106 BT WLOOK AND "BY CEOOE. 



less of danger, seemingly as inrlifferent to the trouts' 

 proximity as the trout were to theirs, it evidently 

 was not for feeding purposes. 



However, it doubtless was a favourite resort, for 

 when scared away from time to time, as soon as the 

 coast was again clear they invariahly returned, assuming 

 the same relative positions. 



Alongside of the towing-path grew a hedge, at the 

 foot of which ran a deep ditch, and during an excur- 

 sion of the fish into the deep water, we put our heads 

 over the hank and discovered that an earthenware 

 drain-pipe discharged into the river the overflow from 

 the ditch, the pipe being laid under the towing-path. 



The flow of water was so small that its course was 

 not evident in the main stream, and hitherto the over- 

 hanging bank had concealed the projecting pipe from 

 view ; however, we soon ascertained that the tempera- 

 ture of the water it discharged was much lower than 

 that of the main stream, on account of the ditch being 

 deep and shaded from the sun, which evidently was 

 what gave the spot a peculiar charm from a trouty 

 point of view. 



Now the observation of trout within easy reach may 

 possibly suggest the idea of making a more intimate 

 acquaintance, and this was exactly what occurred to us ; 

 but as we had with us no tackle of any description, we 

 had to be content with simply marking them down for 

 future use, so left them with the firm resolve that they 

 must come out of that upon the earliest opportunity. 



