IN A WELSH VALLEY 181 



were all that Ap Evan and the scales would concede 

 when it came to tlic ultimate test. 



We had, for sheer self-respect, to fall back on the 

 classification method, invented I believe by the 

 bird- man in one of his inspired moments. By that 

 device you really can catch some half-pounders in 

 the Penydwddwr, and it is an ill day on which you 

 do not have at least one. It is quite a scientific 

 plan of grouping your fish into growth-classes rather 

 than labelling each one with pedantic minuteness. 

 You find something like it in Blue Books. By this 

 method " half-pounder " is a group term inclusive 

 of all grades of fish from six and a quarter ounces to 

 eight ounces. The next group contains " big fish," 

 which may vary from four and three-qviarter ounces 

 to six and a quarter ounces. Then come the quarter- 

 pounders, inclusive, of course, of " rising " quarter- 

 pounders. Decent fish follow, separated by some 

 little margin from " breakfast " fish. And lastly 

 the bird-man rose superior to the droughts and 

 dearth of that hard time with " visible " fish. It 

 was a handy new group and generally approved. 



The river was lower than it possibly could be 

 when we got there and it went on dwindling for a 

 solid week. Daily we went out with less hope of 

 doing anything, and daily we came in justified of 

 our expectations. Even " visible " fish were loth 



