SHROPSHIRE RIVERS.

THE SEVERN rises in Montgomeryshire, and is the chief river of SHROPSHIRE, which it enters in conflux with the VYRNWY, a most excellent troutstream. It almost encircles SHREWSBURY, and, after receiving the Tern, a little below the town, runs through Colebrook-dale, and thence to Bridge-north, where it is joined by the Wort and the Stour, below Bewdley. From thence it proceeds to Worcester and Gloucester, dividing, near the latter city, into two channels, which, soon reuniting, constitute a great tide river; and, after being joined by the Wye and the Lower Avon, it assumes the name of the Bristol Channel. Fine salmon are taken near Shrewsbury, and numbers of these fish run up the Severn into Wales. Salmon-trout, carp, pearch, roach, flounders, chub, and grayling, are taken; the latter of which, in some instances, weigh 5 lbs. The river is in most parts rapid and muddy.

THE CLUN, a Shropshire river, which is glowingly celebrated by Sir Humphry Davy (in his Salmonia), abounds with trout and grayling; the latter being of a very superior kind. It is joined by the CORVE at LUDLOW, which is a good fishing station. INNS, the Angel and the Feathers; and at Leintwardine, close by, is the Anglers' Inn, where the Leintwardine Club is held, by whom the waters are rented. There is also the Lion inn. An angler can generally obtain a day's fishing, if introduced. The small river to the left is the TEME, which contains principally trout and grayling. The fish are more abundant in the meadows between Ludlow and Downton Castle than in any other part of the river. After a flush of water, when the fish can ascend from the sea, the pools will always be found with salmon in them, and excellent sport is generally to be had with the fly; when the water is low, there is good trout and grayling-fishing. Provisions and lodging are cheap in this neighbourhood, and the surrounding country beautiful. At BRAMPTON BRYAN, close by Leintwardine, there is capital fishing, some think the best on the river Teme.

THE WEAVER, another Shropshire river, rises not far from the romantic and picturesque grounds of HAWKESTONE; runs through the central parts of Cheshire to Namptwich and Northwich, where it is joined by the Dane from Staffordshire, and the Wednoch from Middlewich; it then proceeds to its port at Frodsham, a little below which it is lost in the Mersey.

In this county there are many large meres and pools, all of which abound in carp, tench, and very large pike, pearch, and eels.

THE WARWICKSHIRE AVON

RISES on the borders of Leicestershire, and passing Warwick Castle winds through a beautiful country to Stratford-on-Avon, where it is joined by the Lesser Stour, and from thence traverses the great

Worcestershire level by Evesham, and falls into the Severn at Tewkesbury.

The LEAM joins the Avon near LEAMINGTON. Both these rivers abound in fish, and contain some very good trout.

The Celt, the Stroud, the Cam, and the Little Avon, all fall into the Severn; the Stroud was formerly well stored with trout, but the fish have been destroyed by the number of works for dyeing, &c. A few miles from the town of Stroud there is a canal (the BERKELEY CANAL), abounding with fine pike. The water is preserved, but permission to fish is sometimes obtained from one of the proprietors on its banks.

THE WYE,

WHICH rises in Montgomeryshire, at a short distance from the source of the Severn, is remarkable for the variety and beauty of its scenery. For many miles it divides Radnorshire from the county of Brecknock, after which it enters Herefordshire, near HAY; and then passing HEREFORD, ROSS, MONMOUTH, the romantic grounds of PIERCEFIELD, TINTERN ABBEY, and CHEPSTOW (at all which places there is capital fishing), falls into the Severn, below CHEPSTOW. Very fine salmon are taken in the Wye; and the whole course of this beautiful river, through the counties of Brecknock and Radnor, will afford excellent trout and grayling fishing. At HAY, the Swan Hotel, and at BUILTH, the Lion Hotel, are good houses of entertainment, and the fishing is capital. Gentlemen residing at Welfield Hotel, Builth, will have permission to fish five miles of the best part of the Wye, including several salmon pools. The season for fly-fishing commences earlier in the Wye than in the neighbourhood of London. Whilst the snow was falling here, April 18th, 1838, the following advertisement appeared in the Times newspaper: "Good news for Anglers.-So very plentiful is fish in the river Wye, in the neighbourhood of Builth, that Stephen Pritchard, the fishing-tackle maker there, caught, on Tuesday last, in the course of four hours, no less than 143 grayling, trout, and salmon-pink; and in five hours, on the following day, 225 fish of the same description."

THE RIVER EXE

RISES in Exmoor, in the west of Somersetshire, and running through a beautiful valley for about 50 or 60 miles (including TIVERTON and Exeter), falls into the sea at Exmouth. It is a rapid river, full of currents and pools, and well stocked with trout (but they run very small). As many as 100 have been taken in a day by one angler alone, with the fly. There are three associations on the river. The Tiverton Association has about 14 miles of water above and below the

town. The Thorverton Association commences where the Tiverton terminates, and the Exeter Association commences where the Thorverton ends, and is famous for its pike; in the Tiverton preserve, a pike has never been seen.-(From the Anglers' Almanack.)

THE AXE,

A BEAUTIFUL river and full of trout, although in general they are but small; it rises near Beaminster, in Dorsetshire, and passing near Axminster, falls into the Channel on the east coast of Devonshire. It is fed in its course by many fine streams and pools, and flows over a gravelly bed. Besides trout, it contains abundance of dace, roach, gudgeon, eels, &c. The river is free to anglers, and though it has suffered considerably from poaching, this has of late years been checked by an angling association formed at Crewkerne. The season commences on the 1st March, and ends on the 1st of October. CREWKERNE and AXMINSTER are two of the principal fishing-stations. But there is abundance of accommodation in every direction along the banks.

We cannot better conclude this notice of the Axe than with an extract from the "Anglers' Almanac" for 1854:—

"From the 1st of March to the 6th of Sept., 1853, I captured, chiefly in the Axe, 523 trout.

"April 7th.-Caught ten brace and a half between Seaborough and Oathill Bridge. 13th.-Nine brace and a half at Seaborough aud Clapton, one of which weighed a pound, and several three-quarters. 14th.-Killed eight brace and a half at Seaborough and Clapton. 16th.-Caught fourteen brace between Clapton Bridge and Winsham. 19th. Caught six brace. 20th.-Caught three brace. 22d.-Caught twelve brace at Maiden Newton, and Toller Dorset, one which weighed one pound seven ounces, and several a pound."

The fishing-season in 1853 was a capital one, as far as my experience extended, much better than the present season. The spring months, generally the best for angling, were so dry and bright, that it was almost useless to attempt fly-fishing in the Axe. During the month of July there were some good days for sport. On the 10th of that month, I caught between Seaborough and Clapton eleven brace of very nice trout in two hours and a half, during the whole of which time it rained tremendously.-J. M'Dowell.

THE DEE

RISES in Merionethshire, North Wales, in two springs, which, uniting, form the lake of PIMBLE-MERE; from thence it passes through the county of Denbigh, by Llangollen and Wrexham, to Chester, and

then flows on to the Irish Sea. The Dee is justly celebrated for the variety and beauty of its scenery and the abundance of its fish, being well stored with salmon, trout, grayling, pike, pearch, &c. LLANGOLLEN is remarkable as having been for many years the residence of two maiden ladies of family, who left the world in early life, and sought retirement in this sequestered vale. This beautiful village is a good station for either the artist or the angler. The ALLAN meets the Dee near the towns of Farnden and Holt; a rapid torrent, also, issuing from the well of St. Winifred, beneath the town of Holywell, turns a number of mills in its short course to the Dee's estuary, near the ruins of Basingwork Abbey in Flintshire. These tributaries are all excellent trout-streams.

THE DRIFFIELD, OR HULL, YORKSHIRE.

THIS river has long been famous for the size and excellence of its trout (said to be the largest in England), and the fishing is excellent. A club has been established here for the preservation of this superior breed of fish, but a member can always give a day's sport to a stranger. We introduce this river from its great trout celebrity, and because a book has been written especially on this and other Yorkshire rivers, to which we can satisfactorily refer the inquirer. It is entitled Mackintosh's Driffield Angler, published at Gainsborough, 1840, and since.

THE COQUET, NORTHUMBERLAND.

THE Coquet rises in Roxburghshire, but within the limits of Northumberland, flowing south-east below Rothbury, and reaching the sea at Warkworth, near which are the remains of the celebrated Hermitage. At FELTON BRIDGE, which the Coquet passes, excellent trout and salmon are taken. Oliver, in his "Recollections of Flyfishing in Northumberland," says, "Sometimes I pitch my tent in the neighbourhood of WELDON BRIDGE, for the sake of a cast in the Coquet.' And Hofland, "There are not many trout-streams in England more likely to afford a week's recreation to the fly-fisher than the Coquet; nor would it be an easy matter to point out a river, on the whole, more interesting, and affording better sport. The angler may undoubtedly, take larger trouts at Driffield; and, from streams more secluded, bring home a heavier creel; but, for a week's fair fishing, the Coquet, from Linnshiels to Warkworth, is, perhaps, surpassed by none. The natural scenery of its banks is beautiful, independent of the interest excited by the ruins of Brinkburn Priory, and the Hermitage of Warkworth; and its waters, clear as diamond sparks,' present, in their course, every variety of smooth water, rapids, and pools, for the exercise of the angler's skill."

OXFORDSHIRE.

THE Thames, the Isis, the Cherwell, the Ouse, the Evenlode, and the Windrush, are the chief rivers of this county. The Isis flows in a north-easterly direction to Oxford, receiving in its way the Windrush and the Evenlode, as also a smaller stream, which forms the great lake in Woodstock Park; at Oxford, it divides itself into various small channels, which soon after re-unite, and a little below the meads of Christchurch, the Cherwell joins it, and flows through Magdalen Bridge to Abingdon, and thence to Dorchester, where being joined by the Thame, which descends from the central part of Bucks, helps to form the unrivalled Thames. In all these rivers there are a few good trout, and abundance of pike, pearch, eels, and common fish, and the rud is plentiful where the Cherwell and the Isis join.

The following useful hints on the fishing waters of Oxford and its vicinity have been obligingly communicated by two gentlemen of the University.

Passing over Pangbourne, Goring, and Wallingford, all well known as good angling stations, we arrive at Didcot by the Great Western Railway, and then crossing to Abingdon Road station, we are within a mile of a pleasant village called CLIFTON HAMPDEN or CLIFTON FERRY, where downwards towards WAY'S LOCK, and upwards towards APPLEFORD, there is excellent fishing (especially trolling), the river abounding here with large pike. Clifton Lock Pool is noted for the size and quantity of its pearch and barbel. Seven miles further on is OXFORD, where the angler will find every accommodation in the way of punts, men and baits, at moderate charges. From Oxford to IFFLEY, and thence to Kennington ISLAND, which is within a mile of it, there is capital fishing, and two good houses of entertainment, famous for fried and stewed eels. At SANDFORD FERRY is a celebrated pool called Sandford-Lock Pool, in which are many very heavy pike, barbel, trout, &c. A pike was killed spinning in this pool on the 13th of the present month (May, 1856), weighing nineteen pounds and a half. At and near NUNEHAM (the seat of the late Archbishop of York), the river abounds with fish, and affords excellent fly-fishing for chub. Iffley is 14 miles, Kennington Island 2 miles, Sandford 3 miles, and Nuneham 61 miles from Oxford.

Beyond Oxford, at GODSTOw, called par excellence the trout Godstow, a beautiful walk of about two miles across Port Meadow, there is capital fishing, and at the King's weir and the stream thereabouts, the best trolling perhaps in the county of Oxford. In the pool, in front of the house, are some heavy trout; indeed, large trout are occasionally found in all the lock-pools and weir-holes in this part of the Thames; but there are no, so to say, trout streams in the immediate vicinity of Oxford. A little beyond Godstow, 5 miles from Oxford, is ENSHAM BRIDGE, SKINNER'S WEIR, and BABLOCK HYTHE (famous for its roach fishing), all places affording good sport as well as accommodation to the angler.

At LECHLADE, 7 miles from Oxford, and 6 from the Farringdon-road station, is very excellent fishing and a comfortable house of entertain ment, called the "Fish," at Tadpole Bridge. This spot is well adapted