232 NOTES ON THE MONTHS FOR FLY-FISHING. 



upon the water's surface, near the roots of the haw- 

 thorns." 



" But surely he cannot hope to do much in that 

 way ? " you ask. 



"The very largest fish are taken in this manner. 

 You observe he is perfectly still and easy; he has 

 evidently seen the rise of a feeding fish below there, 

 and he is content to patiently watch. Ah ! there, he 

 has missed that fish ; the fly is gone and so is the 

 fish ; he has taken his * hook ' and left the miller's." 



" Any fault of the angler's ? " 



" Oh no, none whatever. The fish has simply 

 taken hold of the living fly by the tail, and so stripped 

 it from the hook, which was placed between the 

 wings ; he is rather fastidious in feeding. The flies 

 are merely out as stragglers yet ; if two naturals be 

 put upon the hook, he will, ten chances to one, get 

 him the next time. The strongest tackle is used in 

 this primitive style of angling ; the shadow of the 

 thick foliage, and the actions of the impaled insect, 

 aiding materially in effecting the deception." Every 

 minute now the sun shines brighter, and more flies 

 appear. We now move onwards, passing several 

 more fishermen of the daping school. And now, 

 directly preceding us, a fisherman is observed with a 

 conspicuously long stiff rod, attached to which is a 

 very inconsistently fine line, which is out a great 

 length. The rodster is as motionless as though the 

 least action would upset his equilibrium, and seriously 

 imperil the safety of his person and property, the 

 twenty foot rod in question. 



