heard of their taking a live bait, as jack, and perch, will do. Upon the whole, therefore, I fear we must place this also among the many subjects connected with the natural history of fish, as to which we are, I regret to say, entirely in the dark at present. Still, however, from all we have to base any opinion upon, I feel quite justified in saying that salmon do not, and cannot take our flies 214 FLIES. from any resemblance they bear in shape or colour to living or natural prey, and I am, there- fore, not prepared to say that we have any reason to employ particular feathers or other material in a fly on account of their colours. I cannot, at present, admit it as proved, that colour has any- thing to do with the " takingness" of a fly. I do not really think that a salmon looking upwards from his depth below, can distinguish more than that an opaque object is passing by him, and provided he is inclined to stir, my idea is, he will do so, whether the suit be red, or blue, or green, or yellow. Herb. — Do not you then prefer one kind and colour of fly before others? What is your secret charm 1 Theoph. — Aye, " there's the rub." I have found three or four flies pre-eminently successful, and, in consequence, I persevere more with them than with others. With trout you must be exact (more or less), as to colour ; but, in making sal- mon-flies everything, in my opinion, depends on the mode in which the materials are worked up; the appearance of life which, from the mode in which the wings in particular are put on, is given in the motion we communicate by the play of the rod. That, I think, is the whole secret of salmon fly-making. But, at the same time, I am not so over-confident of its correctness, that I would FLIES. 215 cease to give preference to one coloured fly over another, and, therefore, I will willingly describe a few flies which I consider killers for such wea- ther and water as the present, namely, bright sun, with flying, screening, clouds, rippling breeze, and low and bright water. But let me first inti- mate to you that on pools much deeper than we have fished this morning, and on rapids, you dress them on larger hooks ; and, on streams, on smaller hooks. Well, then, the first fly I had on, and which killed a fish, was about fifteen-six- teenths of an inch long, from shank-end to bend. This fly I made from Ronalds's beautiful work, the "Fly-Fisher's Entomology," as the stone-fly for trout. Its tail is composed of two fibres of a long grouse hackle. The body is a mixture of bright yellow mohair, and a con- siderably predominating portion of the fur from a hare's ear ; but there is a greater pro- portion of the mohair at the tail, which gives it a yellow appeance in that part. Over this, representing the joints in the fly's body, is wound, spirally, palish yellow floss silk. The hackle for the legs, is dyed a dark olive, and the wings are made of about fifty fibres from a light mottled feather, off" the hen pheasant's wing. In addition to this, the fly happened to have for its head, pro- jecting forwards, two whisks of sable fur. But 216 FLIES. 1 do not consider that they had any effect towards the fascination of our friend Salmo. I may as well tell you now, once for always, as 1- shall have fre- quent occasion to mention " the wing-feathers" of a bird, that unless I specify any others, you are to understand that, taking off, and exclusive of live or six of the longest, which are termed pinion feathers, and in fact form the point of the wing, I refer to the eight or nine next largest in size ; and of them we use the fibres on the concave side of the stem, corresponding to those which, as a matter of course, you would strip off from a goose quill preparatory to making a pen. They are much finer and rather longer than those on the other or convex side, and are, therefore, preferred. Here is a fly of a similar pattern to that which so raised your ecstacies, and with which you might have done execution before breakfast. It is of a more elaborate description than the preceding one, a regular salmon-fly ; and, by-the-bye, it is a great favourite here, so remember it well. The hook was, perhaps, a sixteenth of an inch less than the preceding, namely, fourteen-sixteenths long. Below the tail is thin silver thread or wire, then comes a golden pheasant's top-knot for tail ; above that, three or four turns of black ostrich hurl. The body, of crimson mohair left rough, is ribbed over with silver thread. It is sometimes FLIES. 217 made of crimson floss silk, with a claret hackle over it. The wings are of equal parts, but not many fibres, of the dark brown speckled feather off a mallard's back, and the light brown speckled feather of the shovel duck, from the side of the body, under and below the wing; and mixed with these, and left rather longer, are six fibres from the bright yellowish green parroqueet's wing. Then over the wing-s comes a dark mottled feather from about the shoulder of the grouse's wing, which we call a grouse hackle, because generally w^orked up (and as you see this is) as cock's hackles are, namely, by being wound or hackled round the shank of the hook. Three or four turns of a black ostrich hurl for the head, completes the fly. The third afibrds a good lesson of the advan- tages of industry and foresight ; which, if neglected in this instance, would have caused me to reverse the reason for my regrets, and to have petitioned the Emperor of the Salmon in this river for the restoration of the fly, without a care about the punishment of the fish that took it ; I would then willingly have compounded the felony, in defiance of the laws and statutes of this realm in that case made and provided, as those skilful fishers of men, lawyers, would have it. But having completed half the circle of digres- sion, let me tell you that it is a good fly, a favourite fly, and a successful fly, made after the 218 FLIES. pattern of one rather prized by ''the greatest sculptor in Europe," who took salmon with it below this town, in just such water as there is at present, when no one else could stir a fin. But you saw its power., though my unskil- fulness counteracted them. Very fortunately, just before starting off to meet you yester- day afternoon, I made this, its fac-simile, in order not to lose so valuable a pattern. Now having completed the " aforesaid" circle, let me tell you, that after the four turns of silver thread under and below it, the tail is composed of three fibres of the yellow spreading back feather of the golden pheasant ; the body is of light red-brown mohair, left rough, with silver thread wound up it; and over this, all the luay, comes a Marlow buzz hackle ; that is, a red-hackle, with a black stripe up the stem, and the fibres tipped with black. The wings are, first a mixture of plain dark speckled guinea fowl's back feather, with an equal quantity of the same feather dyed maroon ; over these, and extending rather beyond them, comes about the same proportion of dark speckled mallard, such as I have just mentioned ; for horns projecting still further, and towards the tail, are four fibres of the dark (not brown) speckled mal- lard's feather from the side of the body under the wing, dyed a bright yellow ; and three turns of a maroon dyed ostrich hurl make the head. FLIES. 219 But I must not forget its great advantage on the pool we have been fishing, namely, its size. This hook, you see, and the one I lost v^^as the same, is about thirteen-sixteenths lono; : thoug-h I should mention that the pattern belonging to Sir Francis was not more than twelve-sixteenths long, and that the body was of a similar coloured floss silk. But what are you laughing at .'' Herb. — Only at seeing you so particular to a hair's breadth. Theoph. — It's well to laugh, but I have no other way of conveying my notion of the sizes of hooks to you. Every maker has his sizes numbered or lettered according to his fancy ; but as all makers differ from each other in their numbers, or par- ticular distinguishing characters, none of which convey any definite idea of size, except from occular demonstration, and as I do not learn that the statute books contain any act of parliament which assimilates and equalizes their measures, how else, in the name of goodness, can I make you comprehend what is a small hook, and what a large one? I do not approve of recipes ordering " a httle" of this, a ''dash" of that, and so forth; you will, however, only find a differ- ence of one inch seven-sixteenths between the largest salmon, and the smallest trout hook ; and if a quarter of an inch can be said to make such a difference in a man's nose, surely a sixteenth is 220 THE author's scale of hooks. to be regarded in a hook which is to be applied to a fish's eye and mouth. But in order that 1 may not puzzle you so often by " sixteenths," and henceforth to subdue that derisive cachinating curl of your lips, you may at once note down the following scale which I adopt for hooks, measuring from the shank end to the extremity of the bend. Theophilus South's Scale of Hooks. 1 Ii Measures . . ]ch. 16ths. 15 10 7 5 4 15 12 8 9 10 11 12 13 MidffB Measures. Inch. . ,. .- .. ,. . . 16ths. 11 10 s 9 4 8 «^ 7 fi 6 7 5 In order to compare my scale with others, note down also the following : — Sell's O'Shaughnessey's. Phillips'. SALMON. SALMON. SALMON. No. in. 16th Nc ). in. 16ths .No. in. 16ths. 1 measures 2 12 1 measures 2 4 2 2 10 2 1 15 3 2 5 3 1 13 4 2 3 4 1 8 6 ... 2 4 5 6 7 1 1 1 15 14 10 5 6 1 7 7 .. . 1 14 1 5 8 .. . 1 19 9 .. 1 7 GRILSE. GRILSE . GRILSE. 1 1 7 1 1 3 BB . 1 2 2 1 5 2 1 B . 1 3 1 4 3 15 CC . 14 4 15 1 14 C . 12 THE AUTHORS SCALE OF HOOKS. 221 rnouT. TROUT. TROUT. 1 ,. 12 o 6 1 2 3 4 5 10 o 6 fff .. 10 9 ff .. R ^ f .. 7 i fe .. fi 5 midge . ^l 6 o 6 7 7 o 8 midge 5 8 9 midge 5 Let me observe, that as you grow older in this art, you will find that much of your success depends on the size of the fly you make use of. This you must, whether in search of trout or salmon, vary according to the w^eather, the general height of the river, and the nature and depth of the particular spots where you throw. For instance, for salmon in shallow clear water, (say about six foot, and under eight), and in sun- shiny weather (by which, I mean, when the sky is clear, and the sun only occasionally bursting from behind passing clouds) — and the stream moderately swift, I should use a very small fly, for instance, my No. 8, and according to the increase in rapidity of the same depth, I should enlarge the fly to the No. 6 size. If again, the weather were dull, and the sky completely clouded, I should fish the same water with hooks a size larger, namely, from No. 7, to No. 5. But if the same depth were coloured after rain, and the sky bright, I should advance still another size, 222 SIZE OF FLIES. beginning by No. 6, and ending with No. 4. — and in dull weather, use No. 5, to No. 3. Ad- hering to the same principles of calculation, in water of eight feet deep, and under ten, I should begin with No. 6, and finish with No. 3, and so according to the increase of depth, I should put on flies larger in the same degree, advancing one number for every two feet of water. But the largest I should ever think it necessary to use on this river, is No. 1, whatever may be the state of the water. Herb. — 1 have been given to understand that on some of the Scotch and Irish rivers they are in the habit of always using flies much larger, and as far as I can carry the sizes I have usually seen for those rivers in my memory, there appears to be none under the largest of those you advise to be used here. Why should this great difference exist ? Theoph. — I think you judge of the fact more from those which fishing-tackle shops exhibit, than from examining the collection of an expert salmon fisher who ties his own. In Ireland, and in Scotland, wise men, occasionally, and in the former place for the most part, use flies quite as small as those I recommend. You will observe, that in some places nothing under five pounds, and in others under seven pounds, is denominated a salmon. But the rivers there are, many of them, of a greater depth and of a bolder cha- SIZE or FLIES. 223 racter, and the fish in proportion average larger; and there, perhaps, anglers would never think of using any hook less than my number 2 or 3, while here, and on other rivers less bold, four or five pounds is called a salmon, and the general average weight of those taken does not exceed ten or twelve pounds, though a few are caught in each season of five and twenty pounds and up- wards. But you may be sure that the few who pay attention to the matter study the size of the hook they shall put on, and are much more suc- cessful than those who have but one size, and that a large one. Many, perhaps, are accus- tomed to fish only in one place ; they occasionally meet with success in deeps with their monster fly, and then, without thinking about the matter, extol nothinp- but laroe ones, and have no faith in waters from five or six foot depth, which they call shallows. Perhaps, however, I do wrong in giving you an impression that it is only the un- thinking who declare in favour of large hooks. One or two first-rate, and really scientific fishers of my acquaintance, let me tell you, are partially of that school. I say " partially," because though generally preferring large to small, they qualify their partiality by this saying, namely, "Large hooks catch large fish;" which, to a certain extent, is indisputably true, because large fish, especially trout, generally lie in deep water, 224 SIZE OF FLIES, where, as I told you, you should invariably adopt a larger hook. For my own part, I would rather be under than over the mark, and certainly think that smaller hooks are much more generally suc- cessful, even for moderately big fish, than large ones, while it is very certain that the latter do not take small fish. And I can also assure you that in a day's fishing, in company with an expert hand, who has differed from me upon this point, with my small flies I have taken three large fish to his one, or, which is a stronger proof, in one instance, two large, and three or four small ones to his nothing; and that, although his skill was equal, if not superior, to mine. And it is by no means uncommon in low bright water, to take salmon from six to nine pounds with trout flies, upon hooks as small as my No, 10. At the same time I may tell you that I know of no person taking to himself credit for any science upon the subject, wVjO asserts that large flies are of any avail, either for trout or salmon, on shallow streams. Herb. — I have often heard, that it is an uni- versally acknowledged rule that a larger fly should be used very early in the morning, or late in the evening. If you accede to this, may I ask for what reasons ? Theoph. — I will tell you. When a fish rises, he is more or less on the feed, as we suppose, and S^IZE OF FLIES. *225 perhaps at the moment when your fly engages his observation, he is ah'eady half-glutted with other food. But supposing him to be commenc- ing his meal, then, if we can judge by our own appetites, let me ask you, if when you sat down to dinner, three mutton cutlets en masse were upon your plate at once, would you not be less likely to get through them than if they came before you one by one ? And might not a fish for the same reason prefer many small morsels to one large ? It seems to me that they are not so gross in their habits of feeding as many animals. They do not, like a boa-constrictor, "swallow an ox," and then lie gorged and torpid for a length of time. But if you examine a trout's stomach (except in the May-fly season) you will find him full of innumerable small flies, with scarce one large one, though the larger sorts are in abun- dance upon the water. I myself have taken trout with myriads of what we fishermen denomi- nate the black gnat in their stomachs and throats, though the air has swarmed with larger flies, such as the alder, and March brown, and cinnamon, on a dozen of which, with infinite less labour, he might have contrived to make as hearty a meal. This cannot proceed from the mere superiority of taste and flavour which one fly may possess over another, even admitting that fish have the 561186 of taste, which has been doubted by Mr. 226 SIZE CF FLIES. Ronalds, especially as we know that those three large flies, which I have just mentioned, are especial favourites of the trout, and it must be, that they prefer small morsels to large, although collecting the former must entail so much greater pains and trouble. Herb. — This is clearly proved in bottom fishing. A moderately small piece of pacte being more successful than a larger one, and a smaller worm of the same sort producing the same result. Theoph. — You are quite correct, according to my experience. Again, if we may compare them with man, do we prefer large mouthfuls to those of moderate dimensions ? Certainly not ; not only because education teaches us that it is a vulgar habit, but for the reason, that there is more trouble in their mastication, as well as in swal- lowing them. And it must be remembered that we masticate, while the fish swallows whole that which he puts into his mouth. I therefore think it probable that a fish would prefer the trouble of collecting several ^mdWmorceauj^ to the chance of one large one sticking in his gullet, and chokeing him. And thus probatu7n est q. e. d., viz. that large flies attract attention, while smaller ones take the fish. In trolling for pike, a large bait often induces a fish to seize it, and it is well to use such, if you are fishing with a snap ; yet if SIZE OF FLIES. 227 you use a gorge, though the large bait be seized, it is ten to one but that he leaves it without an attempt to pouch it, unless he be strong on feed ; though there is no doubt his throat would be capacious enough for the purpose, had he been inclined to make the experiment. A fish often seizes a passing prey, merely, as it seems to me, by way of a punishment for its audacity in ap- proaching too near. You often see fish take things into their mouths, and then instantly eject them, though the next hour they would seize and swallow the same in nature and substance. Yet it is only when much pressed with hunger that they attempt to swallow a bait large in propor- tion to their own size. I certainly was once trolling with a gorge for pike, with a good sized gudgeon, when 1 saw a perch not longer than nine inches, and not twice the length of the bait, seize it. She (for I found it to be a female full of spawn, and nearly as deep as long) ran with it in shore, and I, thinking it impossible that she would attempt to swallow it, sang out for the landing net to entrap her with it at once from among the rushes beneath me. This I and my companion did, and when we got her out, I was indeed surprised to find that she had attempted to swallow it, and was fairly hooked, but neces- sarily " stuck at the tail." Yet I am satisfied she must have been driven by hunger to commit such q2 228 SIZE OF FLIES. a daring atrocity. Pike are found occasionally gorged and half choked with one of their own species, not much less in size, in their throats ; though this again is only in ponds where food is scarce, and therefore they are urged on by the old adage, that " hunger has no law." And you may depend, that these are unnatural feats on the part of fish. Give me, therefore, small flies in preference to large all the world over, whether for trout or for salmon. Herb. — Why, then, let me ask you, do you recommend any variation in the sizes of flies, according to the difi^erent depths and degrees of the clearness of the water ? Theoph. — Simply upon the principle of ex- citing attention. That which he would discern plainly from the bottom of four feet of water can- not be so perceptible at a distance of twelve feet, and, for the same reason, the faculty of vision is less perfect in muddy, than in clear water, or in cloudy than in clear weather ; and, therefore, you must use a larger fly. Such have long been my notions upon this subject, and though I am willing to change them for better, considerable experience has not afforded any inducement to forego them. You will, of course, understand me as using the terms large hooks and large flies synonymously ; since you must always apportion the quantity of material in the one to the size of ■ A KILLING FLY. EVANS's FLY. 229 the other. And do not forget the hint I dropped just now, that larger flies should be used early in morning and late at night, than in mid-day; simply, because they are then less easily seen. That's a mighty great reason ! you'll say ; yet it it is little known or thought of, as the reason why a fire burns better and brighter from poking. So much for the sizes of hooks and flies. Herb. — You have not yet described the fly I have on, and with which we killed the last fish at the Quay-stream pool. Theoph. — You mean Antiquarius's fly. It has, you see, an apple-green silk body, a golden phea- sant's crest feather, and a few fibres of scarlet ibis left shorter for the tail; below which, and wound up the body, is middling-sized gold thread. Close under the wings is wound a claret-coloured hackle ; and the wings are composed, the major part, of dark-brown speckled mallard ; the rest of a few strands of dark striped turkey feather, and on each side are two bright blue king-fisher's feathers ; and the hook is about my size No. 5. But see another, the choicest fly in my collection for this state of water. It is ^^ Evans s Jiy ;'' and, like a provident man, I reserved it for the last, in the assurance, that though the others had failed, this would have served me well if anything would have stirred a fish to day. Its size is as small as my Ko. 6, or even No. 7. Mulberry 230 AN UNEXPECTED CONCLUSION. floss-silk body, golden pheasant's crest tail, under which are several turns of the thinnest silver wire, and some turns of the floss-silk ; the silver wire is then carried over the body spirally; close under the wings is wound a small dark partridge hackle. The wings are of — First, brown speckled mallard : second, about a dozen fibres, from the golden pheasant's rufl"; Third, three or four fibres of bright green paraqueet, and above them are about a dozen strands of dark mottled, or rather striped turkey. Above the wing is hackled either a striped blue jay's wing feather, or a marlow-buz hen's hackle*, which is perhaps preferable, and then a heading of ostrich hurl completes the fly. I shall try this myself by and bye, and I know I shall succeed with it, if the fish continue on the move. Enter Messenger with a Letter. Herb. — Theophilus, what means this pallid tremor — this suddenly anxious visage ? Theoph. — My friend, instantly we part. How unexpectedly. Little indeed do we know what a day may bring forth. I must leave you, and not only you, but dear Old England, at the same time. The call, imperative, admits of no delay. I must depart at once. Farewell, my pupil. If I • Similar to the Marlow-buz hackle mentioned ante; but taken from oflF the hen's neck. FAREWELL ! 231 have helped you ought in our loved art, improve my precepts, and when at any future moment of success, remembrance bids you own my influence, think of me, as of one, who exiled far from old associations and old friends, seeking a new home in a distant clime, breathes ardent prayers for his loved country's welfare, and leaves his heart still with his native land. Herb, — God speed you — and FAREWELL ! WALTER SFIBRS, PRINTER, 17, NORTH AUULEY STREET. In the Press, and shortly vrill he Published, in 1 vol. 4to, with numerous Illustra- tions on Steel and Wood, SPORTING ARCHITECTURE, BY GEORGE TATTERSALL, SURVEYOR. Assisted by tJimrod, and other Eminent Sporting Writers. NOTITIA VENATICA. Nearly ready for Publication, in one vol. royal 8vo, illustrated with numerous beautiful Engravings. TBBATISB ON FOX-HUNTING, TO WHICH 13 ADDED A COMPENDIOUS KENNEL STUD BOOK, WITH COPIOUS INDEX, &c. Dedicated to JOHN MUSTERS, ESQ. OF COLWICK HALL, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, BY ROBT. THOMAS VYNER, Some time Master of the North Warwickshire and Holderness l!unts. :NEC TIBI CURA CANUM FUERIT POSTREMA. In 8vo, bandsomely bound in clotb, price 16s. ;' The Second Edition of "^ JORROCKS'S JAUNTS AND JOLLITIES, With Twelve Illustrations by Phiz. " The essays, now ])ublished under tbe title of " Jorrocks's Jaunts and Jollities, were the first to lead the way in this line of fiction. In these, Mr. Jorrocks, a rich sporting grocer, is tbe chief character; and competent and unprejudiced judges, incline to the opinion, that the idea of the popular character of Pickwick was derived from the hero of the Surrey bunt. Pickwick is an excellent character with tbe assistance of Sam Weller ; but, viewed singly, Jorrocks, in our opinion, is tbe better of tbe two. He has all Pickwick's good-natured simplicity, without bis letbargic slowness." — Frazer's Magazine, Oct. 1838. "There is a spirit and a sparkle about tbe whole, which give an entertaining effect to tbe style and remarks of a writer who seems to be ' vvide awake' to tbe world about him, and an acute observer of men and manners. Phiz's etchings are worthy of the text — very characteristic and very clever." — Literary Gazette. " The present writer is not behind Mv Dickens in the power of drawing cbcr- racter out of common life." — AlheiKzum. " This is, without exception, one of the richest things that has been produced ; it is a sporting Boz." — Sherbotirne Journal. " There is much in tbe book that reminds us of Pickwick, ; and we have ao hesitation in saying also, that there is much in it as good as any thing to be found in the celebrated adventures of that very celebrated person." — The Scotsman.— ~ Edinburgh Literarx) Journal. la medium 8vo, handsomely bound in cloth, 13s. ; or in 12 parts, Is. each. 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Illustrated with Six Characteristic Etchings, by PHIZ. Just Published, in one vol., royal 8vo., elegantly bound. Price One Guinea. THE CRACKS OF THE DAY, A PICTORIAL RECORD OF THE MOST CELEBRATED EVENTS, HORSES, AND CHARACTERS OF THE BRITISH TURF; With Notices, Biographical and Historical, Pedigree and Performances of each Horse, Anecdotes of the Turf, &c. — Edited by Wildrake, and Embellished with SiXTY-FSVE ELLUSTRATiOi^S,! From Original Pictures by A. COOPER, R.A., HANCOCK, HERRING, TURNER, SEYMOUR, ALKEN, &c. " In this verjr eleg-ant work, the ' Cracks,' both biped and quadruped of the last ten years are given by the crack Engravers after the crack Painters, with a profusion of anecdotes connected with the principal turf performances of the animals represented. It is an accurate and well-arranged digest of turf prceedings during the period it embraces." — Era. " This is one of those volumes of which so many have recently been published, calculated for the gratification ard amusement of sporting men, ami has been got up by the publisher regardless of expense, and with an abundance of graphic illustrations scarcely paralleled, containing no less than sixty-five illustrations, from paintings by Herring, Cooper, Hancock, Seymour, Wilson, Turner, Aiken, and others, including portraits of all the extraordinary ' cracks' which have figured on the turf during the past ten years, as well as representations of many of the events in which the sporting world has taken an interest. The object of the author has been to collect in'oue volume all that is valuable in the occurrences during the period to which he refers ; in this he has been most successful. The Portraits begin with ' Recovery' and end with ' Crucifix ;' and the performances of each nag are accurately detailed. We have also portraits of men as well as horses, including Thomas Thornhill, Esq., the Duke of Grafton, John Gully, Esq., George Osbaldeston, Esq., General Grosvenor, the Earl of Jersey, C. C. Greville, Esq., the Earl of Chesterfield, and Lord George Bentinck, with representations of the cups which were run for at Ascot and Good- wood. It is beautifully printed, and bound with taste, which will render it an acceptable addition to the sportsman's library." — BelTs Life in Lmidon. " This volume is dedicated to the trainings and doings of the turf during the past ten years. We have every Derby, Oaks, and Leger wmner from, and inclusive of, 1831 to 1840. The matter is plainly, but pleasantly indited, and in a book of this order the matter is everything and the manner little or nothing. The details appear to be correct ; the Illustrations, sixty-five in number, are generally good ; and the work is produced in a respectable style." — Sunday Times. " Here we have all the incidents of the British Turf during the last ten years, accurately arranged in a very superb volume, illustrated with portraits of all the Crack Horses of the period, and some of the chief sporting characters. The engravings are admirable, and worthy of a work which, as a faithful record of a national pursuit wherein we surpass the whole world, must be a prize to every sporting man." — Naial and Military Gazette. " The Cracks of the Day is a copious and satisfactory history of the British Turf for the last ten years, It contains the pedigree and performances of every horse which has won either the Derby, Oaks, or Doncaster St. Leger, since 1830, with ' knowing' remarks on their styles of running, merits, and character. A review of the racing season is placed at the end of each year's running, and there are scattered throughout a number of amusing anecdotes, and a good deal of lively chit-chat on sporting matters. The volume is illustrated with sixty-three fine engravings, being chiefly portraits of the ' crack horses,' whose performances form the subject of the work ; and, with these are mixed clever full-length sketches of the most eminent patrons of the Turf. The book has been got up in the most costly style, and will form a valuable addition to every sportsman's library." — Britannia UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS ROYAIi HIGHNESS '^^^'''^ '^' ' '^^ PRIIICE ALBERT. THE NEW SPORTIEG MAGA3IIIE, NEW SERIES. The numbers for the current year of this periodical present the names of many old favourites and new friends to the reader. Amongst them may be mentioned — NiMUOD Sylvanus Swanquill WiLDRAKE E. Howard, Esq. Author of Rattlin the Reefer, the Old Commodore, &c. &c. N. W. Master Harry Pp.TE Whetstone Uncle Toby Arthur Vansittart, Esq. (The English Turfite in Italy) Vasi.yn RiGDUM FuNNiDOS (Of the Comic Almanack) Red Rover ToHO. &c. &c. &c. Among the features which lay claim to more particular attention are — THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN, By NiMROD, A New and Characteristic work of Fiction — continued monthly. SPORTS OF THE SEA, By E. Howard, Esq. MEMOIRS OF THE MOST CELEBRATED MASTERS OF HOUNDS, By NiMROD. A department interesting to most of our Sporting Readers has been added in AGRICULTURE, MORE ESPECIALLY AS RELATES TO STOCK. Particular attention will be given to YACHTING; A subject hitherto neglected, but which will be henceforth carried out by the New Sporting Magazine, in a spirit accordant with the interest now attached to that delightful and truly national pursuit. THE RECORDS OF THE CHACE, THE TURF, AND COURSING, Will be as complete, as our own endeavours, and the kind assistance of our country friends, can make them. 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DEER STALKING IN TWO HIGHLY COLOURED PLATES, FROM PAINTINGS BY J. FERNELEY, ENGRAVED BY E. DUNCAN. 24 inches by 18i. Price 11. 5s. each plate. The foUowing HUMOROUS SPORTING ANECDOTES, from Drawings by Mr.H. Aiken, price 3s. 6d. each, coloured. Sizo 13 inches by S^. The Sporting Sweep— The Sporting Miller— The Coach— Jorrocks's Hunt Breakfast — Swell and the Surrey, two plates— The Hunting Tailor, Hastings and Lord Segrave— The Hunted Tailor, or the Double Fracture— The Sporting Parson's Hunting Lecture— The Sporting Grazier ; or. Fox-hunting versus Politics— The Sporting Bishop— Fox-hunting in Canada— The Hunting Sweep and the Duke ; or. Gallantry and Galloping. Also Just Published. FOUR NEW SPORTING ANECDOTES, illustrating the Life of David Crockett. David Crockett's Elk Hunt— David Crockett's Fight for Bear's Meat— How to Get a Vote — Don't forget that Vote. SPORTS IN THE SCOTTISH ISLES. GROUSE SHOOTING, OTTER HUNTIS^'G, SALMON FISHING^ AND DEER SHOOTING. FROM DRAWINGS, BY W. HEATH. Price 20s. the Four Plates. Size, \i^ inches by 8a. Lately published. Four Prints, SHOOTING, price £2 2s. highly coloured, from Paintings by Henry Aiken, viz : THE MOOR— THE FIELD— THE WOOD— AND THE WATER. PORTRAIT OP HIS GRACE THE LATE DUKE OP GORDON'S BLACK TROTTING MARE WINNER OF THE NORTHAMPTON TROTTING SWEEPSTAKES, MARCH 1836, DRAWN ON STONE BY T. FAIRLAND FROM THE ORIGINAL PICTURE BY W. BARRAUD. Size of Print 1-i inches by llj. Price 12s. coloured; 8s. plain. BEAUTY. A celebrated little Trotter, the property of R. Lacey, Esq. Price 15s. coloured. TOM THUMB. THE CELEBRATEO AMERICAN TROTTER, 19^ inches by 15. Coloured, price 11. A Portrait of JOHN ^VARD ON HIS PAVOURITE HUNTER BLUE RUIN FROM THE ORIGINAL PICTURE, BY BARRAUD. Price 12s. plain ; 21s. coloured. Size, 181 inches by l-tj. ALSO LATELY PUBLISHED, A fine mezzotint Portrait of that celebrated Sportsman, GEORGE BAKER^ ESQ. OF DURHAM, Price 15s. Print; 21s. Proofs ; 31s. 6d. Proofs before Letters. T. GOOSEY A large Lithographic Print, with a Portrait of the above famous Huntsman to Lord Forester ; and part of the Belvoir Hounds. Price 21s. print ; and 42s. coloured. Size of print, 22 inches by 17- THE PIRATE DEPEATED Representing a gallant Action, between Mr. R. B. Crawford, of H.M.S. Esk, with one gun and five men, in the Bight of Benin, March 20, 1826, beating ofi" the Spanish Pirate Carolina, carrying ten guns and ninety men, commanded by Capt. Antonio Soumath, from an original Picture in the possession of Rear Admiral Sir Charles Bullcn, C.B., K. C.H., &c. &c. to whom this Plate is with permission most respectfully dedicated. Size of Print 17i by 11|. Price 10s. 6d. beautifully coloured, from the original Picture by W. Joy. THE -WATERPORD LINE SCHOONER A fine coloured Print representing the Schooners " Alexander, Capt. NichoUs," " Marthai Capt. Dwyre," and " Rapid, Capt. Miller." FROM A PAINTING BY JOHN LYNN, Size of Print, 21 inches by 12s. Price 21s. THE SOUTHERN V^HALE PISHERY Two Prints representing the above Fishery in the South Seas. The mode of attacking the Whale and boiling it down on board ; in which also is displayed the hazardous mode of pursuing the Whale. Price 5s. each, highly coloured. Size of Prints, 20^ inches by 13. A beautiful coloured Print, THE MAIL AT THE TURNPIKE GATE. Price 21s. coloured. Size 20^ inches by 14i. ALSO TUB TAGIiIOiai TVINDSOR COACH. Price 10s. 6d. coloured. Size 18i inches by 12j HEADS OF SPORTING ANIMAIiS^ Viz. the Fox, Bloodhound, and Newfoundland Dog, FROM PAINTINGS BY C. HANCOCK, ENGRAVED BY BECKWITH 6.f inches by 5J. Price, coloured, 12s., proofs, 10s. 6d., plain, 7s. 6d. the set. SHOT^ A CELEBUAIED POINTER, FROM A PAINTING BY A. COOPER, R. A. 24j inches by 19i, highly coloured. Price ll. 4s. DASH; A CELEBRATED SETTER, FROM A PAINTING BY AGASSE. 24| inches by 19J, highly coloured. Price ll. 4s. A large Lithographic HEAD OF A BI.OOD-HOUND 10s. 6d. coloured, FROM A PAINTING BY AGASSE. FOXES AND CUBS ' FROM A PAINTING BY BENNEP, SOj inches by 16|, coloured. Price ll. 4s. A PORTRAIT OF " CHANCE^" THE FIREMEN'S DOG, DRAWN AND LITHOGRAPHED BY WILLIAM HEATH. 9j inches by 7|. Price 4s. coloured ; 2s. 6d. proofs. BADGERS. AFTER A PAINTING BY BENNET. 18j inches by 13a, coloured. Price 11. Is. EI ARES AFTER A PAINTING 'by BENNET. 19a inches by 15. Price ll. Is. coloured. MAMAIxUKES AND COSSACKS^ IN TWO PLATFS. Highly coloured. Price 10s. 6d. the pair. Plain, on tinted paper, 7s. FANCV BAIiIj costumes^ IN SIX PLATES, DRAWN AND ETCHED BY WILLIAM HEAI'H. Price, coloured, 2s. 6d. each. KNIGHTS IN ARMOURj IN A SERIES OF TWELVE PLATES, BY H. ALKEN. Price, coloured, 18s. ; plain, 9s. GAME COCKSj, IN TWO SMALL PRINTS, Neatly mounted and coloured. Price 5s. the pair. FOUR SMAIjI. HUNTING MEDALIjIONS BY H. ALKEN, Highly coloured. Price 6s. the four. SIX SMALL BUNTING MEDALLIONS. BY H. ALKEN, Highly coloured. Price 8s. the six. FOUR SMALL SHOOTING MEDALLIONS. BY H. ALKEN. Highly coloured. Price 6s. the four. FOUR SMALL RACING MEDALLIONS BY H. ALKEN. Highly coloured. Price 6s. the four. SIX SMALL MEDALLIONS OF MAMALUKES AND COSSACKS. BY H. ALKEN, Highly coloured. Price 6s. the six. TBB FIRST STEBPIiS CHASE ON RECORD, Viz. the NIGHT RIDERS OF NACTON, Lately Published, FOUE BEAUTIFUL COLOURED PLATES, BY H.ALKEN Price 21. 2s. Size 14J inces by lOi THE FOX AND PARTRIDGE, A VERY SPIRITED COLOURED LITHOGRAPHIC PRINT, FROM A PAINTING BY R. R. RENAGLE, R. A. Dedicated by special permission to the Right Honourable the Earl of Kintore. Price 7s. 6d. each coloured. Size of Print, 14 inches by llj. TALLY-HO! FROM A PAINTING BY MR. CHARLES HANCOCK. Price 7s. 6d. coloured. Size, 15 inches by lOj. Two very Humoiviis Colowed Sportinff Prints, dedicated to the Ctack Riders and Craners of England, viz : — THE RIGHT AND WRONG SORL From Drawings by H. Alken. Price 25s. the pair. Size 17i inches by 11 J. PORTRAITS OF IBRAHIM AND DRAMA PACHA, LITHOGRAPHED BY GAUCI. Price, each, 3s. coloured ; Is. 6d. jjlain. PORTRAITS OF GENERAL CHASSE AND MARSHALL GERARD, Price 5s. the pair coloured; 2s. 6d. plain. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BY FIRE, DRAWN AND LITHOGRAPHED BY WILLIAM HEATH. 14^ inches by lOi. Price 7s. 6d. coloured ; 5s. proofs. THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE BY FIRE. Price 7s, 6d. coloured ; 5s. plain. A CHOICE COLLECTION OF ENGLISH AND FOREIGN PRINTS, LIKEWISE A GREAT VARIETY OF WATER-COLOUR DRAWINGS, &c. FOR SCRAP-BOOKS ALSO THE NUMEROUS REQUISITES TOR DRAWING, AS FOLLOWS : — DRAWING PAPER. Demy 20 inches by 15i Medium 22| ditto ^ Royal 24 Super-royal 27J Imperial ^ . . . 30 Elephant 28 Columbier 35 Atlas 34 Double Elephant 40 Grand Emperor 65j Antiquarian , 63 Antiquarian, extra large 56 ditto i7^ ditto 19 ditto \% ditto 212 ditto 23 ditto 23^ ditto 26 ditto 27 ditto 47 ditto 31 ditto 38 MAHOGANY DRAWING BOARDS. Demy 4to. size 8 inches by 6 Royal 4to. lOj ditto Imperial 4to. 13 ditto Half Medium 15 ditto Demy 18 ditto Medium 20 ditto Royal 22 ditto Folding Table Easels, Deal. ditto, ditto. Mahogany. 9|.. 11 .. 13J.. 15i.. 17 .. s. d- 4 5 6 7 8 10 6 12 14 6 Bristol Drawing Paper and Card Boards Vellum Wove Cartridge for Landscapes Rough-grained Cartridge Tinted Drawing Papers for Crayons Fine White Velvet for Painting Ivory for Miniatures Writing Papers Transparent Tracing Paper Tissue Paper, Demy and Double Crown Ditto ditto, Tinted Marble and Earthenware Slabs Ivory and Earthenware Pencil Racks Ivory Palettes Earthenware ditto Ditto Saucers Ditto ditto in Cabinets Indian Glue Black, Italian, French, and German Chalks Conle a Paris, glazed Conte a Paris, square Leather and Paper Stumps Steel and Brass Port Crayons The following very beautiful Works are lately published, and will be found very elegant Works for the Drawing Room Table. HAY'S ILLUSTRATIONS OF CAIRO, on stone, by Haghe and Bourne. Imperial folio, half-bound, 41. 4s. NASH'S ARCHITECTURE OF THE MIDDLE AGES. In twenty-five Plates. Imperial folio, half-bound, tinted, 41. 4s. ; coloured, in portfolio, 101. 10s. NASH'S MANSIONS OF ENGLAND IN THE OLDEN TIME. Same as the preceding. NASH'S MANSIONS OF ENGLAND IN THE OLDEN TIME. Second series. Same as the preceding. BOYS'S PICTURESQUE ARCHITECTURE IN PARIS, GHENT, ANTWERP, AND ROUEN. Printed in Lithography with Oil Colours. Beautifully bound in mo- rocco and silk, 61. 6s. ; or mounted in a folio, 81. 8s. SCENERY OF PORTUGAL AND SPAIN. By G. Vivian, Esq. ; on stone by L. Haghe, Thirty-five Views. Imperial folio, half-bound, 41. 4s. SPANISH SCENERY. By G. Vivian, Esq. ; on stone by L. Haghe. Twenty-nine Views. Imperal folio, uniform with the above, 41. 4s. HARDING'S SKETCHES AT HOME AND ABROAD. In twelve Parts. Impe- rial folio, 10s. 6d. each part ; or complete in 50 Plates, 61. 6s. STANFIELD'S SKETCHES ON THE MOSELLE, RHINE, AND MEUSE. In thirty plates. Imperial folio, balf-bound, tinted, 41. 4s. ; coloured, iu portfolio, 101. 10s. HERRING'S SKETCHES ON THE DANUBE, IN HUNGARY, AND TRAN- SYLVANIA. Twenty-six Plates. Imperial folio, half-bound, tinted, 41. 4s. ; coloxired in portfolio, 101. 10s. RICHARDSON'S SKETCHES IN ITALY, SWITZERLAND, AND FRANCE. In twenty-six Plates. Imperial folio, half-bound, tinted, 41. 4s. ; coloured, in portfolio, 101. 10s. ROBERTS'S SPANISH SKETCHES. In twenty-six Plates. Imperial folio, tinted, 41. 4s. ; coloured, in portfolio, 101. 10s. LEWIS'S CONSTANTINOPLE. In twenty-six Plates. Imperial folio, tinted 41. 4s. ; coloured, in portfolio, 101. 10s. LEWIS'S SPAIN AND THE SPANISH CHARACTER. In twenty-six Plates. Imperial folio, tinted, 41. 43. ; coloured, in portfolio, 101. 10s. LEWIS'S ALHAMBRA. In twenty-six Plates. Imperial folio, tinted, 41. 4s, coloured^, in portfolio, 101. 10s. ROYAL LODGES, WINDSOR GREAT PARK. By royal command, on stone, by L. Haghe, after drawings by S. Ziegler. Price, folio, half-bound, 11. Us. 6d. ; beautifully coloured, 31. 3s. ARCHITECTURAL REMAINS OF THE REIGNS OF ELIZABETH AND JAMES I. By Charles James Richardson. Imperial folio, 21. 2s. ; in gold, 31. 6s. each part. PROUT'S SKETCHES IN FRANCE, SWITZERLAND, AND ITALY. Contains twenty-six Views, lithographed by himself. Imperial folio, handsomely half-bound, price, tinted, 41. 4s. ; coloured, in folio, 101. ICs. PROUT'S FACSIMILES OF FIFTY SKETCHES MADE IN FLANDERS AND GERMANY. Folio, half-bound, price 61. 6s. T. S. COOPER'S NEW SERIES OF CATTLE GROUPS. Twenty-six Subjects from Nature, on stone, by himself. Imperial folio, price, half-bound morocco, 41. 4s. or highly coloured, and mounted in a folio, 121. 12s. T. S. COOPER'S DESIGNS FOR CATTLE PICTURES, in thirty-four Plates. Imperial folio, half-bound, tinted, 41. 14s. 6d. HAGHE'S PICTURESQUE SKETCHES IN GERMANY AND BELGIUM, on stone, by himself. Price, imperial folio, half-bound, 41 4s. WINDSOR AND ITS ENVIRONS. Sketched and Lithographed by J. B. Pyne. In Fourteen Views. Imperial folio, half-bound, price 21. 12s. 6d. R. ACKERMANN, PRINTSELLER, PUBLISHER, FANCY STATIONER, MANUFACTURER OF SUPERFINE WATER-COLOURS, TO HER MAJESTY AND THE ROYAL FAMILY, »s leave to recommend his Colours to the Nobility and Gentry, as being prepared with the utmost care, and approved by the most Eminent Artists of the United Kingdom. SOLD IN CAKES OR BOXES AT THE FOLLOWING PRICES : — £. d. In Boxes of Yew-Tree, Rosewood, &c. ornamented and highly var- nished, from 21. 2s. to In mahogany Boxes, 45 Cakes, Palettes, Marble Slab, Pencils, &c. Ditto, ditto, 36 Cakes, ditto Ditto, ditto, 32 ditto, ditto . Ditto, ditto, 24 ditto, ditto . Ditto, ditto, 18 ditto, ditto . Ditto, ditto, 12 ditto, ditto Ditto, 12 Cakes, Lock and Drawer Neat Mahogany Boxes, with a sliding Top, 40 Cakes 10 10 Ditto, ditto Ditto, ditto Ditto, ditto Ditto, ditto Ditto, ditto 32 ditto 24 ditto 18 ditto 12 ditto 6 ditto 8 1 0- 3 13 6 3 3 2 12 6 2 2 1 11 6 1 1 15 1 16 Small Cakes. -0 14 15 0—0 10 6 10 6—0 7 6 0—0 4 6 £. s. d. £. 7 7 Ultramarine ... 1 Ultramarine, Ash . . Guimet's Ultramarine Scarlet . . . . .0 Burnt Carmine ... Imperial Permanent Blue, equal to Ultra- marine in tint . . Platena Yellow . . French Blue ... Carmine Highly-finished Maho- gany Brass-capp'd, &c. from 52s. 6d. to Boxes of Velvet Co- lours complete with directions Ditto, ditto, ditto Boxes of Body Colours Ditto of Colours for painting on glass Ditto of Chalks, com- plete, 5s., 25s., and Handsome Rosewood, Inlaid Brass, orna- mented 12 Cakes, fitted up complete Ditto, ditto, ditto 18 Cakes, ditto ' Ditto, ditto, ditto 24 ditto, ditto . Ditto, ditto, ditto 32 ditto, ditto . Ditto, ditto, ditto 30 ditto, larger Box and Extras Ditto, ditto, ditto, 40 ditto, ditto .' SUPERFINE WATER-COLOURS, PER CAKE. £. Intense Brown Dahlia Carmine d. 2 2 2 2 4 5 5 15 6 10 10 Victoria Blue . . Permanent Crimson Purple Madder . . Orange Vermilion Gallstone . . . Lemon Yellow . . Ackermann's Yellow Green Antwerp Blue Bistre Blue Black Blue Verditer Brown Ochre Brown Pink Bronze Burnt Italian Earth Burnt Roman Ochre Burnt Sienna Burnt Umber Chrome Yellow, Nos. 1,2, and 3 Orange Chrome Cologne Earth Smalt . . . Extra Madder Lake Intense Blue Pink Madder Rose Madder Burnt Lac Lake Cobalt . . Lake, Crimson Lake, Scarlet Lake, Purple Brown Madder Indian Yellow Indian Black Sepia . . . Roman Sepia 5 3 5 2 5 5 5 5 3 ALL AT ONE SHILLING PER CAKE. Warm Sepia . . Permanent White . . Front's Black . . . Perpared Black for In- laying Ultramarine in Sau- cers, 5s., and ... 2 Scarlet, in Saucers . 1 Fine Chinese Gold, in Saucers, 10s. 6d. and 2 1 6 Ditto in Shells ... 1 Gold, Silver, & Copper Bronze in Packets . 2 Carmine in Powder . 1 Permanent White Li- quid in Cups ... 2 6 Dragon's Blood Dutch Pink Emerald Green 1 & 2 French Green Full Red Gamboge Green Bice Green Verditer Hooker's Green, 1 &2 Indigo Indian Red Italian Pink Ivory Black King's Yellow Lac Lake Lamp Black Light Red Mineral Blue Naples Yellow Neutral Tint Olive Green Payne's Neutral Tint Grey Prussian Blue Prussian Green Purple Red Ochre Red Orpiment Raw Sienna Raw Umber Roman Ochre Sap Green Saturnine Red Transparent Yellow Ochre Varley's Grey Warm Grey Purple Grey Dark Green Warm Green Orange Neutral Tint Vandyke Brown Venetian Red Vermilion, Chinese White Yellow Lake Yellow Ochre Yellow Orpiment York Brown All these Colour$ may be had in Half Cakes, at Half Price 8 R. ACKERM ANN'S MOIST C01.0X7RS FOR OUT-DOOR SKETCHING^ Are more particularly recommended for their brilliancy and ready mixture, and superiority to all others of this kind, as they do not rub up when washed over by other Colours, which has been a great complaint by most Artists of those hitherto introduced. Sold separate, or in tin japan Boxes, of different Prices, with Cups and Bottles. ALSO HIS IMPROVED BLOCK SKETCH-BOOKS. COLOURS FOR ORIENTAL AXD POOVAH TINTING, BRONZES, VARNISHED PAPER, AND BRUSHES FOR BITTO, Macphersons Permanent Tints for Miniature Painting, 31s. 6d. and 20s. per Box, containing Tivelve Tints. Or per Cake, Shade-Tint, Dark Complexion, Half-Tint, Flesh-Tint, Auburn, Yellow Blue, Maroon, Crimson, Deep Blue, Light Hair, and Intense Sepia, 2s. each ; Carnation, 3s.— Half-Cakes at half-Price. Macpherson's Opaque Back Ground for ditto, ditto, <2s. 6d. per Bottle. — Paour's Brown at 2s. per Bottle. Ackermann's Colours for Flower Painting, 24s. and 21s.perBox. Just published, price 12s., neatly bound in cloth, THE ART OF PAINTING IN OH. COLOURS, PORTRAITS, LANDSCAPES, ANIMALS, DRAPERIES, SATINS, &c. Practically explained by Coloured Palettes. By J. Cawse. G. HARLEV'S RUSIMENTS OF LANDSCAPE DRATVING Complete. Price ll. 13s. ; the coloured part alone, ll. , the sepia part, half-bound, or Three Numbers, 10s. 6d. The pencil part, half-bound, 93. ; or six Numbers at Is. each. G. HARLEV'S JUVENILE DRAWING-BOOK, In twelve Numbers at 8d. each. G. HARLEVS LESSONS ON DRAV^ING TREES. Four numbers, at 2s. 6d. each. G. DALMAI^E'S DRA-W^ING-BOOK OP CATTLE. In six Numbers. Price Is. per Number ; half-bound, complete, 7s. 6d. ALKEN'S RUDIMENTS FOR 1DB.A.^^ING THE HORSE AND OTHER ANIMALS, In six Numbers, at 2s. 6d. each, or the six Numbers, neatly half bound, 20s. HINTS ON LIGHT AND SHADOW COMPOSITION, &c. As applicable to Landscape Painting. By Samuel Prout, Esq., F.S.A. Twenty Plates, containing 83 Examples, executed in the improved Method of two Tints. Imperial 4to. Cloth lettered, 21.2s. J.D.HARDING'S ELEMENTARY ART; or, the Use of the Lead Pencil. Impe- rial 4to. Cloth lettered, price 21. 2s. COX'S ART OF PAINTING IN WATER-COLOURS, with Introductory Illus- trations to Perspective. Super royal, 4to. half-bound, l\. 10s. PROUT'S INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR BUILDINGS. Each Work complete in Four Numbers, Imperial 4to. Price per Number, each containing six Plates on India paper, 7s. 6d. NEW HINTS ON MINIATURE PAINTING. By an Old Professor. With Illus- trations, cloth gilt, 5s. BARRETT'S THEORY AND PRACTICE OF WATER-COLOUR PAINTING. Price 10s. 6d. With numerous Lithographic Drawing Books, Landscape, Flowers, and Figiires. Sletching Books, Plain, Various Sixes and Bindings. Portfolios of all Sizes. Date Due W^ — f- — 1^#- ■ t r « !.. M ^ M ) p if ? » n M > H > W k 'H M M » > M » U t > t U I. U . > 1 1 > u i , I i, . M . » I . > . ( . » > . ! M . » i . 1 . » 1 1 . . I iiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiii U^U^Mli I lllUli 1 I \^':< iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiHiiniiJiJiiiii 1 1 1 i iiiijijii|jjijiiiiiiiiiiiijii!iii!ijiiiii