GENERAL ANECDOTES CONNECTED

WITH FISH AND FISHING.

Angling.—The Fly-Fisher.—After a long and dreary winter, what ecstasy the first dawn of spring gives to every being! The winged inhabitants of the woods proclaim their pleasure in various strains, harmonious and harsh; the mellow piping thrush and croaking raven sound their happiness according to nature's gifts. Amongst the different inhabitants of the earth, few greet the approach of spring with greater fervour than the fly-fisher. With what anxiety he watches every change that seems favourable to his sport! his inquisitive eye examines every insect that bursts from its chrysalis to gambol in the fleeting sunshine of a February morning. He anxiously looks on floods, and marks their retreat, day after day, with secret joy. Then to his dubbing bag he hies, and culls from this varied store what his judgment dictates to form the luring fly. Hairs and furs of different sorts, from the shaggy bear and sportive squirrel; from the mortared-wall, or the radiated corner of

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a blanket; from the faithful spaniel and the generous cow; from the fleet blue greyhound and timid hare; and all the varieties that can be thered from quadrupeds wild and domestic: feathers from the watchful mallard and chattering fieldfare; from the wary landrail and mimic starling; the splendid peacock's tail, and fierce cock's hackle, red, black, and dun: with various coloured silks rummaged from a lady's work-box; gold and silver from muslin selvages or soldier's epaulettes : these are the staple materials of the fly-fisher's dubbing-bag. Hooks well barbed; gut fine, round, and strong; and, snug in leather, some of Crispin's tenacious wax; fine well-pointed scissors and nipping forceps-these in his quiet retreat he lays before him; then attentively applies his endless store; observes the changes of the barometer and vane; and lifts the half-made fly between his eye and the light to note its hue. This he repeats, until his book is well filled. He uncoils his lines, examines his rod, and with pannier slung on his shoulder sallies forth to his beloved stream; then, his pliant and well-tapered wand with graceful throw lets fall the fly on a favourite ford, that has yielded many a speckled trout and sportive grayling. Anxiously he watches every curl the limpid stream doth shew, until the bold fish an effort makes to seize the deceitful bait; then, with pointed rod erect, and gentle stroke, the wrist's firm duty makes the latent barb to secure the prey.

Still, with steady eye and hand, he humours every struggle until the exhausted captive yields. W.S.

Sporting Magazine, N. S. vol. xxiii. p. 192.

During the month of February all fresh-water fish move from their winter quarters; and, in rivers, jack, pike, carp, perch, chub, roach, dace, gudgeons, pope, and minnows, will take a bait freely. Angle for carp and chub in still deep holes; for roach, on the shallows and scourers, and in gentle shallow eddies; for dace, cast your baited hook in the sharp currents, and also in the strong eddies at the tail of water mills. Flounders, eels, and bleak, begin to feed this month. Jack and pike generally cast their spawn in March; but after a very mild winter, they are (in the middle of February) very full and unfit for the table, the fair angler will, of course, discontinue trolling for them; indeed, such forbearance this season is absolutely necessary, or little sport can be expected during the next; for though the winter has been unusually open, and but few floods have disturbed the rivers and brooks, yet the water has been high and very foul for a considerable time, which has enabled the poachers to practise the destructive art of flueing and sedging more frequently and extensively this winter, than we remember for many years past. Jack and pike are their principal objects, in pursuit of which, we are sorry to say, they have been but too success

ful. The angler may now begin to his trout tackle, and get all right and in order, but yet by no means to use it, or wet a line, this month; but he may lay night lines for eels in March, choosing dark mild evenings when he lays them, and, unless the night turns out very cold or frosty, the eels will hasten and feed.

There is in the 238th number of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine for August, 1835, under the head of Anglimania (the passion for angling), an excellent and highly humorous description of the way in which Christopher North killed his first salmon. The gratification derived from the diversion of angling is shown to be not only perfectly innocent, but greatly conducive to improve the heart, and to render the mind more attentive to the beauties of nature in general, and to the charms of rural scenery in particular. Rumour ascribes this ingenious article to Prof. Wilson, whom the Editor begs leave to thank, in his own name, and in the name of all ardent lovers of angling.

Audacity of a Fish.---It happened one day, as we were wading in calm water, among the coral reefs of the Island of Guam, in search of molluscous animals, we were assailed by a small chetodon, butting against us with the end of his snout, as to defend the approach to the rock under which it lodged, with many others of the same kind.