Notes and Sport of a Dry-Fly Purist. 97 



all I killed afterwards ; but in brightness, form, 

 condition, and beautiful markings was not equal to 

 a Test or Itchen fario. Soon after a similar one 

 came to hand, and, being only lightly hooked in the 

 rim of the upper lip, gave better sport. No touch 

 followed until between 3 and 4 p.m., when a few 

 straggling duns on the smooth glides in mid-channel 

 tempted fish to take them. I knotted on a dark- 

 winged olive quill, and it was, after about a dozen 

 trials, successful in bringing a third trout to grief. 



On the way back to my lodgings I noticed that 

 the hawthorn trees were as yet scarcely showing 

 any white blossoming ; kingcups were in the marshy 

 meadows, and a profusion of wild pansies " freaked 

 with jet " embroidered the moors. Curlews in 

 graceful curves of flight over the valley uttered 

 their very mournful cries (hence their name), and 

 often one or two would swoop low down quite close 

 to where I stood ; indeed, until I got used to it, I 

 ducked my head each time they came near. Could 

 the flies stuck in my cap have attracted them ? In 

 the evening only two more were caught, as few flies 

 were on the water to induce fish to rise, and that I 

 found out afterwards was often the case. The only 

 plan, therefore, was to watch for a trout apparently 

 at rest on a shallow place under the shade of the 

 bank, and from a good distance in his rear to cover 

 him with a fly a large red quill accurately placed 



H 



