THE PIKE 



morning, and so were the pike, for I had observed 

 them also as they darted away from under the banks 

 to deeper water. 



I would here venture to offer a few remarks respect- 

 ing another class of river, which perhaps does not fall 

 altogether under the category of bona-fide trout waters. 

 At the same time these rivers often carry a small head 

 of trout among the various tribes of pike and coarse fish 

 forming the river's piscine stock. This kind of water 

 is commonly found in the lower and lower middle 

 sections of the river, and being of a big, heavy cha- 

 racter it is unsuited to the exclusive cultivation of 

 trout or grayling. The Wiltshire Avon furnishes 

 an excellent illustration of this type of water. In the 

 right kind of weather I have noticed what might be 

 called a nice sprinkling of fly on the surface, but 

 neither the trout nor grayling take it; in fact, it is 

 seldom that they condescend to feed upon such trifles. 



The trout and grayling in these waters run to a large 

 size, are remarkably handsome, and their condition, 

 when in season, is all that can be desired. The supply 

 of food is marvellous, but it is probable that the 

 fish in this river owe their substantial proportions to 

 the swarms of small fry which pander to their can- 

 nibalistic nature. To the trout fisherman of the dry 

 fly order this kind of water might prove unattractive ; 



