A Spring Ramble by the lichen. 41 



are not at all uncommon takes iir the upper water, and all 

 fish under three-quarters of a pound have to be returned 

 to the river. The gentleman who yesterday was able to 

 exhibit this superb dish of finely conditioned trout pleaded 

 guilty to having had fifteen losses ; that is to say, the fish 

 were rising short, and escaped with a prick. This the angler 

 must expect on a cold April day; but it is better only to 

 touch a rising fish than whip without a sign from morning to 

 night. Sensitive trout fishermen humiliate themselves some- 

 times by too much self-condemnation on these tantalizing 

 short-rising days, cursing their own stupidity because the 

 pricked fish gets away : the fact being that no mortal man 

 could have done otherwise. The great time on the Itchen 



is during June, when the May-fly is on. H studied the 



minds and bodies of the denizens of his stream until he 

 knew their tastes to a nicety ; and his floating May-fly is 

 quite a chef d'ceuvre of the fly-dresser's art. Prohibitive 

 tariffs are imposed on casual visitors during the flight of the 

 May-fly, a most righteous protection for both fish and annual 

 subscribers. Sixty-nine brace were taken from the stream in 

 one day not many seasons ago with the floating drake. 



Last year, during an evening stroll while waiting for a 

 train to town, I watched the anglers with their May-flies, 

 and in the course of two miles saw captured five fish each 

 over two, and a couple not many ounces short of three 

 pounds. It is a peculiarity of the lower water that the trout 

 are seldom small. A reverend gentleman, whom it is my 

 pleasure to know as a devoted labourer amongst the poor 

 and an honour to his profession, every year leaves the 

 squalid homes of the London poor and the dingiest alleys 

 of the most wretched parts of the metropolis, and allows 

 himself a fortnight's fresh air and recreation on Itchen-side 

 during this fortunate season. The river is a blessing to him ; 



