142 



BT SOOK AND BY CBOOST. 



good killers ; but we prefer a bee to all of them, 

 dressed with ordinary drake wings, and the body- 

 in four joints, the uppermost of peacock harl, and the 

 three lower ones in equal divisions of red, orange, and 

 white fluffy wool, the latter taking the place of the 

 white kid. 



The chub has an expanding leathery mouth, which 

 seldom parts with the hook when once it has taken 

 hold ; but for cooking purposes he is well nigh useless, 

 his flesh being of about the same consistency as cotton- 

 wool. 



We recollect, while staying at a quiet spot near 

 Pangbourne, hooking a big chub lying in a deep hole 

 surrounded by bushes, through which with the greatest 

 difficulty we managed to insert the top of the rod. We 

 danced the fly on the surface of the pool and the chub 

 took it, then with the slightest possible strike we hooked 

 him. What to do next was a puzzle, as the little pool, 

 scarce the size of a wash-hand basin, was lined with 

 snags which barred the one outlet to the main stream, 

 through which he would evidently attempt to pass so 

 soon as he should find himself under restraint. 



We remained concealed amongst the bushes and 

 called for a friend with the landing-net, keeping the 

 line quite slack ; meanwhile the fish remained quiet, 

 apparently unaware that he was tethered, and appeared 

 to take no notice of the body of the fly protruding 

 from his jaws. 



The landing-net was threaded through the bushes to 



