DAYS IN DOVE DALE 69 



is gone down towards the bottom. I cannot 

 see what he is, yet he should be a good 

 fish by his weight ; but he makes no great 

 stir." 



Piscator : "Why, then, by what you say, 

 I dare venture to assure you 'tis a grayling, 

 who is one of the deadest-hearted fishes in the 

 world, and the bigger he is the more easily 

 taken." 



Our Piscator major does not agree with 

 Cotton's Piscator in this defamation of the 

 grayling. His game qualities vary in different 

 streams and at different seasons; but on the 

 whole, the major assures me, he will give as 

 much sport as the trout, and the bigger he 

 is the better he will fight. 



Naturally, the major paid special attention 

 to this classic spot. Near the end of the dell 

 I suddenly heard a heavy splash, and on 

 nearing him I found him struggling with a 

 big fish, which he fairly landed ; but to my 

 surprise, no sooner had he got his hook out 

 of him, than he threw him back into the water ! 

 He was a grayling of over a pound. 



"What do you mean by such an insane act 

 as that ? " I cried, 



