FISH PHOTOGRAPHIC EXCURSIONS 159 



photographic material, a plain canvas background, 

 sixty feet of garden hose, and my ordinary luggage. 



We soon borrowed a cart from a farm near by, and 

 conveyed this miscellaneous collection to the rectory. 



Fortunately, my friends were quite interested in 

 the idea of photographing fish, and immediately after 

 tea the whole household assisted to get things ship- 

 shape. The tanks were set up in the stable-yard ; a 

 constant supply of running water was ensured by con- 

 necting up the garden hose with the cistern, and the 

 pantry was converted into an excellent dark-room. 



By 4 a.m. on the following morning the son of the 

 house and I were fishing on Fritton Decoy. 



Fritton is at all times a beautiful lake, but on 

 that still summer morning it appeared a fairyland, for 

 the sun, as it topped the woods around, caught the 

 banks of light-coloured reeds which skirt the shores of 

 the lake, while the golden reeds and the dark firs beyond 

 were reflected on the glassy surface of the green water. 



After two or three hours' fishing we had caught 

 white bream, perch, and ruffe. By this time the world 

 was astir, so, rowing ashore, we hired a cart from a 

 public-house near by, and drove home with three or 

 four specimens in each fish can. 



I would here mention the importance of never 

 crowding fish together. The can should not be more 

 than half full of water, and the more it splashes about, 

 the better, for this helps to aerate it and keeps the 

 fish healthy, 



