142 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIEDS. 



But these unceremonious duckings were amply compen- 

 sated by the more abundant reward of such a " drag ;" for, 

 great was the excitement when, as the wings began to close, 

 we saw the quick gleams, like those of sword blades, up the 

 deep green water, of the long-bodied pike, which were be- 

 coming alarmed, and then, as we rushed the net on them, one 

 would dart swiftly upwards, and flashing an instant in the 

 air, pass clear over the floats, unless caught by the ready 

 hand of a float tender. 



Then such clamors of approval at the feat, from the shore, 

 mingled with the cries of warning as another went shining 

 after and over, followed by a desperate rush of the strong 

 and headlong white trout, or rather, perch, some of them 

 leaping a full yard straight up into the sunlight, and others 

 lashing the water in furious struggles to burst their way 

 through the meshes of the net. 



What a pell-mell of rushing, spattering, snatching, scream- 

 ing and laughing, that landing was ! Many of the finest fish 

 escaped in the flurry, as is always the case in this kind of 

 sport as it is impossible to prevent the bold leaps of the 

 white trout and pike. The succors, too, make their escape 

 frequently in this manner, and some of the more active va- 

 rieties of the perch of which the fish I have called the 

 white trout is the most remarkable. We have, indeed, no 

 true trout in our western rivers ; but the habits of this mag- 

 nificent fish are so closely allied to those of that noble family, 

 that the name is generally yielded to it in deference. The 

 other fish thus taken, are the blue-cat, the black and golden 

 perch, along with the glistening silver-side, and many simi- 

 lar varieties. The soft-shell turtle is frequently captured and 

 recognized as a dainty. 



Thus we continued, with varying success, to drag all the 

 holes of the river, until the immediate neighborhood of the 

 spring had been reached. By this time we were tired enough 

 and the thought of dinner was a very pleasant one. The 

 baskets of fish had been regularly, after each successful drag, 



