CURIOSITIES OF TROUT-FISHING. [To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sis,—I
rand the amusing article on this subject (in the of June 23rd) with much interest. You appear, how- ever, to be misinformed in making the statement that "sport among the trout, which all over Britain, as we recently noted, was unprecedentedly poor last year, has remarkably improved Reports from rivers and lakes throughout the country show that the fish are everywhere 'taking' quite in the brave old manner."
Many of our best fishing rivers and lakes are being slowly but surely ruined by sewage and other pollutants ; and reports. on this point from many favourite quarters are most depressing Only the other week I was on the banks of the Ribble—that famed length from Mitton to Low Moor—and it was painful to see Barrow Brook contributing its highly coloured dye-water from the adjacent print-works, and Pendleton Brook its foul paper-works drainage ; and how that, on this side of the river, the bed was coated with a yellowish deposit, apparently from the works indicated, while the opposite side is free and clear.
- Some seven years ago, the riparian owner—Mr. Aspinall, of Standen Hall—obtained, with the assistance of two very eminent scientific gentlemen—Professor Campbell-Brown, D.Sc., and John Collins, Esq., F.S.C., F.I.C., F.G.S.,—an injunction against the paper-works' pollution. But this fact does not appear to have effected much, if any, improvement in this, at one time, magnificent fishing reach.
The Field, a recognised authority on the subject, contains in almost every issue references from all parts of the country as to the destruction of fish-life in rivers and lakes by pollution; and yet we are gravely informed by the article referred to "that the fish are 'taking' quite in the brave old manner." I am disposed to take such a statement with "a good many
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