ON THE ITHON 27 



long curved beak, larger than a pigeon or peewit. 

 I had never seen a curlew before. I was charmed 

 by the silver bell-like clearness of its note as it 

 flew over my head within easy gunshot, and it 

 evidently regarded me as an impertinent intruder 

 upon its lovely solitude. 



" Round his grey head the wild curlew 

 In many a fearless circle flew." Lord of the Isles. 



It has a variety of thrilling notes, but always as 

 it winged over my head the cry was coo-loo, coo-loo, 

 which I properly interpreted to say, " Go away, 

 go away, you ugly, featherless, two-legged thing." 

 Then it would alight on the topmost branch of a tall 

 tree in the distance, and continue its scolding in 

 singularly clear and unmistakable language. Its 

 note could be heard at an immense distance, and 

 it kept up its scolding, like the barking of a dog, 

 till I disappeared round the corner of the rock up 

 the river. I had found that this lovely meadow, 

 alder-bound as it was, was quite impracticable for 

 fishing. I managed, with the greatest difficulty, 

 to get along by the water's edge, which there ran 

 shallow over rocks and shingle, under the rocky 

 hill which I had previously so laboriously climbed 

 over. The one experience was as bad as the 

 other. 



I was enchanted with all that I had seen, but, as 

 to fishing, I caught nothing but very small trout, 

 and one big one, as I fondly believed, till he came 

 into my net, when he proved to be a lovely chub ! 



