34 BROOK AND RIVER TROUTING 



thought that the writers consider it necessary to go 

 deeply into the study of entomology, fascinating as 

 that study is ; but if the greatest amount of pleasure 

 is to be derived, and incidentally a fair number of fish 

 to be killed, it is essential that the angler should arm 

 himself with a good general knowledge of river insect life. 



A great deal in this direction can be learned by an 

 occasional emptying of a trout's stomach into a glass 

 of water, and an examination of the debris after they 

 have been separated by a brisk stir round. It is most 

 instructive, and it shows how catholic fish are in their 

 feeding. It shows too, not infrequently, the reasons 

 for a poor day's sport, and often gives a hint which 

 may turn failure into success on some future occasion. 



Though a knowledge of insect life is highly im- 

 portant, it is equally necessary to learn to adapt 

 oneself to varying conditions. 



This latter point may at the first glance appear 

 unnecessarily elementary, so much so as to seem 

 hardly worth making, but speaking from personal 

 experience, the writers think that, probably on account 

 of its very obviousness, it often receives far less atten- 

 tion than it deserves. 



How many anglers, after working the long winter 

 through begin, as the trout season draws near, to let their 

 thoughts wander to some favourite stream and live 

 for days, aye, almost weeks, in anticipation of the 

 opening day ? They conjure up in their minds all the 



