130 THE WONDERFUL TROUT 



And now trout began very early to go off 

 colour and lose condition. This was quite a 

 month before their time in normal seasons. 

 An almost similar state of affairs held good 

 well into July, and then, on 13th July, 

 bitterly cold, dark and misty, and north 

 wind, and no improvement in fishing. 



The above illustration is what we consider 

 the most extraordinary anomalous season in 

 our experience and actual practice on the 

 Deveron. We have known of other seasons 

 perhaps equally uncommon, but on these 

 occasions we think we have not been trout- 

 fishing, but salmon-fishing. 



Now, if a succession of similar seasons to 

 1893 occurred l exceeding drought from 

 March to June and July trout, while per- 

 haps getting more surface-food than in a 

 cold season and high water (such as 1898 

 q.v.), would nevertheless be forced in large 

 measure to feed upon the larval stages of the 

 insects. One half of the propagating ground 



1 ' Blazing sun and blasting blight, 

 Tin-pot brazen vault of blue, 

 River low and colour light, 

 Scum and dirt too floating through.' 



