A FINE BAG OiV THE TEST. 125 



qud non to cast up stream, and from as far back from 

 the bank as possible, these maxims holding good even 

 in the evening. 



We killed between us 2^ brace with a yellow dun 

 dressed with double wings as a floating fly, just sufficient 

 to make us keen for the morrow ; the fish were each 

 over f lb., two brace under that weight being returned 

 whence they came — such was the rule of fishing, and 

 a very good rule, too, for anglers who prefer decent 

 sized fish to those of the length of one's thumb. 



Our friend had done most of his fishing on the 

 Devonshire streams, and, as far as we could make out, 

 his experience had been chiefly with fish weighing from 

 three or four to the pound ; consequently, he was well 

 pleased with the Test, and appeared to be surprised that 

 the reports he had read in the sporting papers were 

 pretty near the mark. 



If one believes all one hears, anglers are not famous 

 for veracity, and it is curious that if one inquires the 

 average weight of fish on any particular river, the 

 information is pretty certain to be on the big side of 

 one's own after experience : perhaps it may be that 

 the large fish having been taken out only the smaller 

 remain, or how is it ? 



There are few streams superior to the Test for dry 

 fly or any other sort of trout-fishing; the river is cut 

 out for it, and almost makes one wish one were a trout. 



The river runs at this station about three or four 

 feet deep as a rule, but in the flats and near the mills 



