856 TROUT FISHING. 



make up his mind to hear many a cracky like a coachman's 

 whip, and find the consequent loss of his flies, before he can 

 direct his stretcher to a given point, and let it fall on the water 

 lightly as a gossamer. When I come to speak of the different 

 Trout streams in the neighbourhood of London, and elsewhere, 

 I shall recommend the flies to be used for the place and season ; 

 in the meantime, I shall attempt to describe the haunts of the 

 Trout. 



" He is fond of swift, clear streams, running over chalky, 

 limestone, or gravelly bottoms ; but he is more frequently in 

 the eddies, by the side of the stream, than in the midst of it. 

 A mill-tail is a favourite haunt of the Trout ; for he finds pro- 

 tection under the apron, which is generally hollow, and has the 

 advantage of being in the eddy, by the side of the mill-race, 

 awaiting his food. He delights also in cascades, tumbling bays, 

 and weirs. The larger Trout generally have their hold under 

 roots of overhanging trees, and beneath hollow banks, in the 

 deepest parts of the river. The junction of little rapids, formed 

 by water passing round an obstruction, in the midst of the 

 general current, is a likely point at which to raise a Trout ; also 

 at the roots of trees, or in other places where the froth of the 

 stream collects. All such places are favourable for sport, as 

 insects follow the same course as the bubbles, and are there 

 sought by the fish. After sunset, in summer, the large fish 

 leave their haunts, and may be found on the scowers, and at the 

 tails of streams ; and during this time, so long as the angler 

 can see his fly on the water, he may expect sport. Unfortu- 

 nately, when the deepening shades of twilight diive the sports- 

 man home, he is succeeded, on dark nights, by the poacher, 



