SUMMER. 53 



threshold of the gullet for a favourable opportunity of 

 being absorbed into the stomach. I have seen a May-fly 

 crawl out of the half-opened mouth of a trout in my basket. 



It is not to be wondered at that after this debauchery a 

 certain supineness intervenes, and that the trout lie about 

 in a depressed state of mind, such as should always follow 

 immoderation of appetite. Upon some rivers, indeed, the 

 pick of the trout fishing is over after the May-fly time, 

 while in others, as in the Gloucestershire Coin, the really 

 best fishing does nqt begin until the trout have recovered 

 from their periodical feast. As the summer advances the 

 trout fisher enters into another phase of his artistic sport, 

 perhaps the most delicate of all. The rivers run low, the 

 weeds form thickets and forests in the streams. The trout, 

 much whipped over during the preceding three or four 

 months, have become disagreeably artful, and if they are 

 to be caught at all they must be caught by guile. 



Guile in this particular instance takes the shape of what 

 is termed fishing with a dry fly. Of late years the tackle- 

 makers have arrived at the perfection of art in manufac- 

 turing what should be to the fish the most ravishing of 

 artificial flies, whose upstanding wings materially assist 

 the angler in this very artful angling operation. At 

 the same time, I ask permission to believe that trout 

 fishermen are apt to ride the dry fly notion to death. 

 When once some of us get into the habit of using the 

 dry fly, and wax proud of our ability, we become wedded 

 to the method, and in season and out of season adhere 

 to it. At times it is unquestionably absolutely necessary 

 to use the dry fly, for the best of all reasons — the fish will 

 look at no other. But I have frequently seen experienced 

 anglers persevere with their floating fancies, yet do nothing, 

 when other persons who were allowing their flies to sink 



