76 AN ANGLER'S YEAR 



not the duffer have his chance ? Were we not all 

 duffers once ? Moreover, all must allow that the man 

 who, on a 10ft. rod and single drawn point, can land his 

 3|lb. or 41b. trout after playing it in a flower garden of 

 water weeds, must be something more than a duffer. 

 Such fish are not uncommon on our Kennet, and when 

 in the mood, feed on the mayfly right busily. Even if 

 the trout are not feeding madly, and only occasionally a 

 mayfly appears, how pleasantly the hours pass, as we 

 wander by the river waiting for the rise, and watching if 

 the trout be inclined to move. Now and then a 

 mayfly appears on the surface, only to be seized by an 

 adventurous dace, or, feebly fluttering off the water, 

 falls a prey to the swoop of a swallow or a swift. The 

 recollection of pleasant June days returns to us, when 

 the hours have been spent in wandering by the river, 

 knee-deep in the luxuriant vegetation of the lush 

 meadow, crushing as one goes buttercups, forget-me- 

 nots, wild orchids, and dozens of other wild flowers, and 

 disturbing moths, butterflies, bees, in fact a busy throng 

 of insect life, all getting a livelihood from the honey- 

 laden blooms. Above, around, everywhere, the different 

 notes of wild birds can be heard, whilst now and then a 

 splash in the river marks a feeding fish ; or a coot, or a 

 water-vole, startled at our appearance, plunges into the 

 water. 



Usually the morning rise is scattered, but about 

 two to four o'clock the Mayfly may come up more 

 freely. Every here and there a sub-imago will then be 

 observed breaking into life. Frequently its two years 

 of slavery in the mud are ill repaid ; ere it has time to 

 dry its wings, a ring, a splash, and it has gone to help 

 to get into condition another lusty trout or grayling. 

 If the wind be high, however, the fly is frequently whisked 

 off the water on to the bank, where the sparrows and 

 chaffinches quickly end its woes. 



Most of us have enjoyed a good day on good water 

 when the mayfly has been in evidence, and require but 

 little further to be said on the pleasures of such a day. 

 About the end of May we begin to furbish up our tackle, 



