FRESH-WATER FISHES 207 



When he had received his half-crown and a little 

 over, he said in the fulness of his heart : ' When that 

 'ere fly gets the wuss fur wear I'll jest mek ye anuther 

 fur nuthin', dang my brass buttons ef ah doan't ! ' 



I never had occasion to profit by this generous 

 offer, for the fly was, by reason of the material of 

 which it consisted, almost indestructible. I sometimes 

 see that clever rustic, and always greet him, having a 

 respect for men of genius, amongst whom the making 

 of that fetish-looking insect the ' caaf-tailed fly ' fairly 

 places him. 



I will relate one more anecdote connected with 

 pike-fishing before dismissing this subject. Old 

 memories come thick and fast with it and make me 

 feel young again. Why do those who never fish 

 themselves, and yet have waters full of fish running 

 through their grounds, so strongly object to other 

 persons catching one of them ? I tried to settle that 

 question for myself once in my youth, but failed in 

 some degree. 



There was one very secluded spot on the river 

 crossed by a weir which was a famous haunt of pike. 

 They would head up the river for a long distance to 

 reach the shelter of the old weir with its masses of 

 old timber and brickwork. It was never used, but the 

 water rushed through the gaps in the old weir-gates, 



