sE^cig A LONDON TROUT 



her of twigs around the stem as a rule the 

 beechbole is clear of boughs, but some which are 

 of rather stunted growth are fringed with them. 

 The leaves on the longer boughs above fall off and 

 voyage down the brook, but those on the lesser 

 twigs beneath, and only a little way from the 

 ground, remain on, and rustle, dry and brown, all 

 through the winter. 



Under the shelter of these leaves, and close to 

 the trunk, there grew a plant of flag the tops of 

 the flags almost reached to the leaves and all 

 the winter through, despite the frosts for which 

 it was remarkable, despite the snow and the bitter 

 winds which followed, this plant remained green 

 and fresh. From this beech in the morning a 

 shadow stretches to a bridge across the brook, and 

 in that shadow my trout used to lie. The bank 

 under the drooping boughs forms a tiny clifF a foot 

 high, covered with moss, and here I once observed 

 shrew mice diving and racing about. But only 

 once, though I frequently passed the spot ; it is 

 curious that I did not see them afterwards. 



Just below the shadow of the beech there is a 

 sandy oozy shore, where the footprints of moor- 

 hens are often traceable. Many of the trees of 

 the plantation stand in water after heavy rain ; 

 their leaves drop into it in autumn, and, being 

 away from the influence of the current, stay and 

 -85- 



