A Spring' Ramble in Normandy. 79 



Hotel du Normandie. Next morning, some 

 time was spent in looking over this quaint old 

 town, whose antique features are, however, 

 now rapidly passing away. Then, setting off 

 with our rods up the valley of the Toucques, 

 we prepared to see whether there were any fish 

 to be taken in the stream. Having got well 

 outside the town, and gone about a mile along 

 the road, we struck the river. What a sight it 

 presented ! A rapid current of chocolate was 

 what it most resembled ; obviously it was 

 utterly useless for fly-fishing purposes : still, 

 we asked a few questions of a civil labourer 

 on the neighbouring farm, who told us that 

 any one could fish there, that all sorts of fish 

 lived in the waters of the Toucques, and that 

 the trout were fine. But, as a matter of fact, 

 unless a Frenchman or a German happens to 

 be a fisherman himself, his information is, as 

 a rule, seldom to be relied on. He either 

 speaks solely from imagination, or with so 

 slight a substratum of fact, that his remarks 

 are quite valueless. If cordially minded, he 

 will fancy that he has heard of trout being 

 taken, and consequently will endeavour to 

 please the stranger by assuring him that the 



