BEETLES. 79 



when everybody else can do the same, — should 

 you be, in fact, one of those delighting in skill, 

 eschewing all whipcord work, go to the river 

 when it is sparkling as the diamond, bright as 

 beauty's sunny tresses, shallow as a coxcomb's 

 pate, and — bring home a dish of fish. To do 

 this artistically, avoiding all kinds of the abomi- 

 nations of real bait fishing, try the finest gut 

 procurable, with fly or beetle, according to its 

 season; size of the insect not being, generally 

 speaking, of the great importance usually at- 

 tached to it, — at least in Trout-fishing; for, in 

 the brightest water, I have killed many a good 

 brace of fish with a large fly, — a practice con- 

 trary to old rules. If no rise, adopt the smallest 

 of the Minnows. And if no run, call in the aid of 

 Grasshopper, Caddis, Cabbage-grub, Wasp-grub, 

 or some of their varieties. In default of success 

 with any of these, hitch on a wide-awake hat 

 as the stretcher ; you will find it equally se- 

 ductive; for if you cannot kill with fine fly 

 tackle, delicate Minnow, or insinuating Grub, 

 rest assured that a giant dining with Queen 

 Mab would receive as little bodily satisfaction 



