34 TREATISE ON FLY-FISHING. 



spreads its light wings, and flits in the sunbeam, 

 in enjoyment of its new existence no sooner 

 descends to the surface of the water to deposit its 

 eggs, than the unfeeling fish, at one fell spring, 

 numbers him prematurely with the dead. You 

 see, then, what a wretch a fish is ; no ogre is more 

 blood thirsty, for he will devour his nephews, 

 nieces, and even his own children, when he can 

 catch them, and I take some credit for having 

 shown him up. What a bitter fright must the 

 smaller fry live in ! They crowd to the shallows, 

 lie hid among the weeds, and dare not say the 

 river is their own, I relieve them of their appre- 

 hensions, and thus become popular with the small 

 rshoals." 



I must now hasten to offer those suggestions 

 which I deem so requisite for the attainment of 

 that popularity to which Mr. SCROPE alludes ; 

 and although I may in some respects appear 

 tedious, I beg to assure the novice that a good 

 day's fishing is often lost for lack of some trifling 



