30 THE COMMON TROUT. 



and the steel of your hook of an even temper ; nor 

 matters it how light you are armed at the hook, so 

 that, when you flourish your fly on the surface, be 

 sure that you gain the head of the stream, and, if 

 possible, the wind to facilitate your cast. But if the 

 ground bait be your exercise, then let the length of 

 your line seldom or rarely exceed the rule of your 

 rod, whilst the fly diversion grants a larger charter. 

 Distance and dimension also come under the con- 

 sideration of every artist that is mindful to measure 

 exact proportion by concealing himself from the 

 streams he sports in ; so that, if at any time the 

 fly fails of success, as frequently it has happened to 

 myself and others, let the angler then have recourse 

 to the ash-tree grub, the palmer worm, caterpillar, 

 green or gray drake, the depinged grasshopper, or 

 that truculent insect, the green munket of the owlder * 

 tree. But if none of these baits presented succeed 

 to profit, and the water, as we apprehend, remain 

 discoloured, let him then assault the trout at the 

 bottom, with that mutual allurement which I call 

 the gilt tail ; for that of all worms allures him 

 ashore. 



The generous trout, to make the angler sport, 

 In deep and rapid streams will oft resort, 

 Where if you flourish but a fly, from thence 

 You hail a captive, but of fish the prince. 



* i. e. Alder. 



