WITH VERDANT ALDERS CROWN'D 75 



Much of the Loddon is private fishing, as it has 

 always been, but there are still portions accessible to 

 the public. The Loddon is closely associated with the 

 good work done in the whole of that district for pre- 

 servation in the interests of the angler, and at one time 

 the Reading and Henley Associations jointly rented 

 the length from the Great Western Railway to the 

 Thames (including the St. Patrick stream) with the 

 object of preservation as a breeding ground for Thames 

 fish. A change in riparian ownership put an end to 

 this arrangement, but anglers generally should never 

 forget the time, labour, and enthusiasm devoted to 

 Thames, Loddon, and Kennet preservation by a band 

 of workers, amongst whom I must include as one of the 

 invaluables the friend once or twice referred to in the 

 foregoing notes Mr. A. C. Butler, of the Reading Mer- 

 cury. In his own district his is a household name, and 

 in many a metropolitan club " Old Butler of Reading " 

 has been familiar for many years as one of those quiet 

 helpers of the cause who work for the sheer love of it. 



Once upon a time when there was no talk of changes, 

 and no great demand for them, the fishing of the Thames 

 district was the bulk of " Angling " in the columns of 

 the Field and Bell's Life, which then almost alone made 

 a serious subject of fishing, and amongst the men who 

 wrote were Greville F., Brougham, and Butler, who was 

 for years and years the Field correspondent long after 

 the others had passed away. As a man barely in his 

 sixties one ought not to dub him a veteran, but for all 

 that he is one of the old guard of angling correspondents 

 and provincial journalists. In a letter from him a 

 week or two since he regrets that rheumatism and 

 journalistic duties have interfered with his outings, but 

 still cheerily mentions " a measly half gross of gudgeon " 

 at Mapledurham, and the year before last he adds 



