but the colours of fish are very capricious, and depend upon causes which cannot be easily defined. I have known fish, from some lakes in Ireland, mottled in a most singular way, their colour being like that of the tortoise: the nature of the water, exposure to the light, and probably their kind of food, produce these effects. I think it possible, when trout feed much on hard substances such as shell-fish and the ova of other fish-they have more red spots, and redder fins. This is the case with the gillaroo and the char, who feed in this manner;

and the trout, that have similar habits, might be expected to resemble them. When trout feed most on small fish, as minnows, and on flies, they have more tendency to become spotted with small black spots, and are generally more silvery. The Colne trout are, in their advanced state, of this kind; and so are the trout, called in Ireland buddocks and dolochans, found in Loch Neah. Particular character becomes hereditary, and the effects of a peculiar food influence the appearance of the next generation. I hope, Ornither, you have had good sport.

ORN.-Excellent!

Since you left me,

below the wear, I have hooked at least fifteen or twenty good fish, and landed and saved eight above 2lbs.; but I have taken no fish like the great one which you caught by poaching with the natural flies. The trout rose wonderfully well within the last quarter of an hour, but they are now all still; and the river, which was in such active motion, is now perfectly quiet, and seems asleep and almost dead.

HAL.-It is past four o'clock, and some

dark, heavy clouds are come on,—the fly is off. It is almost the hour for the signal of the dressing bell; and there is nothing more to be done now till evening. But see! our host is come to examine our fish in the well, and to inquire about our sport; and, I dare say, will order some of our fish to be dressed for the table.

HOST.-I hope, gentlemen, you have been amused?

HAL.-Most highly, sir. As a proof of it, there are in the fish-well eighteen good trout, and one not much short of 6lbs. ; three above 4lbs., and four above 3lbs. in weight. I hope you will order that great fish for your dinner.

HOST.-We will see. He is a fine fish, and fit for a present, even for a Prince-and you shall take him to a Prince. Here is a fish, and there another, of the two next sizes, which I am sure will cut red. Prepare them, fisherman. And, Halieus, you shall catch two or three perch, for another dish; I know there are some good ones below the piles of the wear; I saw them hunt

ing small fish there yesterday morning. Some minnows, ho!-and the perch rods!

HAL.—I am tired, sir, and would willingly avoid minnow fishing after such a morning's sport.

HOST.-Come, then, I will be a fisher for the table. I have one-and another, that will weigh nearly a pound a piece. Now, there is a cunning perch that has stolen my minnow; I know he is a large one. He has robbed me again and again; and if I fish on in this way, with the hook through the upper lip, will, I dare say, carry away all the minnows in the kettle. I shall put on a strong small hook, on a stout, though fine, gut, with slender wire round the top, and pass the hook through the back fin of the minnow, and try my sagacity against his. Lo! I have him!-and a very strong fish he is, and gone to the bottom; but even though the greatest perch in the river, he cannot bite the gut, he will soon be tired and taken. He now comes up, and is landed. He must be above 3lbs.-a magnificent perch! Kill him and crimp him, fisherman;

take our two trout, and the three perch, to the kitchen, and let them be dressed as usual. You shall have a good dish of fish, worthy of such determined anglers. But I see one of your party coming up by the side of the river, who seems tired and out of spirits.

HAL.-It is Physicus, who has this day commenced his career as a fly fisher; and who, I dare say, has been as successful as the uninitiated generally are. I hope you have followed my advice and been successful?

PHYS.-I caught two trout in the rapid where you left me; but they were small, and the fisherman threw them in. Below the wear, in the quick stream, I caught two dace, and what astonished me very much, a perch, which you see here, and which I thought never took the fly.

HAL.-O yes, sometimes; and particularly when it is below the surface: and what more?

PHYS. By creeping on my knees, and dropping my fly over the bank, I hooked a very large fish which I saw rising, and