354 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



Where the brook passes under a bridge of some size 

 the current divides to go through several small arches. 

 There is here some fall, and the stream is swift and 

 bright, chafing round and bubbling over stones. Here 

 the " miller's thumbs " are numerous a bottom fish 

 growing to about four inches in length, and with a 

 head enormously broad and large in proportion to its 

 body. They rarely rise from the mud or sand ; they 

 hide behind stones, their heads buried in the sand, 

 but their tails in sight. Every now and then they 

 change positions, swimming swiftly over the bottom 

 to another spot. Their voracity is very great, and 

 they often disappoint the angler by taking his bait. 

 The cottage people are said to eat them. 



The " stwun loach " stone loach, as the lads call it 

 hides also behind and under stones, and may be 

 caught by hand. These loach are apparently capri- 

 cious in their habits : certain spots abound with them ; 

 in others you may search the stream in vain for a long 

 distance. So, too, with the gudgeon : I noticed in one 

 brook I frequently passed that they never came up 

 beyond one particular bend, though there was no 

 apparent difference in the soil or in the stream itself. 

 In the brook the jack do not seem to care much 

 about them ; but in the lake above there are no 

 gudgeon, and there a gudgeon is a fatal bait. Noth- 

 ing is so certain to take ; the gudgeon will tempt the 

 pike there when an ordinary roach may be displayed 

 before him without the slightest effect. 



A flood which brings down a large quantity of 



