GRAYLING. 211 



Hal. — He is about Jib. — a fish of two 

 years and a half old — very good for the table. 

 I will land him if possible. 



Phys. — There ! He is off! 



Hal. — This happens often with grayling : 

 their mouths are tender, and unless the hook 

 catches in the upper lip, which is rather thick, 

 it is more than an equal chance that the fish 

 escapes you. 



Phys. — Here, I have another, that has 

 taken the stretcher, and as it is a larger hook, 

 I hope he may be held. He is likewise a 

 larger fish — but how oddly he spins ! This, 

 I suppose, must be owing to his large back 

 fin, by which the stream carries him round. 

 There he is : he has quite twisted my link ; 

 it would not be amiss to have swivels for this 

 kind of fishing. 



Hal. — It is a fish in good season — dark 

 above, fair below — and weighs, I should 

 suppose, about 1 j lb. 



Phys. — As this is the first grayling I have 

 seen of my own taking, I must measure, 

 weigh, and examine him. 



Hal. — We can do this hereafter. See, 

 p 2 



