148 THE FLOWER 



sweet, familiar odour of wild thyme 

 which emanates from the still captive ly- 

 ing on the frozen earth, we would think 

 rather of that hard run down-stream, of 

 that plucky fight for liberty, than suffer 

 any unfair comparisons to possess our 

 thoughts. 



Let unfriendly critics say their worst, 

 thegraylingisaA$Wb0 afamily honour- 

 ed among fishes. He provides us with 

 sport when salmon and trout are out of 

 season. He is a game fish and a beauti- 

 ful one withal. The angler whose beat 

 extends into the country of grayling 

 streams need never hang up his rod 

 when melancholy leaves are falling and 

 bemoan a season gone ; never need crawl 

 into his shell and sigh, " Call me when 

 the trout season opens again." Even 

 though we may admit that the grayling 

 lacks some of the incomparable qualities 

 of the trout, who loves the loveliest of 

 surroundings and who is seen at his best 



