24 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GRAYLING. 



is indeed so great, that he seems a pliantom or 

 flitting shadow ; hence, say some, the appellation 

 Umbra changed into Umber. It has been sup- 

 posed that he feeds upon the water-thyme, but 

 I never found any vegetable whatever in the 

 stomach, though I have opened as many Gray- 

 ling as Trout. He has, however, a rather pecu- 

 liar scent when just taken from the water, 

 fragrant and grateful to the fisherman, and 

 thought by many to resemble that of thyme ; 

 whence he has been called by Linn^us Salmo 

 Thymallus, and by St. Ambrose " the Flower of 

 Fishes" 



He seems to be more social in his habits than 

 the Trout, and is not so easily driven from his 

 station by an approach ; but whether this be 

 owing to his lying lower down in the water, or 

 from his being naturally a less timid and more 

 simple fish, remains yet to be ascertained. It is, 

 however, probable that he has less acute percep- 

 tions than his rival the Trout ; for the young 

 angler will soon find that, after missing him 

 once, he may count upon a second rise ; when, 

 if he is not flurried, perhaps he may secure his 

 prize with greater certainty than if the fish had 

 been hooked at first ; for he will take care not to 

 check him during his first rush, but have line 

 ready to give him as rapidly as the occasion 

 requires. 



