170 THE MAYFLY IN HAMPSHIRE. 



On the morning in question I had ample 

 leisure; so, before approaching the lock, I lay 

 down on my stomach just behind a weed clump 

 with chin on hands, and peered over. To my 

 disappointment nothing moved or showed itself. 

 Above me upstream was the deep pool under 

 the rotten old lock gate, and I thought once 

 or twice that I could make out the waving tail 

 of a monster fish, but agreed it was probably a 

 shadow or a large water plant. While engaged 

 in this speculation a mayfly appeared, circled 

 round the pool, and then was carried over to 

 the opposite side into the very narrow run that 

 connected the two pools. I saw it going along 

 and meant to watch it when it got slowly 

 drifted down to the place between the two large 

 bushes. 



All of a sudden, up the narrow run, from the 

 very place named, the form of a fine trout 

 appeared, paused for a second I thought because 

 he had seen me and then came on with a 

 flash, took the mayfly, turned, and ran back to 

 between the bushes. 



Now it is all a question of distance. That I 

 both estimated, and measured as nearly as was 

 possible, making it at least twelve or thirteen 

 yards. The mayfly was in a little trickle not 

 nine inches deep nor two feet wide which 

 extended for several yards below it. The trout 

 was under the heavy bushes in the pool below. 

 Yet he was obviously attracted by the movement 

 of the fly, saw it, and made that special run 

 right out into the shallow open lock to secure 



