i 4 ANGLING THAT " PREACHETH PATIENCE" 



We had many long strolls and drives in the 

 pleasant interior of the lovely island where the 

 trees were all just out in full leaf the meadows 

 were green with lush grass, and golden with 

 yellow buttercups and the hedgerows were gilded 

 over with solid beds of gorse and broom in full 

 bloom and as to the birds they were positively 

 rampant with their songs. 



"... At the bent spray edge 



That's the wise thrush, he sings each song twice over 

 Lest you should think he never could recapture 

 The first fine careless rapture." BROWNING. 



These were our early days the nearer we 

 approached the month of June the nearer winter 

 we seemed to be getting the days and nights 

 grew colder and colder and at length, when we 

 left the island, we thought we had left summer 

 quite behind us. 



I remember one very hot, sunny afternoon, 

 strolling along in a shady lane, I was surprised 

 to see a leather-bat dashing about close to my 

 head, and catching insects in the air. Never be- 

 fore have I seen one of these little night bats out 

 in the sun in this way. 



After many pleasant bright days spent on the 

 island, I crossed the Solent, and found myself on 

 the Itchen. The weather had changed. It was 

 the last week in May, and I fondly hoped the May 

 Fly .would be good enough to come up during my 

 stay. On the last two or three days I saw two or 

 three, and that was all. There was no rise of fish, 



