112 DOVE DALE REVISITED 



There was a well-known pool where big 

 grayling lie, but they took little notice of a fair 

 rise of fly on the water and floating over them. 

 An occasional rise amid-stream drew my atten- 

 tion. I soon had fast hold of a big fish and 

 landed him. Of course I thought I had hold 

 of a grayling. I fished for a grayling, with a 

 grayling fly, in a noted grayling hole ; and yet 

 when I landed my fish he proved to be a lovely 

 trout, and this, be it remembered, was on 

 October 2nd. 



Mine host and I discussed the various merits 

 of this fish its lovely complexion, its fat and 

 beautiful condition, its length, its breadth, its 

 height, and its weight and the dispute ran high 

 on some points, I maintaining his weight to be 

 1 6 oz. at least, and mine host that he was not 

 more than 12 oz. ; during this long discussion 

 my lovely trout, 



"Cast on the bank, he dies with gasping pains, 

 And trickling blood his silver mail distains." 



JOHN GAY. 



We agreed in'this, that it is a cruel law which 



forbids the taking of trout at such an early date. 



Not long afterwards the same thing occurred 



