THE MAY-FLY 55 



of fly with which the water abounds, and 

 attached an imitation to his cast, applies 

 some paraffin to it so as to ensure its 

 floating correctly. Now he makes a 

 wide detour across the marsh and ap- 

 proaches the water some fifty yards away 

 from where he was seated. He treads 

 softly as he leisurely walks through the 

 flowery grass. Nearing the stream he 

 stoops, then crouches stealthily nearer 

 and nearer to the earth, until he is al- 

 most hidden from view by the tall vege- 

 tation. "Upon thy belly shalt thou go," 

 is one of the canons of the dry-fly fisher's 

 art, and the action of our friend is that 

 of the writhing serpent. Now the very 

 earth perspires, and the hot, moist air is 

 laden with the almost insufferable scent 

 of innumerable flowers. A warm, sweet 

 odour of elder and meadow-sweet puffs 

 along, and gaily-coloured wild bees 

 drone lazily by. 



There is a conveniently low alder 



