YOUNG CHARE. 115 



a fixture. Every morning I found a lot of 

 these half hatched, gazing stupidly at each 

 other, like a lot of village youths who 

 have tumbled down at the winning-post of 

 that exciting but not elegant race, called 

 "jumping in sacks." The fish are as help- 

 less as the rustics ; they cannot get out, they 

 are tied round the neck, and, unless the 

 friendly camel-hair brush is at hand to assist, 

 they die then and there ; as though they had 

 just put their heads out, and, not feeling 

 satisfied with their position in life, had re- 

 solved to retire before they incurred further 

 trials and temptations. I have hatched alto- 

 gether, therefore, very few of these young 

 charr ; but when they are hatched, they are 

 very beautiful little things. The salmon from 

 his birth is a great dandy, and a smart, 



I 2 



